Late equalizer earns Iowa a 1-1 draw at Penn State: soccer
Iowa deflated Penn State Thursday night in a feisty matchup at Jeffrey Field. Photo: Iowa Athletics, Stephan Mally; Penn State Athletics
It was a frustrating night for Penn State.
Students and parents filled the stands at Jeffrey Field Thursday, dressed in white and bundled up against the chilly September air for Penn State’s annual White Out. The crowd backed the Nittany Lions from the opening whistle, but Iowa fought back in the second half to force a 1-1 draw.
Penn State came out with control, pushing Iowa deep into its own half and testing the Hawkeyes early. Paige Kalal got a shot off in the opening two minutes before the Nittany Lions earned two corners in a span of two minutes.
Then Aubrey Kulpa broke through.
In the fifth minute, Brooklyn Antonucci found Kulpa, who beat her defender before firing a left-footed shot into the bottom-right corner. It was Kulpa's fourth goal of the season and gave Penn State the early lead.
The Nittany Lions kept the pressure on, forcing Iowa goalkeeper Braelynn Galt to make saves on Kayleigh Harr and Anna Babcock while Kulpa continued to find space around the box. Iowa managed just two shots in the half, while Penn State nearly doubled its lead when Kulpa hit the post late in the period.
Penn State had the chances but could not find a second goal.
Babcock forced another save from Galt in the 51st minute, but Iowa began to settle in and spend more time in Penn State's half. The shift was exactly what head coach Erica Dambach said changed the game.
“In the first half, we had plenty of opportunities to put this game away,” Dambach said. “I think we thought it was gonna come. I thought we came out in the second half like it was just gonna come. They made some tactical adjustments. ... We played the first half on our terms and the second half on their terms.”
Iowa finally capitalized in the 71st minute. Berit Parten found Sara Batchadji, whose long-range effort sailed over Mackenzie Gress and into the net to tie the game at 1-1. It was Iowa's first Big Ten goal of the season.
The Hawkeyes stayed on the attack after the equalizer, keeping Penn State in its own half for much of the next 10 minutes as the game became more physical. Penn State struggled to regain its earlier rhythm, but Kulpa had a chance to put the Nittany Lions back ahead in the 80th minute when her free kick sailed over the goal.
Iowa nearly found the winner a minute later when Lucia Englund's shot hit the crossbar. Penn State pushed forward in the final minutes, but neither team could find the deciding goal.
Penn State finished with 15 shots to Iowa's 12, but the Nittany Lions could not capitalize on the opportunities that came their way after taking the early lead.
For Kulpa, the result came down to staying focused on what Penn State could control.
“Yeah, again, we're just focused on us, controlling what we can control,” Kulpa said.
Dambach continued to trust Kulpa as Penn State's attacking option, especially as the game tightened late.
“The thing about Aubrey Kulpa is that she wants the ball, and she knows she can score, and you need that in a nine,” Dambach said. “She's got confidence to score. In the 89th minute she's the one we want with the ball, and she wants the ball, and that's a good recipe.”
Dambach called Kulpa a “true nine,” a role that was on display from the moment she put Penn State ahead.
Penn State will return to Jeffrey Field Sunday at 1 p.m. to face USC in its Military Appreciation and THON match.
*Luci Palacios is a student-intern at Penn State University.
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