While the Iowa football team was busy almost decapitating dudes, running at will over Miami, and doing other good (and bad things), other Hawkeye #sports teams were in competition, turning in a solid bag of results.
No need to waste any time here, so let’s jump right in and see what’s happened in the world of non-revenue sports since the last time we chatted.
Field Hockey
Because, how don’t you start with a team that put up an Ed Hinkel-0 win over St. Louis Sunday after downing Fairfield 4-1 on Friday? Granted, the Hawks didn’t play the Alabamas or Clemsons of the field hockey world (North Carolina, Maryland, etc.), but 15 goals in two games is enough to get the lead spot this week. It’s also enough to land Iowa in the polls at No. 19.
In that 11-0 romping, two Hawkeyes — freshman Katie Birch, who is pictured above (11), and junior JoElla Guagliardo — registered hat tricks. The Hawks are 3-1 on the year and have a trip out to Kent, Ohio on the schedule this weekend to take on Kent State (Kent read, Kent write, Kent State!) and Monmouth.
Soccer
Well, well, well would you look what we have here — Dave DiIanni’s group is off to a 5-1 start after beating Colorado State and SIU Edwardsville over the weekend. Karly Stuenkel and Bri Toelle led the way scoring for the Hawks in the two victories. Winners of five straight, the Hawks netted five goals in that win over SIUE, the most tallies in a game since 2012.
The Hawks have the unenviable task of heading to Ames on Friday (not because Iowa State’s necessarily that good; just because Ames) and Boulder, Colorado on Sunday. That sounds uh, not fun.
Volleyball
The success continues! The volleyball squad lost its first match of the season in the Hawkeye Classic against Butler Saturday, but came back to beat Oakland later that evening to win the damn thing. For those keeping score at home, that’s a win in the Northern Illinois Invitational, followed by a Hawkeye Classic victory, which will hopefully lead to a win in the Iowa State Invite this weekend.
Mark it down on your calendars, the Hawkeyes get Iowa State on Friday at 6 p.m. in what should be a fun one after Iowa downed the Cyclones for the first time in a long time last season.
Cross Country
The sport that makes me feel more out of shape than any other one kicked off its season Friday with the Hawkeye Invitational. The Iowa women took first and the men took second, which is pretty impressive considering a coaching change took place a month before the season. Sadly, Iowa State was the only squad to best Iowa on the men’s side. The Cyclone women took fourth.
Anyways, the now Randy Hasenbank-led Hawkeyes got standout performances from 3,000-meter winner Tess Wilberding and Michael Melchert, who set a school record in the 6,000-meter. In depressing news, Melchert’s time was only good for sixth place.
The Hawks will travel to Normal, Illinois for a date with Illinois State on Friday.