Olympic Spotlight: Murphy Runs in NCAA Championship
The fall season is winding down, but that doesn't mean the end of big performances for the Hawkeyes. Two different Hawkeye sports competed in the postseason and while Iowa soccer saw its incredible run come to an end, Max Murphy put together a career-best performance for Iowa cross country.
Let's jump right in.
Olympic Spotlight: Cross Country
Max Murphy was the lone Hawkeye competitor at the NCAA Championships last week and put on a career-best performance, finishing 69th in the 10,000m race with a 30:13.9 time. Murphy was the Hawkeyes' first championship qualifier since 2019 and his finish is the best for a Hawkeye since 2010.
Max Murphy has put together an incredible career for the Hawkeyes and the 2023 season was his best yet. Earlier in the year, he set the school record in the 6,000m race, and his NCAA Championship performance was the 5th-best 10,000m time in Iowa history. This success comes on the heels of the addition to the school record he set in the 5,000m for the Hawkeyes in 2022.
Murphy, just a junior, along with the Hawkeyes, will now turn to the indoor track and field season. Last year, Murphy was part of the distance relay that now ranks 4th all-time at Iowa and won the mile race at the Iowa Open in 4:05.72. It's a varied and impressive set of performances and accolades for one of Iowa's best.
Soccer
Iowa soccer played #12 Georgia in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last Friday, falling 3-2 in a heartbreaking defeat. The Hawks and Bulldogs played to a scoreless draw in the first half, with Iowa controlling much of the early going before Georgia found their footing and began to assert themselves late in the half.
The fireworks came fast and furious in the second half. The Bulldogs drew first blood with a 60th-minute goal, but Iowa equalized four minutes later when goalkeeper Macy Enneking found Millie Greer with a dangerous free kick and Greer popped the ball over the oncoming Georgia goalie.
Georgia again pulled ahead two minutes later, giving them a 2-1 lead that held for most of the second half. The Hawkeyes were forced to push forward in the late moments and that left them exposed at the back where the Bulldogs took advantage in the 85th minute and pushed the lead to 3-1. Iowa kept up the fight and found a goal in the 89th minute when Kelli McGroarty put one away, but there wasn't enough time left for Iowa to find an equalizer.
The loss will sting, but it was still a very successful season for the Hawkeyes. Iowa fought its way into the Big Ten Tournament and then put together a string of ranked wins with some of its best performances of the year. Iowa imposed its will against some of the best teams in the country and continued that momentum into their first-round NCAA match. In fact, before Georgia's first second half goal, the Hawkeyes had held opponents scoreless for 418 straight game minutes.
The group knew their identity and executed it to perfection for much of the postseason. It took an aggressive Georgia squad two-thirds of the match to find a way through and force the Hawkeyes out of their pressing defensive shell. Even still, Iowa almost found a way back into the match even when they had to play an unfamiliar attacking style.
The Hawkeyes are losing key contributors next season with Samantha Cary, Josie Durr, Maggie Johnston, McGroarty, and Macy Enneking all moving on, but they are leaving the team in a far better position than they found it. The group was part of two Big Ten Tournament titles and a pair of NCAA Tournament wins. A huge congratulations is in order for coach Dave Dilanni and the entire Iowa soccer team. We can't wait to see what you do next.
Volleyball
Iowa volleyball lost both matches last weekend, falling in straight sets to Minnesota (15-11) and #1 Nebraska (27-0). The Hawkeyes hung with the Gophers for the first two sets on Friday, falling 25-19 and 25-20. Minnesota finished the sweep with a 25-14 win in the third set. Minnesota used a big run late in the first set to pull away and followed a similar script in the 2nd to take a commanding match lead before claiming the third set and match win. Caitlin Buettner led the Hawkeyes in kills and Bailey Ortega led the team in assists.
Iowa again pushed their opponents in the first two sets on Sunday, falling 25-21 in each of the first two sets against the Huskers. The Hawks were close behind late in set one, down just 23-20, but were unable to close the gap. In set two, the Hawks battled to a one-point deficit at 18-17 before Nebraska was finally able to pull away. The Huskers won a convincing third set (25-15) to take the match. Buettner logged nine kills in the match, and Ortega tallied 17 assists.
The Hawkeyes will conclude the season next weekend with road matches against Northwestern (13-15) and Wisconsin (24-3).