PEACOCK PREVIEW ... For Upper Iowa's third game of the season, the women's soccer program takes the trek to Truman State University for their matchup in Kirksville, Mo. at Stokes Stadium. The contest will take place Friday, Sept. 2 at 3 p.m. The Bulldogs were chosen fourth (out of 13 teams) in the GLVC preseason coaches' poll for the 2022 season, receiving a total of 98 votes.
LIVE OPTIONS... Fans will have several options to stay connected to UIU women's soccer this week. For those unable to travel to Truman, live stats and a webcast are available at UIUPeacocks.com/Live.
HUES OF THE PEACOCK... Two games into their fall campaign, UIU currently sits at a 1-1-0 record. The squad opened their season right here at Harms-Eischeid Stadium against McKendree University. Upper Iowa fell 2-1 to the Bearcats in their home opener at Harms-Eischeid Stadium. The reigning GLVC champs set the tone early on, scoring two goals in the first half. They clung to a one point advantage to finish out the match.
The Peacocks claimed their first victory of 2022 in a match against Rockhurst University and Head Coach
Josh Davis saw his first win as a Peacock. The competition resulted in a 1-0 final. The team was active on the defensive end of the ball, forcing the Hawks to take a total of 17 shots. The Peacock defenders kept them off the scoreboard completely.
BENAVIDES BREAKAWAY GOAL… In the matchup against Rockhurst, freshman
Rachyl Benavides scored her first collegiate goal to push the team to their first victory of the season. At the 31 minute mark, the Elk Grove, Calif. native picked the pocket of a Rockhurst player and hurdled down the field in a breakaway with a defender hot on her trail. With one swift kick, she found the back of the net for what would ultimately result as the game-winning goal.
SENIOR SYNERGY… Against McKendree University, the senior tandem of
Haley Ramberg and
Katie Samuels crafted the first goal of the season for the Peacocks. Ramberg chased down a loose ball and was brought down in the box, giving Samuels the opportunity to step up and convert the penalty kick. This was Sameuls' her first goal of the season and the 11th of her career.
KILLING IT AS KEEPER… In her collegiate debut, Goalkeeper
Jamie Kerkvliet earned her first shut out, stopping all six shots on goal. This accomplishment was accompanied by the Peacocks defensive line who created havoc for the Rockhurst offense.
TESTING TRUMAN... In Head Coach Mike Cannon's 30th year in the driver's seat, the Bulldogs hold a record of 1-0-1. In their first matchup, they tied with Saginaw, the game ending scoreless at 0-0. Following the draw, they defeated Davenport 1-0 with a late goal by Avery Bohnenstiehl (1:40 left in the game). The score was assisted by Emmie McConnell. Truman State Goalkeeper Beth Hopwood posted 8 saves in the match against Davenport. Hopwood is an 2021 All-GLVC honoree who had the league's third best save percentage last season (.838).
FLASHING BACK…The Peacocks and Bulldogs have previously met only one other time in program history. The match hosted in Fayette took place in 2018 and included two over time segments to reach a deciding score. Four years ago, Truman edged Upper Iowa in a 2-1 final.
FLASH FORWARD... The Peacocks begin NSIC conference play on Friday, Sept. 9 at 3 p.m. when they travel to Marshall, Minn. to face Southwest Minnesota State University. The team then heads out west to South Dakota, where they will face off against the University of Sioux Falls. Their contest with the Cougars takes place Sunday, Sept. 11 at 1 p.m. Fans can follow along with a webcast or live stats for either contest by going to UIUPeacocks.com/Live.
