The Upper Iowa University women's soccer team secured their fifth shutout of the season with a 2-0 win against Minnesota State University Moorhead in Moorhead, Minn. The Peacocks improve to 7-7 (5-7 NSIC) on the season while the Dragons fall to 1-13 (1-11 NSIC) on the year.
The Peacocks attacked early and often as they earned a corner kick at the 1:59 mark, saw
Haley Ramberg put a shot on goal at the 5:26 mark for the match's first shot, and earned consecutive corner kicks in the eighth minute. MSU Moorhead sandwiched a shot and a corner kick around the 9:00 mark, but the Peacocks held strong and returned to their offensive onslaught. UIU earned two more corner kicks, and the second attempt saw
Leah Willenbring play a ball into the box that
Liv Wildeman was able to play to the head of Ramberg, who scored the first goal of the match at the 16:46 mark.
Upper Iowa earned another pair of corner kicks in the 20th minute and one in the 28th, and the next UIU shot came from
Sami Reding as she put a shot on goal at the 32:56 mark that was saved by MSUM. Reding took the next shot of the match at the 39:59 mark, but the on-target attempt was saved.
Grace Birdsley rebounded Reding's shot and put one on goal at the 40:09 mark, but the Dragons were able to save both attempts.
Natalie Rudrud saved MSUM's first shot on goal at the 43:59 mark, and the first half ended with a 1-0 UIU lead.
The Dragons took the first shot of the second period in the 52nd minute, but the Peacocks quickly answered with an attack of their own that saw them earn a corner kick in the 54th minute. Willenbring handled the kick once again, and she picked up another assist as
Katie Samuels put in a header off of the UIU set piece to give Upper Iowa a 2-0 advantage at the 54:28 mark.
The next shot of the match came in the 67th minute as
Samantha Maudsley had a shot on goal saved my MSUM, and the second Dragon shot of the half came in the 73rd minute as Rudrud secured another save. The Dragons took two more off-target shots and a corner kick, but the Upper Iowa defense held on to secure the 2-0 shutout victory.
PEACOCKS OF THE GAME...
- Haley Ramberg scored the go-ahead, game-winning goal in the 17th minute. Her two shots and two shots on goal tied for match-highs, and her four goals are tied for the most by a Peacock this season.
- Katie Samuels scored maintained her share of the team lead in goals, scoring her fourth of the season with a header in the 55th minute that put UIU up 2-0.
- Leah Willenbring dished out an assist for the third time in four matches as her corner kicks allowed the Peacocks to score a pair of set pieces. Willenbring also continued her stretch of playing full time in each UIU match.
- Liv Wildeman picked up an assist for the first time this season, helping put Upper Iowa ahead on Ramberg's goal.
- Katrina Kazluski, Aimee Sies, and goalkeeper Natalie Rudrud played full time for a UIU defense that secured its fifth shutout.
STATS OF THE GAME...
- The Peacocks out-shot the Dragons by a 5-2 margin in the first half, but they only finished with a 7-6 shot advantage. However, each of UIU's seven shots was on goal while only two of MSUM's were.
- Upper Iowa earned a season-high 13 corner kicks while allowing just two. The Peacocks had a 9-1 advantage in the first half and a 4-1 advantage in the second period, and each of their goals came off of a corner kick.
UP NEXT... The Peacocks will play their final road contest of the season before returning to Fayette for their final two matches. UIU is set to play Augustana University on Friday, Oct. 29 at 3 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D. before welcoming Wayne State College to Pattison Field on Sunday, Oct. 31 at 12 p.m. Upper Iowa will conclude their regular season with a matchup against Winona State University in Fayette on Friday, Nov. 5 at 2 p.m.
