Wolverines Sacrifice Lead in Shootout Loss at No. 1 Iowa

Friday, October 15

Iowa City, Iowa

2:00 PM CT

Michigan

(11-1, 3-1)

Iowa

(15-0, 6-0)

Michigan

IOWA

Anna Spieker (Michigan Photography)

Wolverines Sacrifice Lead in Shootout Loss at No. 1 Iowa

10/15/2021 6:44:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

By: Leah Howard

» No. 2 Michigan fell to No. 1 Iowa 2-1 in the fifth round of a shootout to suffer its first loss of the 2021 season.
» Goalkeeper Anna Spieker earned five saves, including three in overtime, and made three stops in the shootout before Iowa clinched it on the final attempt.
» Kathryn Peterson broke the scoreless tie off a penalty corner at 33:04 before Iowa evened the score on a corner of its own with just 2:46 remaining in regulation.

Site: Iowa City, Iowa (Grant Field)
Score: #1 Iowa 2, #2 Michigan 1 (SO)
Records: U-M (11-1, 3-1 B1G), IU (15-0, 6-0 B1G)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Oct. 17 -- at Indiana (Bloomington, Ind.), Noon

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The No. 2-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team sacrificed a late lead to drop a 2-1 heartbreaker in a shootout against No. 1 Iowa on Friday afternoon (Oct. 15) at the Grant Field. In a matchup of the lone unbeaten teams, it was U-M to suffer its first loss of the 2021 season.

It came down to the fifth and final shooter in the shootout after both teams missed their first three attempts. Iowa took the advantage in the round when senior goalkeeper Anna Spieker slipped coming out of the cage and, after U-M put in its fifth attempt, the Hawkeyes' Sofie Stribos clinched it, getting Spieker down on the turf before lifting a shot into the open cage.

Spieker was terrific in the contest, posting a five saves, including a jaw-dropper in the second overtime that beat her five-hole but she came down on the ball to prevent it from crossing the line and cleared it out. Spieker also defended an Iowa penalty stroke minutes later in the second overtime when Iowa clanged its shot off the crossbar. She posted three total stops in the overtime frames.

Michigan (11-1, 3-1 Big Ten) led until the final two minutes of regulation after breaking a scoreless tie off its first corner opportunity of the contest at the 33:04 mark. Senior Kathryn Peterson both initiated and finished the play, inserting before getting the ball back from sophomore Anouk Veen and lifting high into the cage from the left side. It was her third goal of the season.

Iowa (15-0, 6-0 Big Ten) answered on a corner of its own at 57:14, with just 2:46 remaining in regulation, when Anthe Nijzel scored on the direct shot to the lower-left corner of the U-M cage. Michigan defended a pair of Iowa corners in the fourth and had just killed off a five-minute yellow card -- its second of the half -- when the Hawkeyes pulled their goalkeeper for an extra attacker late.

Iowa outshot the Wolverines 14-10 and outcornered them 7-2, but it was Michigan which largely controlled the overtime periods. Senior Katie Anderson had a big change on a shot from the top of the circle early on, while U-M just missed on a penalty corner in the first overtime -- with fifth-year senior Halle O'Neill's shot blocked on the goal line.

The Wolverines wrap up their road swing against Indiana on Sunday (Oct. 17). The game is slated for noon at the IU Field Hockey Complex and will be streamed live on B1G+.