The Peacock women's soccer team broke open in a big way on Sunday afternoon in Crookston, Minn. against the Golden Eagles of the University of Minnesota Crookston to earn their first win of 2017. Upper Iowa's offense had struggled so far this season, but came alive with a dominant, five-goal first half to basically put the game away at halftime. It was the first time all season the Peacocks scored a goal, and the offense unleashed in a huge way to give the team some momentum early in the season. With the 5-1 win, UIU improves to 1-3-1 overall, and 1-1-1 in the Northern Sun Conference. UM Crookston drops to 0-5 and 0-2 in league play.

Despite the lopsided outcome, it was the home team that scored first on Sunday. Nikki Dogan scored her first goal of the season for the Golden Eagles in the 17th minute to give UM Crookston a 1-0 advantage. But after that moment, it was all Peacocks. UIU outshot the home team 11-2 in the half, and scored 45% of the time. In the 20th minute, Rachel Fowler gave the Peacocks their first score of the season when she scored on a header off a free kick from teammate Maddie North. The equalizer gave the visitors some momentum they would not relinquish.

Eight minutes later, Fowler was at it again. The senior scored on a free kick from the left side to give the Peacocks their first lead in any game this year. UIU just kept going. Two minutes later, junior Corel Carmichael took a cross from Birgit Rijnders and scored from 19 yards out to give Upper Iowa a 3-1 lead. Three minutes later, in the 33rd minute, junior Jordyn Ostrowski joined in on the fun with a chip shot goal off of defenders in the box. All of a sudden, the visitors were putting the game away in the opening 45 minutes.

Upper Iowa put the exclamation point on one of their most dominant halves in years when Ostrowski scored her second goal of the match. The capper came in the 41st minute when the Ringle, Wis. native beat the last defender down the left side and scored to give UIU an insurmountable 5-1 advantage. Heading into the second half, it was all Peacocks, leading in every statistical category.

In the second stanza, Upper Iowa did not score a goal, but continued to control the ball on offense. The Golden Eagles did not get a shot off in the half, while UIU recorded seven shot attempts. The Peacock defense was so strong, goalkeeper Caila Petrie only faced two shots on goal in the game, and recorded a save in the process. Petrie earns her first win in net for UIU on the season as well.

Ostrowski led the way with five shot attempts, while Carmichael added three shot attempts. Fowler, Rijnders, and Emma Fellowes each recorded two shots apiece, and for the game UIU led 18-2 in attempts, and 10-2 in shots on goal.

The Peacocks will head back to Fayette for their first home game of the 2017 season, next Friday, Sept. 22 at Pattison Field. UIU will match up with Augustana University at 3 p.m.