THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK WOMEN'S SOCCER… The Upper Iowa women's soccer team opens the 2018 season on their home turf when they host the Peacock Soccer Classic at Pattison Field. The Peacocks will kick off the classic against Fort Hays State on Aug. 30 and will round out a weekend of competition on Sep. 1 against Washburn. Fellow NSIC member Southwest Minnesota State will join the action in Fayette.
WE MEET AGAIN… The Peacocks are 1-2 all-time against Fort Hays State and 1-1 all-time against Washburn after dropping a pair of 2-0 decisions last season. UIU topped the Ichabods 2-1 to open 2016 and edged Washburn 2-1 in 2015
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PRESEASON POLL… Upper Iowa was picked 11th in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The women completed their 2017 season in comeback fashion finishing 4-4 in their final eight games after starting the season 1-7-1. The Peacocks missed the 2017 postseason for just the second time in the last six seasons placing 10th in the final NSIC standings.
RETURNERS… The Peacocks bring 11 returners back to the pitch this season including a pair of NSIC Players to Watch in
Jordyn Ostrowski and
Kelsey Hall. Ostrowski led Upper Iowa in scoring with a career-high six goals in 2017,while Hall anchored the defense in starting all 17 matches on the backline as a junior and all 35 matches over the last two seasons. Alongside Hall,
Molly Doran brings back experience on the defensive unit which will look to replace talent lost to graduation.
NEW FACES IN THE HUDDLE… In his third season at the helm of the women's soccer program, Head Coach
James Price welcomes 13 new Peacocks to this year's squad. Junior
Maida Alijagic, an emerging leader of the team, is anticipated to play a vital role on this season's lineup, as well as
Haley Ramberg who demonstrated good speed and pace in the opening scrimmages. Defensively, freshmen
Joline Hellstroem and
Aimee Sies both played a lot of minutes for the Peacocks in the preseason and are expected to play important roles for the team moving forward. Freshman
Natalie Rudrud looks to take the reins as the starting goalkeeper for the new season.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS…
vs. FORT HAYS STATE… The Tigers look to build off their 2017 season where they finished 10-6-4 overall, 7-3-1 in the MIAA, and made an appearance in the MIAA conference semifinals. After a nail-biting 14-round shootout against Missouri Southern where Fort Hays won 11-10 in penalty kicks, the Tigers fell 3-0 to the eventual national champions in Central Missouri to end their season. In his third season with Fort Hays, Head Coach Blake Reynolds brings in a strong recruiting class to pair up alongside his returners. The Tigers were picked fourth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
vs. WASHBURN… The Ichabods enter the 2018 season with a talented returning squad for Head Coach Davy Phillips' second season at the helm. This season's squad are led by seven seniors and five players with 2017 All-MIAA Team honors. Washburn closed the 2017 season with a 10-9-1 overall record to finish sixth in the MIAA standings, and were pegged to finish seventh in the 2018 MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
