For 80 minutes, the Iowa Hawkeyes and Virginia Cavaliers battled up and down the pitch at Lakeside Field in Evanston. Both defenses held strong despite crisp passing from both sides and the chess match between both sides led to overtime. However, after a pair of overtime periods, the two sides were still locked at one goal apiece. The Hawkeyes were able to prevail 4-3 in a penalty shootout to clinch a spot in the Elite Eight Round of the NCAA Tournament.
“I am impressed first and foremost with the team’s grit and resilience,” said Head Coach Lisa Cellucci. “We have way less numbers than Virginia did, but they were able to hang through two overtimes and some really clutch performances under pressure.”
The first half was just what you would expect from two teams that had yet to face each other this season. A lot of feeling out and see how the other team would react. That played right into the hands of the Hawkeyes, as their transition defense was rarely tested. A part of their game that had been shaky at times throughout the year. Virginia had the lone shot in the opening quarter and got a penalty corner opportunity in the second quarter, but fumbled the execution, allowing Iowa to clear.
In the final minute of the half, the Hawkeyes looked to make something happen and were able to get on the board with 34 seconds remaining. Esme Gibson made her way into the scoring circle and tried to send a centering pass to teammate Alex Wesneski. Instead of finding Wesneski, the pass deflected underneath sliding UVA goalkeeper Jet Trimborn and into the goal to give Iowa the 1-0 lead.
The second half started off quietly, with the Iowa defense continuing to keep the Cavaliers from making any dangerous runs inside the 25-yard line. Virginia was able to muster just one shot on goal in the quarter and the Hawkeyes took a 1-0 lead to the fourth quarter. Things changed quickly.
The final period started with a long lift pass down towards goal by the Cavaliers and Taryn Tkachuk was able to run it down just before the endline. She found lead scorer Laura Janssen in front of the goal, and she converted for her 12th goal of the season. All of the sudden, Virginia had tied the game 17 seconds into the final stanza despite being slowed by the Iowa defense all night.
Both teams had penalty corner chances in the remaining part of the fourth quarter, but the game made its way into the sudden death overtime. The first ten-minute overtime period was quiet with both teams recording a shot, but neither on net. In the second overtime period, the Hawkeyes put the pressure on with a pair of penalty corners after hard Virginia fouls. However, Anthe Nijziel saw a shot get saved and another sail wide of the goal. After 80 minutes of play, the game went to a penalty shootout.
Enter Iowa goalkeeper Mia Magnotta.
The redshirt freshman out of Forty-Fort, Pennsylvania was making just her second career start in place of injured All-American goalkeeper Grace McGuire. Suddenly, she was on the big stage with the bright lights on (literally) in a penalty shootout fighting to keep the Hawkeyes alive for another tournament game.
Magnotta stepped up in a big way and saved four of the seven penalty shots she faced, including three in a row to give the Hawkeyes a chance to win in the seventh round of penalty shots. Lieve Schalk beat UVA goalkeeper Jet Trimborn for her second time and gave Iowa the 4-3 win in penalty shots to move them on to the Elite Eight.
“My coach tells me to have confidence in myself,” said Magnotta. “You practice every day for this. I face great shots (from my teammates) every day, so it’s nothing I’m not prepared for.”
Coach Cellucci said that the performance in the shootout was not out of the norm for Magnotta, who shows her abilities in practice all the time against her teammates. Before the season began, Cellucci told me that she felt that Mia could be a starting goalkeeper at nearly every school in the country. Tonight, was just the first time she was able to showcase her talents.
Shootout Breakdown
Iowa Harper Dunne: Goal (1-0)
UVA Laura Janssen: Goal (1-1)
Iowa Annika Herbine: Goal (2-1)
UVA Adele Iacobucci: Goal (2-2)
Iowa Sofie Stribos: No Goal (2-2)
UVA Annie McDonough: No Goal (2-2)
Iowa Lieve Schalk: Goal (3-2)
UVA Noa Boterman: Goal (3-3)
Iowa Lokke Stribos: No Goal (3-3)
UVA Meghen Hengerer: No Goal (3-3) (Game winning chance)
UVA Laura Janssen: No Goal (3-3)
Iowa Annika Herbine: No Goal (3-3)
UVA Adele Iacobucci: No Goal (3-3)
Iowa Lieve Schalk: Goal (4-3) (Game winner)
“The month of October was a struggle for us, but the team never stopped believing and neither did we,” said Cellucci. “The team kept going to work every day, and we knew eventually it was going to fall. What we had to do was stick to a game plan for 60 minutes and that’s what these guys did today to a T.”
Next up for the Hawkeyes is a match-up against a familiar face in rival Northwestern. The #2 seeded and regional host Wildcats defeated Miami Ohio in a penalty shootout in the opening round. The Hawkeyes defeated Northwestern in Evanston 2-0 back on September 23rd. The game is on Sunday at 1:00pm and will be streamed on BTN+ free of charge.
