Following a disappointing overtime loss to Michigan State, things were looking gloomy for the Iowa field hockey team. The defeat dropped the Hawkeyes at 8-7 on the year and 1-5 in conference play.
The team then had to travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes, a squad that had won eight of its last 10 contests and sat at the top of the Big Ten standings.
The overlying pressure gave confidence to a youthful Iowa team and fueled the Hawkeyes to a stunning 3-0 victory against the top-ranked Buckeyes.
The game started similarly to most of the Hawkeye games this season. Suffocating defenses on both sides of the ball forced a scoreless first period with only one shot on goal from Ohio State.
The second period saw similar results with both teams remaining scoreless despite two shots on goal from second-year forward Dionne van Aalsum.
But just five minutes into the third period things started to swing for the Hawkeye offense.
The aggressive Cellucci-led defense forced an errored pass right in front of the Buckeye goal, and fifth-year forward Alex Wesneski took advantage of the mistake and fired it into the back of the net for her first goal of the season.
Wesneski fires it in! 😎
No. 16 Iowa 1, No. 3 Ohio State 0 #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/z8svact9NO
— Iowa Field Hockey (@iowafieldhockey) October 27, 2024
Six minutes later, the offensive momentum continued.
A shot from fourth-year Annika Herbine was blocked by Buckeye goalie Abby Danson, but the ball deflected to second-year midfielder Lieve van Kessel who scored on the rebound to give the Hawkeyes a 2-0 lead.
Take a look. 👀
No. 16 Iowa 2, No. 3 Ohio State 0
Lieve van Kessel x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/IJgYrhFmgI
— Iowa Field Hockey (@iowafieldhockey) October 27, 2024
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With less than a minute left and Iowa maintaining its lead, scoring leader van Aalsum put the finishing touches on the upset victory with an empty net goal to give the Black and Gold an unexpected triumph.
GOAL!
No. 16 Iowa 3, No. 3 Ohio State 0
Dionne van Aalsum x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/69CoMG68sa
— Iowa Field Hockey (@iowafieldhockey) October 27, 2024
Goalkeeper Mia Magnotta countered every shot from the Buckeye offense in the last period. The third-year notched three more saves and helped Iowa earn its eighth shutout performance of the season – good for second most in the Big Ten behind Northwestern.
Up Next
Iowa currently is tied with Penn State for sixth place in the conference, one game behind Indiana.
The Hawkeyes final game of the regular season will be at home against Michigan on Nov. 1. Iowa will have to win the game if it wants any chance to make the seven-team Big Ten Tournament.
The game is scheduled to start at 5:00 p.m. at Grand Field in Iowa City, with coverage found on Big Ten Plus.