'Just find a way': Rutgers field hockey knocks off No. 7 Iowa, ends losing streak
The Rutgers field hockey team grabbed a stellar 3-2 win at home on Friday against Iowa. The Scarlet Knights (4-4, 1-1) ended their two-game losing streak in dramatic fashion, defeating the Hawkeyes (4-3, 0-2) in a penalty shootout.
Rutgers started the opening minutes aggressively, paving a path to the circle. The Knights had 5 of the first 6 corners of the match and recorded seven shots to No. 7 Iowa’s one.
Despite the traffic in the circle, the first quarter ended in a stalemate.
Rutgers opened the second quarter with the same intensity as the first, getting awarded another penalty corner. They finally converted on the corner, giving the Knights a 1-0 lead. The goal was scored by senior midfielder Paulina Niklaus and assisted by redshirt junior midfielder Vicky Jure and senior midfielder Guillermina Causarano.
The Hawkeyes evened things up late in the first half, scoring on a penalty corner via Dionne van Aalsum, making it a 1-1 game heading into halftime.
Rutgers would find success from the corner yet again, with Niklaus scoring yet again for the first multi-goal game in her career to put her team up 2-1.
Iowa had some time in its own circle but could not get another one past senior goalkeeper Sophia Howard before time expired in the third.
The Hawkeyes scored with the advantage after a green card on Jure in the final frame. Annika Herbine netted the equalizer, evening the score 2-2. That score would stay the same for the rest of regulation, forcing overtime.
The first quarter of overtime was filled with action, with both sides creating quality goal-scoring chances. Late in the quarter, Howard made a big save off an Iowa corner, sending the game to another extra set of minutes.
In the second quarter of overtime, the Knights attempted four shots to the Hawkeyes’ none but were unable to take advantage, meaning a penalty shootout would settle the game.
Graduate student forward Kara Heck was the savior for Rutgers, scoring the third and final shot in the shootout to secure the statement win.
Howard also played a key role in the shootout, stopping all but one shot in the shootout and finished the game with a season-high six saves.
The win marked the Knights’ first-ranked victory of the season and first top-10 win since 2023. It also ended a five-game winning streak for Iowa.
Rutgers has the momentum now, but it faces a tough test Friday on the road against Northwestern, the No. 2 ranked team in the country. The game will begin at 4 p.m. and will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus.
“I was just really proud with how the team fought,” said head coach Meredith Civico. “Everyone just did what was asked of them and rallied and the focus going into this game was just find a way. No matter what happens … Just find a way. So I think that was something the team did so well today.”
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