Iowa’s soccer team came into the weekend second in the Big Ten with a 0.49 goals against average.
The Gophers saw why Sunday, as they settled for a 0-0 double-overtime tie with the Hawkeyes at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium.
Forward Taylor Uhl said that Iowa’s defense was “really good at getting numbers behind the ball.”
Minnesota outshot Iowa 29-7, and head coach Stefanie Golan said she thought the momentum was in Minnesota’s favor for most of the game.
“We’re disappointed that we didn’t get a better result,” she said.
Forward Allie Phillips led the Gophers with seven shots in the game, the same number Iowa’s entire team had.
The Gophers tried a creative move on a free kick in the first half that didn’t quite pan out.
Uhl and midfielder Olivia Bagnall hung back while the rest of the team set up their formation. It looked like Uhl was going to take the kick, but she broke to her left.
Instead of shooting, Bagnall passed to Uhl. But the attempt was ultimately unsuccessful.
The Gophers had a couple shots near the end of regulation that went just above the crossbar.
One of the best attempts was a Uhl header in the 78th minute, which Iowa’s goalie Hannah Clark tipped up and out of play.
“I just tried to make solid contact on the header because usually the goalie doesn’t have any time to have a chance to save that,” Uhl said, “but she got her hand on it, and that was a great play on her part.”
Clark, a freshman, entered the weekend with a .919 save percentage, the best in the Big Ten.
She came in at halftime for goalie Meg Goodson, who, entering the weekend, was fourth in the Big Ten with a .892 save
percentage.
Like Iowa, Minnesota replaced its goalkeeper at halftime when Jackie Voigt came in for starter Cat Parkhill.
Voigt played for the women’s basketball team for four years before joining the soccer team. Sunday was the first time Voigt had seen game action this season, and she easily saved the only shot she faced.
Voigt said the coaches had told her they were thinking about putting her in. She said she was a little bit nervous, but she kept thinking about her preparations and had been preparing in practice as the second goalkeeper.
She also said her teammates were “super confident” in her and very enthusiastic about her playing in goal.
Parkhill has started every game this season for the Gophers. Prior to Sunday, she had only been lifted once, and that was during a game in which Minnesota had a large lead.
She replaced Voigt after regulation and was in net for both overtime periods.
The Hawkeyes (11-1-3, 2-1-3 Big Ten) managed just one shot in the two overtimes.
Minnesota played without senior defender Tamara Strahota, who has missed two consecutive games, but the defense held strong without her.
Golan said defender Marissa Price came up big for Minnesota. Price thwarted two Iowa chances in the second overtime period.
Golan said Price has a lot more responsibility that comes with shifting to the centerback position. But Golan added that Price has the “pace and the mentality of ‘Nobody’s getting behind us, and if they do, I’m going to take care of it.’”
The Gophers (7-6-1, 2-3-1 Big Ten) will host Illinois and Northwestern next weekend in their final two home games of the season.