By: Zach Carlyle, Sports Communication Graduate Assistant
THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK WOMEN'S SOCCER... Upper Iowa (1-3-1, 1-1-1 NSIC) opens up their home schedule in 2017 after five matches away from Fayette. The Peacocks will meet the Augustana Vikings at Pattison Field on Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. before heading west on Sunday to take on the Wayne State Wildcats in Wayne, Neb. at 1 p.m. Friday's match can be seen on UIU TV online and in eastern Iowa on KCRG TV 9.2. The game can also be streamed on the Stretch Internet app on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV.
PEACOCKS FLY OVER GOLDEN EAGLES FOR FIRST WIN... UIU is coming off a weekend split in northwest Minnesota against the Bemidji State Beavers and Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles. The Peacocks were shutout, 3-0, at BSU, and were held to just six shot attempts. However, the offense cam out on fire on Sunday. UIU stormed out of the game with five first-half goals in the 5-1 victory.
THE SERIES... The Peacocks are looking for continued success against both squads, with an all-time record of 5-2-2 against the Vikings and a record of 8-1-3 against the Wildcats. Upper Iowa tied Augustana (1-1) two years ago, but dropped 3-0 on the road last season. UIU has topped Wayne State each of the last two seasons, both in Fayette, by scores of 3-2 (2015) and 2-1 (2016).
ON THE BOARD... Senior
Rachel Fowler and junior
Jordyn Ostrowski are coming off big games at UM Crookston on Sunday. The two combined for four of the five goals, and scored for the first time this season. Fowler scored the first two goals for UIU in the match, in the 20th and 28th minutes of the first half. Ostrowski continued the stretch with two of her own, in the 33rd and 41st minutes, to give the Peacocks a 5-1 lead. It is the first time UIU teammates have each scored twice in the first half of a game.
Corel Carmichael sandwiched a goal in between Fowler's and Ostrowski's for her first score of 2017 as well.
DEFENSE IS KEY... UIU got on the scoreboard for the first time offensively on Sunday, but defensively they continue to give themselves chances to stay in games. Despite being outshot 71-44 on the year, Upper Iowa has only allowed five goals on the season, for a percentage of just .113. Goalkeeper
Caila Petrie and the backline are holding strong, tallying 35 saves on the season, for an average of seven saves per game.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS...
vs. AUGUSTANA... The Vikings (3-1-2, 2-0-1 NSIC) enter the weekend with two noteworthy streaks. Augustana will put their three-match win streak and their four-match shutout streak to the test this weekend against Upper Iowa and Winona State. Augie has won three straight matches by a score of 1-0. Senior goalkeeper Taylor Machacek leads the NSIC in shutouts (4) and is fourth in saves (33). Augustana leads the NSIC in corner kicks (46), is tied for the most shots on goal (53) and is third in shots (107).
vs. WAYNE STATE... The Wildcats (1-2-3, 0-1-2 NSIC) have already been involved in three ties this season, and are looking for their first win since Sept. 4. Rylie Wehner had team-high three shots vs. Minot State last week, while Hannah Knight posted two shots on goal vs. Mary. Sophomore goalkeeper Rachel Grisham made 16 saves in two weekend games.
