Iowa wins Big Ten Tournament title for first time in program history

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The University of Iowa soccer team shut out Wisconsin, 1-0, on Sunday afternoon to secure the program’s first-ever Big Ten Tournament Championship.

Junior Jenny Cape scored the golden goal in the 63rd minute off assists from freshman Meike Ingles and junior Samantha Tawharu.

Ingles scored three goals and added an assist en route to being named the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player. Freshman Macy Enneking posted her second straight shutout en route to being named the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.

Ingles, Enneking, Tawharu and junior Hailey Rydberg were named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team.

The Cinderella Team of the @B1GSoccer Tournament.

Congrats @HawkeyeSoccer! pic.twitter.com/m0SjEDNTjt

— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) April 18, 2021

The Hawkeyes opened the season against Wisconsin with a, 1-0, loss on Feb. 20 and would go six more games without a win to start the year. Since then, the young team has gone 6-2, posting four consecutive postseason wins, all of which came against teams that they fell to in the regular season.

Iowa shocked the world again Sunday, posting its sixth shutout of the season to punch a ticket to its second consecutive NCAA Tournament.

Enneking proved why she earned unanimous All-Freshman team honors earlier this week, posting clutch saves that included two heroic efforts in the second half to preserve the lead.

Cape’s historic goal was her first of the season. She rocketed the shot through the top of the net, speeding the ball just past the fingertips of Wisconsin goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer, who was launching toward the crossbar. It was fitting that Ingles and Tawharu assisted on the effort, as they combined for four goals of their own this postseason.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH DAVE DIIANI…

“I’m incredibly proud of this group. They have been so committed the entire year and we have a bit of a chip on our shoulder to play hard, and it’s more internal than anything else. We weren’t pleased with how we started the year off and we have a lot of things to work on, but this group fights.

“Wisconsin is a handful, but once we got through the first 45 minutes, I thought we could press the box a little bit more, and that was the difference in the game.

“We got much better throughout the season. We committed the energy and effort needed to be able to be successful at this level, and we have gotten better defensively. Macy is a huge part of that, and we’ve been able to find some timely goals.

“We talked a little bit before the game about how it’s going to be somebody who hasn’t stepped forward yet, it’s going to be a different person’s day. Jenny caught a good goalkeeper off guard and by surprise. I could not be prouder of that kid. She deserves all the attention right now.”

OF NOTE

• Enneking has given up just three goals in 776 minutes of game time this season, holding opponents to one score or fewer in each of her eight starts. She has five shutout victories (Maryland, Purdue, Minnesota, Penn State, Wisconsin).
• Enneking has notched 23 saves in four postseason games.
• Jenny Cape’s goal came on just her fifth shot attempt of the season.
• 90 TRACKER: Eight Hawkeye position players played the entirety of Sunday’s game. They are: Sara Wheaton (12), Rielee Fetty (11), Diane Senkowski (9), Hailey Rydberg (5), Josie Durr (4), Samantha Tawharu (3), Meike Ingles (2), and Olivia Hellweg (1).

NEXT UP
Iowa will travel to Cary, North Carolina, for the 2021 NCAA Tournament. The first round games are scheduled to take place April 27-28.