THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK WOMEN'S SOCCER… Upper Iowa will close out their current five-match home stand on Friday and Sunday this weekend with their Northern Sun Conference openers on Pattison Field. The Peacocks (0-2-1) will welcome the Golden Bears of Concordia University-St. Paul (3-0) on Friday at 4 p.m. and then bring in the No. 3 Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato on Sunday at 1 p.m.
LIVE OPTIONS… Fans unable to attend the matches can follow along via live stats and a webcast, links can be found at UIUPeacocks.com/Live. Both matches will be streamed through the NSIC app on Roku and Amazon Fire devices, as well as Apple and Android televisions. In addition, Upper Iowa's games will be broadcast on KCRG-TV 9.2 (Friday) and 9.3 (Sunday).
PUTTING THE PEACOCKS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE… Upper Iowa enters the final two matches of the home stand with a 0-2-1 record. The Peacocks posted a 1-1 tie with William Jewell College in the opening match of the season thanks to a late-game goal by freshman
Aimee Kemper. UIU lost both matches at the Peacock Soccer Classic to Davenport University (1-0) and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (2-0).
Natalie Rudrud has been in goal for 290 minutes making 23 saves for the Peacocks allowing just the 4 goals. All 4 goals allowed by UIU have come in the first half of play with 3 coming in the first 20 minutes and 2 in the first 10 minutes of action. The Peacocks have been outshot 30-10 in the opening 45 minutes, but hold a 34-28 advantage in shots for the remainder of the match.
DO I KNOW YOU?... If the Golden Bear faces seem familiar to the Peacocks, it makes sense. Concordia-St. Paul was part of the Peacock Soccer Classic last weekend in Fayette. The Golden Bears came into the weekend 1-0 and posted a pair of wins over the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (3-0) and Davenport University (3-2). Through three matches, the Golden Bears have allowed just 2 goals while scoring 7 led by Leah Johnson, who has 3 goals and an assist. Hannah Pedersen scored a goal and assisted on two, while Jena Berkland has scored a goal and assisted on one. Jordyn Clark has been solid in goal for CSP with 15 saves in 270 minutes between the pipes.
BULL IN A CHINA SHOP… The No. 3 Mavericks come into the weekend with a perfect 3-0 record led by former Peacock head coach Brian Bahl and assistant coach Ben Jones. Bahl spent six seasons at the helm of both the men's and women's soccer programs at Upper Iowa University. On the women's side, the Peacocks qualified for five NSIC tournaments in that time and amassed 64 wins and 17 draws – the best stretch in the history of the program. Minnesota State has put together three shutouts to open their 2019 campaign including a 6-0 win over Missouri Southern State University, a 2-0 win over the No. 4 University of Central Missouri and a 1-0 victory over the No. 1 Grand Valley State University. Jenny Vetter is the team leader in goals with 3 on the season, while Brynn Desens leads the squad in points thanks to a pair of goals and 3 assists. Dakota Wendell has notched a goal and 2 assists. In the net, Alexa Rabune has saved all 16 shots she has faced in 270 minutes.
LOOKING AHEAD… The Peacocks will hit the road next weekend with matches at Bemidji State University and the University of Minnesota Crookston on Friday and Sunday, Sept. 27 and 29.
