The Peacock men's soccer team picked up its first shutout of 2017, winning a 1-0 battle against the Flyers of Lewis University on Sunday afternoon at Pattison Field. Upper Iowa scored the lone goal of the game midway through the first half, and held on with outstanding defense to pick up the victory. The two teams battle hard in a very physical game, and defenses ruled the day. A total of 19 shots were taken by the offenses, with just six placed on goal. With the win, UIU starts the season 2-0 for the second time in three years, and picks up their first shutout since Oct. 22, 2016.
The game was physical right from the beginning. A total of six yellow cards were handed out, and a total of 29 fouls were called in the match. The Peacocks tallied five first-half shots, while the Flyers were able to take three themselves. The ball stayed in the middle, with neither side giving in. In the 25th minute, however, Upper Iowa would break through.
Emilio Meraz-Rodriguez, who scored a goal in the opener Friday against Wisconsin-Parkside, had a great look at the net, but his shot was saved by Lewis goalkeeper Philip Huang. The ball deflected off Huang, and
Ruairidh Crawford was right there to score the goal. Crawford's second goal of the young season gave the Peacocks the lead, and then the defense took over.
Both teams tallied one corner kick in the first half, but the second half was a different story. The Upper Iowa offense held the ball much longer in the final 45 minutes, and tallied six corners in the process. Despite not converting their four second-half shots into goals, the defense held strong to preserve the win. Lewis tallied seven shots in the final minutes, and UIU's senior goalkeeper
Connor Rortvedt and his backline held strong throughout the game. Rortvedt finished with a pair of saves, and earned his first shutout of 2017.
Offensively,
Fausto Ordenana led the team with three shot attempts, while Meraz-Rodriguez and Crawford each tallied a pair of shots. Crawford now leads the team early in the season with two goals on the year.
Upper Iowa will now hit the road for six games before returning to Fayette on Oct. 6.First up, the Peacocks head to Marquette, Mich. on Thursday, Sept. 7 to battle Northern Michigan at 4 p.m.
