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The Upper Iowa University women’s soccer team took the field today to open not only their own season, but UIU’s athletics season as well. The Peacocks welcomed the Griffons of Missouri Western State University, a member of the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Both teams took the field for their first game with a lot to prove to their respective conferences. UIU was selected 7th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll, while MWSU was selected 8th in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
Early on the Peacocks and Griffons traded hard runs into each others end of the field but as the first half progressed, the women in blue began to control the pace and location of the game. Upper Iowa struck first in the 26th minute after a corner kick by Jennifer Lee got lost in a sea of blue and black jerseys before finding the foot of senior, Lauren Smith. Smith deposited the ball in the back of the net for the unassisted goal. After only a minute of play, the Griffons looked to answer the goal. On a centering pass the ball jumped up quickly off a defender’s foot and hit her in the hand. The play was whistled dead and since the defender was in the box, a penalty kick was awarded. As the Griffon striker approached the ball, UIU goalie Sarah Hiatt stood ready and reacted very quickly to the shot. Hiatt blocked the shot with a dive and the Peacock defenders were able to knock the rebound out of danger. The save was a huge one for the senior goal keeper and gave the Peacocks a boost to finish the half. With about eight minutes to play in the first half the clouds opened up and the teams finished the half through a downpour. The rain stopped just as the horn for halftime sounded and the teams retreated to the locker rooms with Upper Iowa holding on to a 1-0 lead. The Peacocks came out for the second half determined to add to their lead. UIU scored two goals within the first thirteen minutes of the half to take a commanding advantage. Smith scored her second goal of the game after another corner kick was deflected to Jennifer Burnett. Burnett gathered the ball and centered a pass to Smith, who drove the ball into the net. Five minutes later Erica Baedke put her name in the scoring column with a finish into an open net. Cara Mauldin set the score up with a great lead pass to Smith, who dribbled around the diving goal keeper and pushed the ball to a cutting Baedke. Head Coach Brian Bahl picked up a victory in his first college match. Bahl is in his first season as the head coach of both the women’s and men’s soccer teams at Upper Iowa. In all seventeen Peacocks saw action in the game. The team looked under control and a year of experience has done the team well. Returning all the main components from last year’s squad and adding to that the talents of freshman Ashleigh Lengel and senior Candice Divoky have the Peacocks eyeing good things in 2007. The women’s soccer team will return to Pattison Field tomorrow afternoon, August 24, at 12:00 pm for another non-conference showdown with Northwest Missouri State. |
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