UNI soccer closes MVC homestand with 2-0 win over Indiana State

Sunday, October 1

Cedar Falls, Iowa

12 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

10-1-1, 3-1-0

Indiana State

1-5-6, 0-3-1

Indiana St.

UNI

UNI soccer closes MVC homestand with 2-0 win over Indiana State

10/1/2023 3:52:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score FINAL RESULTS Photo Gallery

Head coach Bruce Erickson records 300th career victory as Panthers earn third consecutive shutout

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI soccer opened October in the same dominant form that the team closed September in, shutting out Indiana State 2-0 on Sunday afternoon for the Panthers' third consecutive shutout victory. Lauren Heinsch opened the scoring in the 60th minute after a scoreless first half before Allison Groothuis scored 10 minutes later to secure the two-goal victory.

Sunday marked the tenth victory of the 2023 season for the Panthers, which is tied for the second-highest single season win total in UNI soccer history. The 2023 team is tied with the 2003 squad's 10-win season and sits four wins away from matching the 2017 team's program-record 14 wins.

The victory also marked a significant milestone for head coach Bruce Erickson. The Panthers' seventh-year head coach earned his 300th victory at the collegiate level on Sunday, a coaching journey that included stops at Viterbo, Creighton and Wayne State (Nebraska).

"Really enjoyed our performance today, particularly in the second half," said Erickson. "Our players really battled and found solutions to the game. Couple of great goals and a couple more cleared off the line. Sound defensive performance today getting another shutout. "

The Sycamores stifled UNI throughout the first half, even though the Panthers ultimately outshot Indiana State 12-4 in the opening stanza. The Sycamores' defense limited UNI offensively to shots from outside the 18-yard box and the Panthers were not able to significantly test Sycamore goalkeeper Maddie Alexander.

Maddie Eastus had the best UNI chance of the first half, and it came inside the opening minute of the contest. Following a free kick, the ball fell to Eastus at the top of Indiana State's penalty area. She fired a shot that barely fizzed over the crossbar as the Panthers missed out on an early breakthrough. Morgan Barnette also forced a save from Alexander in the 30th minute with a low strike.

The Panthers ultimately could not crack the Sycamores' back line in the opening half, though, and the match entered halftime scoreless. Indiana State put together a couple of dangerous attacks early in the second half but could not convert those into scoring opportunities.

In the 60th minute, UNI provided the breakthrough after a tremendous team effort. The Panthers applied pressure on Indiana State's back line and forced a turnover that sprung a quick counterattack. Olivia Knoepfle latched onto the loose ball in the penalty area and served a cross to the back post. The ball met Heinsch in stride and she slammed the ball into the top corner to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead. The goal marked the 18th of Heinsch's Panther career.

UNI struck again 10 minutes later following a corner kick in the 70th minute. The Panthers worked a short corner kick routine that culminated with Marissa Gross serving in a cross to the near post. Allison Groothuis steered the ball into the back of the net to double UNI's advantage. Prior to Sunday, Groothuis had not scored since the 2022 season.

Knoepfle nearly made it 3-0 a few minutes later, as her low shot from inside the penalty area went past Alexander and seemed destined to roll into the back of the net. However, Indiana State defender Maddie Helling slid in and cleared the ball off the goal line to keep the match at 2-0.

Thanks to a strong defensive performance, the Panthers were able to see out the 2-0 victory. UNI's defense allowed just four total shots against the Sycamores and have now allowed just seven total shots across its last two games. Indiana State did not record a shot in the second half.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Knoepfle picked up her fifth assist of the 2023 season on Sunday with her game-winning feed to Heinsch. Knoepfle is now tied with Emily McCart (2001) for fourth place on UNI soccer's single-season assist leaderboard.
Knoepfle moved to 15 total points on the season, which ties her with Jordyn Rolli (2019) and Shanon Dechant (2003) for sixth place on UNI soccer's single-season points leaderboard. She is nine points behind Brynell Yount's (2017) program record of 24 points.
With seven career assists, Knoepfle moved into a tie for sixth place in program history for career assists. She has recorded a point in three consecutive games, which is tied for the second-longest streak in program history.
Richards recorded her 16th career shutout in UNI's victory over the Sycamores. She, too, is closing in on program history and is two shutouts away from tying former UNI goalkeeper and current Panther soccer assistant coach Jami Reichenberger's (2017-18) program record of 18 career shutouts.
Sunday's victory marked the seventh shutout of the 2023 season for the Panthers, which is tied for the second-most shutouts a UNI soccer team has recorded in a single season. The 2017 squad recorded 11 shutouts, the most in a single season in Panther soccer history.
UNI remains undefeated at home this season, recording its eighth win of the 2023 season at UNI Soccer Field on Sunday. The Panthers' ten wins overall are tied for the second-most wins in a single season in Panther soccer history.
The 2023 Panthers recorded their 83rd point of the season on Sunday, which moved the team into second place for most points in a single season in UNI soccer history. The team is 14 points away from matching the 2017 squad's program record of 97 points.
Additionally, UNI recorded its 31st and 32nd goals of the season in Sunday's win. That moved the team closer to another single-season program record, the 2017 team's program record of 34 goals. Currently, UNI is tied for second place with the 2018 team.
In addition to Heinsch scoring her 18th career goal, the fourth-most goals in a career in Panther soccer history, she also recorded her 40th career point on Sunday. That moved Heinsch into a tie with Sydney Hayden (2016-19) for fourth place on UNI soccer's career points leaderboard.
With her second half goal, Groothuis became the 11th different Panther to score a goal during the 2023 season.
Sunday also marked the sixth game-winning goal of Heinsch's career and her 15th game with a goal. Her six game-winning goals are the third most in program history and her 15 games with a goal are tied with Yount (2015-18) for third-most in program history.

UP NEXT

The Panthers hit the road for a two-game swing next week. UNI's road trip starts on Thursday as the Panthers visit Murray State for the first time in program history. The match kicks off at 3 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.