No. 1 Iowa field hockey outlasts No. 2 Michigan in shootout, rewarded with first field-rush

IOWA CITY — Another week, another top-five, field-rushing win for the Hawkeyes.

On Friday, it was No. 1 Iowa field hockey’s turn with a 2-1 penalty-shootout win over No. 2 Michigan.

“This is the first field-hockey rush I ever saw,” Iowa head coach Lisa Cellucci said. “I really honestly don’t think a field hockey game has ever been rushed on the field, so that might be a first.”

Iowa midfielder/forward Sofie Stribos outmaneuvered Michigan goalkeeper Anna Spieker to score the game-winning shot in the shootout.

“I was, of course, really nervous,” Stribos said. “But I was saying to myself, ‘This is the moment where you take it for your team, and you do it for them.’”

Fans, many of whom were athletes from other Iowa teams, then swarmed her in the field-rush.

“I really felt like, ‘Oh, this is a football game I won,’” Stribos said with a laugh.

Her sister Lokke Stribos was the other Hawkeye to score in the shootout.

Iowa goalkeeper Grace McGuire, meanwhile, held the Wolverines to just one score in the shootout while also pumping up the crowd in between plays. She also had four saves in the second half and overtime to keep Iowa alive.

“Her footwork and the way she read the Michigan offenders was unbelievable,” Cellucci said.

The Iowa defenders ahead of McGuire kept Michigan from having a shot on goal until the second half.

“The Great Wall of Iowa,” McGuire said. “We’re dominant in defensive areas. … I’m really, really happy to have them in front of me.”

Michigan’s Kathryn Peterson had the Wolverines’ lone goal in the 34th minute. She also had the lone Michigan score in the shootout.

The win came despite Iowa trailing an opponent for the first time this season.

Iowa’s offense created plenty of opportunities, with five different players recording at least one shot on goal.

But outside of the Stribos sisters, Iowa’s offense struggled to finish. The Hawkeyes had seven penalty corners and one penalty stroke, but they scored on just one of those opportunities.

The goal from Anthe Nijziel came with a few minutes to spare before the end of regulation.

The 1,236 fans at Grant Field marked a near-record attendance.

“They were truly our 12th man today,” Cellucci said.

Friday’s win is the latest in what appears to be a special season for Iowa, which already has more wins than the 2020 Final Four team and 2018 Sweet 16 team.

Those wins haven’t been against easy opponents either. The Hawkeyes are now 8-0 against ranked opponents and 7-0 against top-10 teams.

The team has its “eyes set on a Big Ten Championship and NCAA Championship,” McGuire said.

“We’re not going to settle,” McGuire said.

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