When Iowa field hockey head coach Lisa Cellucci discussed the recent struggles the Hawkeyes have faced, the first thing she said was “It hasn’t been up to par of what we expect.”

Iowa is traditionally known for its excellence and consistency when it comes to the sport. But this recent stretch is something that hasn’t been seen very many times with this program.

Over the past four weeks, the Hawkeyes have posted a 2-5 record, dropped the past three games, and will likely fall out of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association top 20 rankings.

This stretch is somewhat unprecedented of what Iowa has done the past six years. Since 2018, the Hawkeyes have posted an 85-35 record, averaging just over 14 wins per season.

But after dropping to Monmouth on Oct 13, Iowa fell to 6-6 on the year and 1-4 in Big Ten play and are currently fighting for the last spot to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament, where seven of the league’s nine teams will compete.

Cellucci said that her squad has had far too many close losses. Four of Iowa’s six losses have been one score games, with three of those being in overtime and or shootouts.

“In our sport when you go to overtime, anything can happen,” Cellucci said. “It is such a different game, and we have been on the wrong end of some of those.”

Cellucci said the reason for a lot of these close defeats has been the lack of execution in the final quarters of the game, particularly when it comes to finishing the opportunities around the net.

The Hawkeyes have had “balls that just miss the post or went wide,” according to Cellucci. These minor lapses in finishing can be the difference between a victory or an overtime defeat.

Another factor in these defeats has been the overall youth of this Iowa team. The preseason injury of fourth-year midfielder Lieve Schalk has forced Cellucci to start six underclassmen.

“We aren’t making any excuses, but the cards have been stacked against us since we started,” Cellucci said. “That’s been unfortunate, but we have to keep finding a way.”

Despite the recent struggles, the team’s energy has been upbeat and motivated. Cellucci and her coaching staff have tried to rally and motivate the team through this stretch, but some players have taken it upon themselves to get the season back on track.

Fourth-year forward Annika Herbine said that the team has met a couple of times to figure out what is going wrong in these losses, using practice to analyze further some problems the team can fix going forward into the season.

“Obviously it was some very hard losses,” Herbine said. “It was very hard for the team, but I think we have a positive attitude about it going forward.”

Iowa has three regular season games remaining, road trips to Ohio State and Michigan State, and a home contest with Michigan. Celucci has maintained the team’s focus and energy as the season enters its final stretch.

“Team spirits are high and it’s a clean slate right now,” Cellucci said. “We have to continue to perform and get better. Really for us over the next three weeks, our success is going to be measured by us maximizing our potential.”