The Iowa women’s soccer team lost its  match against Northwestern, 2-1, Thursday night at the Iowa Soccer complex. 

Iowa came into the match with a 8-2-3 record and 2-2-2 record in the Big Ten.

Back and forth

Iowa opened up the game with a goalscoring opportunity. Junior forward Elle Otto found space behind Northwestern’s back line and fed the ball to junior forward Kenzie Roling in the middle of the Wildcats’ box, leaving her one-on-one with Northwestern’s keeper, but the shot was saved by the keeper and the score remained tied.

Northwestern had the next scoring chance after the Wildcats won the ball in the midfield and caught the Hawkeyes out of position, starting a counter attack and shot just outside Iowa’s penalty box. Senior keeper Macy Enneking saved the shot and kept the scores even. 

But the Wildcats’ attack didn’t let up,  and Northwestern won a free kick just outside Iowa’s penalty box, scoring on the ensuing set piece. The cross was chipped to Iowa’s back post and head butted in by Emma Phillips. Northwestern led the match, 1-0, after 18 minutes.

Iowa regrouped after the goal and almost caught Northwestern unprepared on a counter attack, but the Wildcats tracked back and stopped the Hawkeyes.  

Iowa kept the momentum up and continued to search for an equalizer. The Hawkeyes earned a throw-in near the corner flag and worked the ball into the Wildcats’ box. Elle Otto passed the ball out to senior midfielder Maggie Johnston on the edge of the box, and Johnston hammered the ball into the back of the net, tying the game at one after 33 minutes.

“I thought we were the better team in the first half and unfortunately we [went] into the locker room a tie,” Iowa head coach Dave DiIanni said. “Yes Macy [Enneking] makes a really nice save, but we missed some chances to probably be up 2-1 or 3-1.”

More of the same

The second half had a similar start, with Iowa finding an initial goal scoring opportunity but struggling with the final product. 

Northwestern responded with an attack of its own and earned two corner kicks that Enneking claimed to halt the danger. 

The Wildcats once again broke the deadlock. Northwestern lofted a long ball into the Iowa penalty box, and it was initially cleared, but it fell at the feet of a Northwestern player who crossed it back in. Ella Hase got her head on the ball, knocking it past Enneking extending the Wildcats’ lead, 2-1.

Northwestern stayed on attack looking for a buffer goal. The Wildcats started several counter attacks, but the Hawkeyes’ back line worked back and kept the deficit at one. 

In the closing minutes of the second half, Iowa shifted to an all out attack approach, hoping for an equalizer before the match ended. Iowa earned a free kick just outside Northwestern’s penalty box that bounced off several Wildcat and Hawkeye heads, but Northwestern managed to clear the ball away and keep its lead.

Iowa continued to fight for an equalizer, but the second goal never came and the match ended in a 2-1 defeat. 

“I think it’s at a point in the season where every team is good, every team has played soccer, and they know what they’re doing,” senior defender Samantha Cary said. “You just have to tighten up, and it’s moments in the game that matter. We didn’t play a bad game, we had bad moments.”

Away defeat

Iowa hoped to bounce back after a disappointing 4-2 defeat to Nebraska on Oct. 7 in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The Hawkeyes struggled in defense against the Cornhuskers. Iowa had allowed just three goals all season prior to the match, but Nebraska’s attack proved too potent for the Hawkeye defense.

Nebraska leads the Big Ten in goals and has the nation’s top goal scorer, Eleanor Dale. Dale scored twice in the match against Iowa. 

“I think we just need to believe in ourselves and get back to that team that we were prior to these past two games,” senior midfielder Josie Durr said. “We were playing really well and kind of had a little setback, but we just have to get back to where we were before.”

Big Ten picture

As the regular season winds down, Iowa is on the outside looking in for qualification in the Big Ten Tournament. The Hawkeyes are currently ninth and need to move up at least one spot to qualify for the postseason. 

“I think we need to come back together tomorrow and decide that we’re going to play a little more collectively,” DiIanni said. “This group is wonderful to be with, I think that’s what makes us so disappointed when we lose. They’re a good group of kids, they work really hard, and right now we’re learning some tough lessons.”

Iowa plays its last home match against Maryland on Sunday, Oct. 15. Maryland is last in the conference with zero wins in Big Ten play.

“It’s do or die right now, and there’s no option but to be together. The good thing is this group has been together the moment we got together,” Cary said. “I know that we’re going to fight our hearts out for the next three games, and whatever happens happens, but we’re going to leave everything on the table, and that’s all I can ask for.”