NOTRE DAME, Indiana — The University of Notre Dame women’s soccer team dropped their first home match of the season to the undefeated Iowa Hawkeyes, 3-2, at Alumni Stadium Sunday afternoon.
The Irish (6-2) scored first in the opening 10 minutes after a Luisa Delgado strike from outside the box but the Hawkeyes responded quickly. Three goals in a span of 10 minutes gave Iowa (8-0) a lead they would not relinquish. Notre Dame got a goal back off a penalty kick from Sammi Fisher but were unable to come back from the two-goal deficit.
How it Happened
The first half had a flurry of goals starting in the 10th minute for the Irish.
Sammi Fisher controlled the ball up in the right side of the attacking third before playing it off to Luisa Delgado. Delgado turned towards the middle of the field and got the ball on her left foot. After a couple of touches, she fired a shot towards the near post that beat the keeper for the opening goal.
The Irish lead did not last long as the Hawkeyes answered on a corner kick in the 16th minute. Natalie Winters sent the corner past the far post for Hannah Drkulec. Drkulec got her head on the ball and beat Interian for the equalizer.
Moments later, Iowa made a push into the attacking zone and got their second goal of the afternoon. Devin Burns with the through ball up to Josie Durr who was making a run into the box. Durr took a low shot into the back of the net to give the Hawkeyes the lead.
Iowa scored off another set piece in the 25th minute and it was Drkulec again with the header. Kaleigh Haus had the corner sent towards the far post and Drkulec finished the header for her second goal of the game.
Notre Dame got one back in the 32nd minute and it all got started by Olivia Wingate. She made a run into the box and got taken down by a Hawkeye defender and a penalty kick was called by the referee. Fisher took her place over the ball on the spot and converted her second penalty kick of the year and brought the Irish within one.
In the second half, neither team got into much of a rhythm as a number of throw-ins and fouls kept occuring in the middle of the field.
The Irish pushed forward in the final minutes searching for the equalizer and had a few chances to tie it up. The best chance came with two minutes left when Alexis Martel-Lamothe had a header on goal but it was saved by Graves. Martel-Lamothe had another opportunity moments later but the shot went high.
Coming Up Next
The Irish will head back out on the road next week to kick off the ACC slate. The Irish are in South Carolina to take on Clemson Friday night at 5 p.m. ET. The ACC-opener will be broadcast on the ACC Network Extra.
For behind-the-scenes coverage of the Irish women’s soccer program, follow @NDSoccer on Twitter and @NDWSoccer on Instagram. For tickets to a Notre Dame women’s soccer match, click here.
—ND—