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Official Athletics Site of the Upper Iowa Peacocks
Upper Iowa Peacocks
Alex Garcia dribbles the ball against Minot
Sean Arbaut (Arbaut Photography LLC)
0
Winona St. WSU (4-12-1, 3-11-1)
1
Winner Upper Iowa UIU (8-9-0, 6-9-0)
Winona St. WSU
(4-12-1, 3-11-1)
0
Final
1
Upper Iowa UIU
(8-9-0, 6-9-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Winona St. WSU 0 0 0
Upper Iowa UIU 0 1 1

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | Evan Brinnon, Sports Communication GA

Peacocks Secure Shutout in Season-Ending Win Over Warriors

The Upper Iowa University women's soccer team closed their 2021 campaign with a 1-0 shutout win on their home pitch against Winona State University. The Peacocks finish the year with a record of 8-9 (6-9 NSIC), while the Warriors finish with a 4-12-1 (3-11-1 NSIC) record on the season. With the wind behind UIU in the second half, Garcia scored the game-winning goal off assists from Powsey and Maudsley.

The Upper Iowa University women's soccer team closed their 2021 campaign with a 1-0 shutout win on their home pitch against Winona State University. The Peacocks finish the year with a record of 8-9 (6-9 NSIC), while the Warriors finish with a 4-12-1 (3-11-1 NSIC) record on the season.

In a first half that was marred by a strong and consistent wind blowing toward the Peacock goal, each team was forced to play the majority of the period between the goal boxes. The first shot of the match came from Winona State at the 7:45 mark before a pair of shots from Upper Iowa's Alex Garcia in the 10th and 13th minutes. The Peacock defense held firm over a 1:40 stretch that saw the Warriors take three shots and a corner kick, but the last shot at the 15:45 mark was saved by Natalie Rudrud. Upper Iowa took the next three shots and mixed in a shot on goal from Credence White in the 36th minute, but UIU could not convert against the firm wind and firm Warrior defense.

The match stayed scoreless through the first 45 minutes, but the Peacocks came out strong in the second period with the wind at their backs. The first shot of the half came at the 50:15 mark, and it resulted in a go-ahead goal from Garcia. Samantha Maudsley dispossessed a Warrior near midfield before getting the ball to Toni Powsey as the Peacocks switched gears and went on the attack, and Powsey made a pass to Garcia that allowed the forward to scorch a shot into the top left corner of the net from just outside the WSU box and put UIU ahead.

The Peacocks kept the pressure on as they took the next three shots of the match and earned a pair of corner kicks over the ensuing ten minutes of play, but none of the attempts were on target. Winona State put a shot on goal in the 68th minute, but Rudrud secured another save to keep a clean sheet. The pace of the match was muddled by whistles and fouls as the second period wound down, and UIU took just one shot in the final 35 minutes of the match despite keeping the pressure on the WSU half of the pitch and earning a pair of corner kicks. WSU took the final two shots of the half and their last attempt in the 88th minute was a dangerous one, but Rudrud made the save once again as the Peacocks held on to secure the 1-0 shutout.

With the win over Winona State, the Peacocks are now 3-1-1 over the last five contests against the Warriors. Upper Iowa's 8-9 record on the season is their best mark since going 11-7-1 (10-4-1 NSIC) over the course of the 2014 season. The six conference victories by the Peacocks are their best total since winning seven in 2016 to finish with a 7-8 record in the Northern Sun Conference. Upper Iowa finishes the season ranked 10th in the NSIC standings after being voted to finish 15th out of 16 teams in the 2021 NSIC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll ahead of the 2021 campaign.

PEACOCKS OF THE GAME... 
  • Alex Garcia scored the lone goal of the match as she put in the game-winner in the 51st minute. The forward also tied for the match-high in shots (3) and shots on goal (1).
  • Toni Powsey took three shots and dished out an assist on Garcia's go-ahead goal while playing 85 minutes.
  • Samantha Maudsley dished out her first assist of the season on the eventual game-winning goal and played 71 minutes. 
  • Leah Willenbring, Katrina Kazluski, and Aimee Sies played full time for an Upper Iowa defense that secured its sixth shutout of the season.
  • Natalie Rudrud secured saves on each of the three shots she faced and finished the match with her sixth clean sheet of the year. 

STATS OF THE GAME... 
  • The Peacocks finished with a 5-4 shot advantage in each half, outshooting the Warriors 10-8 in the match.
  • Each team put only one shot on goal in the first period, and  WSU put two shots on goal in the second half compared to just one from UIU, but the Peacocks converted their lone attempt to score the game-winner.
  • Winona State earned a 2-0 advantage in corner kicks in the first half, but Upper Iowa flipped the script and earned a 4-0 advantage in second-half corner kicks.
  • The Warriors were whistled for 15 fouls in the match compared to just nine fouls called on the Peacocks, but UIU was issued three yellow cards in the second period compared to just one yellow card for WSU.
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