By Michael McCurdy
With only four Big Ten games left, the Iowa field-hockey team has entered the “do or die” part of the season sitting at 1-3 in conference play.
This weekend, the Hawkeyes get the opportunity to get back in the conference hunt with a pair of Big Ten road games against No. 9 Northwestern and No. 12 Michigan. The Hawkeyes are arguably looking at their most challenging weekend of competition since their opener with Wake Forest and North Carolina.
Although the weekend pair of games will be a challenge to the Hawkeyes, Iowa head coach Lisa Cellucci said, it will be nothing new to the team.
“I think the biggest thing Michigan and Northwestern have over us is more depth and experience in their seniors and juniors,” she said. “But yeah, I think both games are going to be very close and could go either way, and our goal is to definitely come out 2-0, which we desperately need.”
At 3 p.m. today, Iowa will face Northwestern, which has a 10-4 record this season with wins against Boston College, Penn State, and Maryland. Against the two Big Ten top-dogs Maryland and Penn State, the Wildcats scored a combined 8 goals, something Hawkeye senior goalkeeper Alexandra Pecora is working to get her team ready for.
“Northwestern is a very impressive opponent with a lot of offensive firepower,” Pecora said. “So we can make sure we’re organized and have the same strategy we always do which is to protect the circle and protect our feet by not letting them get penalty corners. We need to come out with a lot of grit and have really tough body posture so we’ll able to stay strong throughout the game.”
Against Big Ten teams this year, Iowa has held each team to a little under 3 goals per game, an impressive statistic considering the Big Ten is a rigorous conference and Iowa is young with a lack of depth. If the Hawkeyes want to win this weekend, the defense must be consistent and the offense must step up.
At noon on Oct. 16, Iowa will take on No. 12 Michigan, which is 8-5 this season. The Wolverine’s schedule so far this year has been daunting, with games against North Carolina, Wake Forest, Stanford, and Delaware.
Hawkeye junior Mallory Lefkowitz, who plays a vital part in the team’s offensive production, said the offense must play its best in order to come away from the weekend victorious.
“I think for the offense, it’s going to be important we create a lot of movement up front and a lot of options for the ball carriers,” Lefkowitz said. “As well as being aggressive so we can get penalty corners and from there capitalizing on those.”
Going on the road this season has brought out the best in the Hawkeyes. Cellucci said she thinks it has to do with the team getting away from the spotlight and having a consistent routine.
“Typically with this and my previous teams, we have been better on the road,” she said. “I think it has to do with we can be little bit more discipline with our routine and preparation. Also, we can keep them in the hotel where there are not as many outside distractions, which helps us rise to the occasion.”
Follow @MMcurd for more information on the Iowa field-hockey team.
