The Upper Iowa women's soccer team battled to a 1-1 tie against the Rockhurst Hawks in their first game of 2015 on Friday night.
 
The Peacocks stumbled early, surrendering a goal in the first four minutes of the game. But UIU's backline stepped up for the remainder of the first half, holding the Hawks scoreless despite being outshot 7-2.
 
"We did have a slow start, but credit to Rockhurst who came out flying," said head coach Brian Diaz. "At the same time, credit to us and our defense because we did hold strong and avoided going down 2-0."
 
To start the second half, Rockhurst was again on the offensive, taking the half's first eight shots, but goalkeeper Kaitlyn Emanuel and the Peacock defense was up to the task.
 
"After first five minutes of the second half, we settled in," said Diaz. "We got our foot in the game and started playing a lot better."
 
Over 25 minutes into the half, UIU got its break when junior Maggie Olson netted the game-tying goal, with Brianne Fenton and Savannah Schinto earning assists.
 
Neither team scored in the final 20 minutes of regulation and the match headed for overtime. In the opening extra period, offense was scarce as each team managed just one shot. In the second overtime, the Peacocks survived a flurry of Hawks shots, including one that hit the crossbar, but Emanuel was able to save the lone shot that was on net to secure the tie.
 
A 2014 All-NSIC Third Team pick, Emanuel made nine saves in the game, matching her season-high from 2014 and just one off of her career-high of 10 from 2013. Freshman Jordyn Ostrowski led the team with two shots. Diaz credited Ostrowski, saying her energy ignited the team, and Savannah Schinto, stating how big of a role she played in the result. He also made special mention of freshman Erin Svensson and sophomore Mikayla Nassy-Wong as both were a part of the strong defensive effort.
 
"Overall, I'm pleased to get a draw against a quality opponent like Rockhurst," said Diaz. "We showed a lot of character to come back on the road and get that result."
 
"We played every eligible field player and showed we had depth. Everyone did their part to contribute tonight," added Diaz. "If we want to continue to grow and be the team we want to be, we have to play tough programs. These are the kinds of tests we need as we head into the Northern Sun Conference."
 
Upper Iowa's next test will be at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.