With two minutes and 26 seconds left in Northwestern’s 1-1 tie with No. 18 Iowa, Hawkeye defender Lauren Geczik lined up for a corner kick, the third in rapid succession for the team.
Geczik’s shot careened past NU goalkeeper Reiley Fitzpatrick’s leaping arms, finding the back of the net to put the Hawkeyes up 2-1. Scoring from a corner kick, a rare feat, given the angle and amount of defenders in the penalty box, is called an Olimpico goal.
The Wildcats (5-6-2, 0-4-1 Big Ten) couldn’t do anything with the remaining time left, dropping the match to the Hawkeyes (9-0-3, 4-0-1 Big Ten) 2-1.
“We put ourselves in a position to win and just didn’t manage to see it out,” coach Michael Moynihan said.
Facing its third-ranked matchup in four games, NU settled into the matchup with the Hawkeyes early.
The ’Cats mustered the first chance of the match seven minutes in when freshman forward Alex Fallon carried the ball down the sideline. Fallon played a quick one-two pass sequence toward the corner flag with graduate student midfielder Josie Aulicino before sending a ball into the box. Sophomore forward Megan Norkett got her head on it, but the header sailed wide right.
Minutes later, freshman forward Kennedy Roesch played a through ball toward Fallon, who broke toward goal. Fallon got off a shot that was saved by Iowa goalkeeper Macy Enneking. Enneking was forced into two saves on the day.
Fallon, making her first career start, missed every previous game due to injury but logged 42 minutes on Sunday. Moynihan said she was placed on a minutes restriction but was impressed with the Atlanta native’s performance.
“She’s gotta find her legs a bit and get back up to speed,” Moynihan said of Fallon. “She’s been out for over a month, so for her to come in and make a positive impact, that says a lot about her talent. … We’re looking forward to seeing more of that once she gets her legs back.”
Both teams settled into the match, trading attacks without generating much pressure for either side’s goalkeeper through much of the first half. The ’Cats outshot Iowa 2-1 in the first frame and the game was played mostly in the midfield. The NU back line, bolstered by freshman right back Tanna Schornstein and senior center back Emma Phillips, held firm as the teams jogged to their locker rooms at halftime tied 0-0.
“In the first half, technically, we executed very, very well,” Moynihan said. “They were reeling a little bit and made a change to their formation.”
The ’Cats ramped up the offensive pressure early on in the second half, creating a pair of unsuccessful chances. In the 59th minute, Aulicino lined up for a free kick into the box. When Phillips charged for the header, she was dragged down by an Iowa defender. The referee signaled a penalty kick, which Aulicino buried in the lower left quarter to put NU up 1-0.
Aulicino has attempted two penalty kicks for NU this year and has converted both. Sunday’s goal was her third score of the season, and the graduate student has also contributed three assists.
“She likes taking them, I think she likes the pressure of it and she hits them well,” Moynihan said of Aulicino’s penalty kick prowess. “We have great confidence in her and it’s a nice place to be, when you earn (a penalty kick).”
With thirty minutes left to play, Iowa dialed up a fierce offensive attack in search of an equalizer. The ball remained in NU’s defensive third for most of the remainder of the half. In the 67th minute, Iowa’s Elle Otto beat a defender and snaked a shot around Fitzpatrick to equalize for the Hawkeyes.
The momentum shifted completely as the ’Cats tried to regain the lead. Iowa continued to control possession and outshot NU 6-3 in the second half.
Once Geczik scored, there was little Moynihan’s squad could do to equalize. Geczik’s goal is the fifth the Wildcats have conceded in the final 15 minutes this season and the second game-losing goal in the last five minutes over their last three matches.
NU will travel to Minneapolis on Thursday to take on Minnesota, still searching for its first conference win.
“The chemistry is great, they work hard … (we have to focus on) staying in the right mindset, to keep pushing and trying to get better,” Moynihan said. “We’re not far, and we still have a lot of opportunities in this Big Ten season to earn some results and get our way into the Big Ten Tournament, and that’s what we’ve got to keep fighting for.”
Email: [email protected]
Related Stories:
— Women’s Soccer: Northwestern out-shoots Maryland in goalless draw
— Women’s Soccer: Northwestern loses late lead, falls to No. 17 Ohio State 2-1
