SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The No. 11 University of Iowa women’s soccer team defeated Missouri State, 5-0, on Sunday afternoon at Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium. The Hawkeyes improve to 5-1-1 on the season. Kelli McGroarty set a single game program record with four goals on the day.

It didn’t take long for the Hawkeyes to get on the board as freshman Liana Tarasco netted her third goal of the season just two minutes into the match. Junior Sofia Bush and graduate student Kenzie Roling were credited for the assist.

Graduate student Kelli McGroarty was able to find the net for the first time this season in the 42^nd minute to give Iowa a, 2-0, advantage. Redshirt junior Lexy Griffin dished out the assist, the first of her collegiate career.

McGroarty struck back quickly in the 43^rd minute to add to Iowa’s lead, giving the Hawkeyes a 3-0, advantage. Senior Shae Doherty was credited for the assist, the fourth of her career and first of the season.

After 45 minutes, Iowa led Missouri State, 3-0. The Hawkeyes outshot the Bears, 10-4 in the first half.

McGroarty’s scoring continued into the second half when she was able to find the net in the 73^rd minute to secure a hat-trick. Senior Morgan Lietz was credited for the assist.

McGroarty then struck one last time in the 89^th minute to mark a program record for most goals scored in a single match. Lietz dished out the assist.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH DAVE DIIANNI
“Today’s game we asked this group to invest all of their energy to close the non-conference chapter of the schedule with conviction and quality. Winning on Sundays is hard and winning on the road is even more challenging. I’m pleased with our performance. As a team it was a quality performance but the difference for me was the quality that came off our bench all game. Time to turn the corner and we look forward to that Big Ten challenge next week.”

MATCH NOTES

• McGroarty marked a single game program record for the most goals scored in a match with four.
  • McGroarty’s four goals tie for the second most goals scored in a single match in D1 this season. Aliva Scott of Tennessee leads with five.
  • McGroarty becomes the 10^th Hawkeye in program history to record a hat-trick.
  • McGroarty’s eight points in the match marks a new program record, passing the previous record of seven. The last time a Hawkeye had seven points in a match was Devin Burns on Aug. 31, 2017.
    • Her eight points are tied for the third most points scored in a single match in D1 this season.
  • McGroarty’s goal in the 42^nd minute marked her first goal since Nov. 17^th, 2023, against Georgia in the NCAA Tournament.
  • McGroarty led all players with nine shots attempts. The nine shot attempts are tied for the sixth most in program history in a single match.
  • McGroarty is the first Hawkeye to put 5+ shots on goal since Sofia Bush vs. Missouri State on Nov. 15^th, 2024.
  • This marks the second time in McGroarty’s collegiate career that she has scored 3+ goals in a single match. She recorded three goals in a seven-minute span in the first half during her junior year at La Salle against Fordham on Oct. 9^th, 2022.
• Goalkeeper Taylor Kane improves to 15-2 in her collegiate career as the starting goalkeeper.
• Five different Hawkeyes dished out an assist.
• Iowa’s five goals in the match are the most since Oct. 15^th, 2023 when they defeated Maryland, 5-0, at the Iowa Soccer Complex.
• Sofia Bush is up to four assists on the season. The single season program record for assists is nine.
• Morgan Lietz’s two assists on the day marked a career high. Lietz came into the day with two career assists.
• Iowa is outscoring their opponents, 16-5 on the season.
• Iowa has forced four consecutive shutouts.
• The Hawkeyes outshot Missouri State, 17-6.
  • Iowa put eight shots on goal to Missouri State’s two.
• Missouri State and Iowa had previously last met in the NCAA Tournament opening match in 2024, when the Hawkeyes won, 2-1, at the Iowa Soccer Complex in route to their first Round of 16 appearance in program history.
• 2 for the Money: Iowa’s record is 59-3-3 in its last 65 games when scoring two goals or more, which dates back to October of 2017.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes play host to Northwestern on Friday, Sept. 12^th at 6:30 p.m. (CT) in the Big Ten opener. The match will be broadcasted live on B1G+ (subscription required).