THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK WOMEN'S SOCCER… Upper Iowa (2-8, 1-6 NSIC) returns back to Pattison Field for back-to-back weekends full of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference contests. The Peacocks will face Wayne State College on Friday, Oct. 5 and Augustana University on Sunday, Oct. 7. Friday's contest will start at 3 p.m. while Sunday kickoff is set for 1 p.m. The match against the Augustana Vikings can be broadcast live on KCRG-TV 9.2 and can be streamed through the Stretch Internet app on Roku and Amazon Fire devices, as well as Apple and Android televisions.
CELEBRATING A CONFERENCE VICTORY… The Peacocks edged Minnesota State University Moorhead 1-0 last Friday for their first conference win and second shutout of the season. Upper Iowa was led by
Facienne Graham who came off the bench and took a game-high six shots (five on frame). The junior from Ashland, Ore. recorded her first goal and game-winner as a Peacock to put UIU ahead in the 74
th minute and the defense held on to get the Peacocks into the winning column for the first time since Aug. 30. Upper Iowa looked to carry the momentum into the Northern State University matchup but an own goal in the second period put NSU ahead 2-1 and resulted in another tough one-goal loss for the Peacocks.
Katie Samuels scored UIU's lone goal of the game with a converted penalty kick in the first period. Samuels now leads the Peacocks with two goals on the season.
EXPERIENCE BACK IN THE LINEUP… Jordyn Ostrowski – Upper Iowa's lead scorer in 2017 – returned to action this past weekend after sitting out the first eight matches with an injury,
Kelsey Hall played limited time for UIU to start the season but played all 360 minutes in the last four contests, and
Lia Passini saw her first appearance this season last Sunday against Northern State. The Peacocks are excited to have the experience and leadership back on the pitch as all three are returners for UIU and both Ostrowski and Hall were named preseason NSIC players to watch.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS…
vs. WAYNE STATE… The Wildcats (2-6-1, 2-4-1 NSIC) shut out University of Minnesota Duluth (2-0) and fell to St. Cloud State University (2-1 OT) in last week's action. WSC's other win was also a 2-0 shutout of Sioux Falls University back on Sep. 14 in Wayne, Neb. Rylie Wehner leads the team in scores (3) but it was the trio of Sophia Ketchmark, Christina Stasi, and Megan Phillips that contributed goals in WSC's most recent contests. Wehner hasn't found the back of the net since the game against Southwest Minnesota State University on Sep 16., but is still one of the Wildcats' strongest threats as she leads the team in shots (18) and is tied for the highest shots on goal (7). Alyssa Bagley and Rachel Grisham have split time protecting the net for the Wildcats with both wins being credited to Bagley. The keepers have combined for 43 saves and a 1.58 goals against average.
THE SERIES… UIU carries a 9-2-3 all-time record against Wayne State College into the weekend. The Peacocks dropped last year's contest with a 3-2 decision but won five straight contests between 2012 and 2016. Prior to last year's defeat, UIU hadn't been beat by the Wildcats since 2004. The Peacocks have shut out WSC in six contests – tied for the highest against an NSIC opponent – and have outscored the Wildcats 30-18 in the series.
vs. AUGUSTANA… The Vikings (7-2-1, 6-1-0 NSIC) are currently ranked 2
nd in the conference and have won seven of their last eight contests. In last week's action, Augustana fell to the University of Minnesota Duluth (1-0) for its first conference loss but bounced right back into the winning column against St. Cloud State University (1-0). AU has been impressive against NSIC opponents this season, outscoring opponents 11-2. With six shutouts on the season, Augustana ranks 4
th in the nation with a .918 save percentage and is tied for 24
th in shutout percentage. Alexis Legg is the Vikings' biggest offensive threat with eight goals (three game-winners) and one assist. Legg ranks 22
nd in the nation for total goals and is averaging .80 goals per game. Julie Plonsky has also chipped in three goals and an assist, while Peyton Stenzel leads the team in shots (24), shots on goal (18) and assists (2) but has yet to find the back of the net. The Vikings will face Winona State University on Friday before making their way to Fayette.
THE SERIES… The Peacocks hold a minor edge in the all-time series against Augustana as they come into this weekend with a 5-4-2 mark. UIU won four back-to-back contests between 2010 and 2013, but hasn't seen a win since. Despite trailing in the series, the Vikings have outscored the Peacocks 16-12 in the stretch. In 2017, AU claimed the Peacocks' home opener with a 3-0 victory – it's second in as many years.
