EVANSTON, Ill. – In a thrilling match-up, the 10th-ranked University of Louisville field hockey team secured a 2-1 victory over No. 8 Iowa in double overtime. The game-winning goal came from Minna Tremonti’s penalty corner in the third minute of the second overtime period. With this win, Louisville improves to a record of 15-6 and advances to the quarterfinals where they will face off against No. 2 Northwestern on Sunday at 2 p.m. (ET).
UofL head coach Justine Sowry expressed her excitement about the win, saying, “Obviously, we’re very excited to be having another opportunity. It was an absolutely phenomenal contest against a really incredible side, I’ve always admired Iowa and their head coach [Lisa Cellucci]. They have a great team, a great culture, and to be matched up against them, I knew it was going to be a tough contest. They certainly have an absolute lethal weapon. I thought we took great care of her today, but I knew that it was going to take a monumental team effort and that’s what we did today. I’m just really proud of the players and happy we have another opportunity on Sunday, so we’re pretty excited about that.”
Throughout the game, Louisville outshot Iowa 10-7, with a 5-1 advantage in shots on goal and a 4-2 edge in penalty corners. The Cardinals dominated early on, outshooting the Hawkeyes 4-1 in the first quarter. However, Iowa goalkeeper Mia Magnotta made three critical saves to keep Louisville at bay.
Iowa managed to break through in the second quarter, utilizing their first penalty corner of the game to score a goal from Dionne van Aalsum with six minutes left in the frame. This gave them a 1-0 lead heading into halftime. The teams played evenly in the first half, delivering five shots apiece, with Louisville holding a slight edge of 2-1 in penalty corners.
But Louisville fought back in the third quarter, as Aimee Plumb intercepted a pass, sped downfield, and took a shot that was saved by Magnotta. However, Niamh Gowing was there to secure the rebound and notch her first goal of the season, leveling the score at 1-1.
Both teams battled hard throughout the fourth quarter, but neither was able to find the back of the net. With the score still tied at the end of regulation, the game moved into a 10-minute 7v7 overtime period. Although Louisville earned a penalty corner, Iowa’s defense held strong, forcing the game into double overtime.
In the opening minutes of the second overtime period, Iowa initiated an offensive push. However, Louisville regained possession and earned a penalty corner in the seventh minute. Freshman Lara Niebler got the corner started, and Emilia Kaczmarczyk delivered a precise pass to Plumb, who fired a shot towards the right post. Tremonti positioned herself perfectly to deflect the ball into the cage, securing the victory for the Cardinals.
With this win, Louisville advances to the NCAA quarterfinals for the third time in the last five years and the first time since the 2020 season when they reached the semifinals. Their next opponent will be Northwestern (19-1), setting up a rematch of their August 27th match, where Louisville emerged victorious with a 1-0 scoreline. The winner of this quarterfinal match will secure a spot in the NCAA semifinals, which will take place on November 17th and 19th in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
