Iowa field hockey’s Big Ten tournament run will continue, as the No. 3-seeded Hawkeyes defeated No. 6 Indiana, 1-0, in Thursday’s quarterfinal matchup.
It was all Iowa out of the gate, as the Hawkeyes claimed five penalty corner opportunities early in the first quarter. Iowa hit paydirt on the fifth penalty corner on a goal from third-year Dionne Van Aalsum, the NCAA’s goals-per-game leader.
“Really well executed goal, and we just put together a very purposeful possession,” head coach Lisa Cellucci said.
With the one-goal lead, Iowa attempted to keep putting on the pressure while also trying to bleed the clock down.
Indiana would not go away easily, however, as the Hoosiers started to put on the offensive pressure themselves, getting a late penalty corner opportunity, which ended unsuccessfully.
Going into the second quarter of play, Iowa looked to continue using up the clock and work as a team to put together a scoring opportunity. Indiana would also start to pick up its offensive pressure, only to see the Hawkeyes’ strong defense prevail. Iowa’s goalkeeper, fourth-year Mia Magnotta, only had to make two scoring saves because of the strong help she received from her teammates.
Pleased with her team’s first-half performance, with moving the ball well in the backfield and incorporating their screens. Cellucci noted they needed to continue to have meaningful possessions through to the final horn.
Second Half
Meaningful possessions are exactly what the Hawkeyes opened the third quarter with. Iowa quickly got four more penalty corner opportunities, but couldn’t cash in, with the attempts being blocked by Hoosier goalkeeper Sadie Canelli and her teammates.
Indiana would continue to put pressure on the Iowa defense, only seeing one last penalty corner opportunity come and go at the start of the fourth quarter.
From that point on, the Hawkeyes would continue to drain down the clock, seeming content with their one-goal lead.
The Hoosiers, in a last-ditch effort, pulled Canelli with five minutes remaining, only to see the goose egg remain on the scoreboard and their Big Ten tournament and automatic NCAA tournament bid vanish when the final horn sounded.
“Indiana played a fantastic game. It is hard to beat a team three times,” Cellucci said. “I’m just really proud of the Hawks for how resilient they were throughout the course of the game, and we are ready to play in the semifinals.”
Up next
Tomorrow’s semifinal matchup for Iowa will be against yet another familiar foe. Prior to the Iowa and Indiana game, Ohio State, the No. 7 seed in the tournament, upset the No. 2 Maryland, 2-1.
Iowa and Ohio State just played each other one week prior in the regular season finale, where the Hawkeyes scored a 3-2 victory in double overtime.
The matchup is set for 4:00 p.m. and will be televised on Big Ten Network following the conclusion of the contest between No. 1 Northwestern and No. 4 Michigan.