26 October 2026

The win over Rutgers showed that the Hawks would be competitive in the Big Ten and their easy victory over Michigan State on Friday the 24th October made their eligibility for the Tournament highly likely. It was already clear that the Northwestern Wildcats would emerge as the conference champions, that Michigan State would play their accustomed role as doormat, and that Penn State would likely miss the tournament despite their overtime at home victory against Iowa. For Iowa, playing Michigan is always intense. And the Wolverines still had their forward Abby Tamer, whom I’d seen perform so brilliantly in London on our National Team in the Pro League, before we got relegated. The Wolverines had a new coach, Christy Gannon-Fisher, longtime assistant to Marcia Pankratz, ex-Hawkeye herself and my coach besides our own Coach Lisa. It was good to see a pony-tailed blonde still patrolling the sideline, albeit rather younger.

In the first quarter both teams appeared fairly equal. Michigan’s passes upfield were well coordinated on their right but failed to attack the Iowa circle and the battle for possession was fought in midfield. With seven minutes left Iowa’s van Cleef penetrated the Michigan circle to execute a shot on goal which Michigan goalkeeper Silverstein easily saved. In the final four minutes Iowa was awarded a penalty corner but van Aalsum’s shot was saved. Two minutes later it was Michigan’s penalty corner. Emmy Tran injected to Abby Tamer but the Iowa PC defense blocked her shot and won the struggle for possession. So the first quarter ended scoreless.

The next quarter’s chances mostly belonged to the Wolverines. In the sixth minute they gained a penalty corner but the Iowa penalty corner defense blocked the shot. Two minutes later Michigan’s Dru Moffett made a shot on goal which was saved by Mia Magnotta. Iowa had no scoring opportunities till the last minute before the half, but van Cleef’s shot was wide. So at the break the score was nil-nil with both teams playing good hockey with little to choose between them.

Two minutes after the half, the Hawkeye struck. Van Aalsum got a shot that was saved by Michigan substitute goalkeeper Caylie McMahon. (Substituting goalies has been more common both in international and NCAA hockey. I don’t know why Coach Lisa doesn’t.) Then Peyton Shellaway gained a penalty corner for Iowa. Shellaway injected, Rachel Herbine made the stop, and van Aalsum fired a perfect shot. McMahon “logged” in front to the goal mouth but van Aalsum’s shot went in. Iowa was up by one goal. The Wolverines fought back, gaining a penalty corner. Emmy Tran injected but the shot be Maxine Rogge, who played for the famous Belgian hockey club Gantoise, was blocked. In the ensuing melee Tran got off a shot, but it went wide. Iowa had two more chances for an insurance goal, but shots by van Aalsum and Whalen were saved by McMahon. So Iowa went into the final quarter with a bare one goal up.

The Wolverines nearly equalized. At the fifty sixth minute Abby Tamer fired off a beautiful reverse stick backhand shot on goal, but it sailed over the crossbar. I actually felt sorry it missed, though of course I was eager the Hawks win, it was such a lovely shot. With two minutes and forty seconds to go, Coach Gannon-Fisher pulled the goalie McMahon for an extra field player. Joe Parker, the Iowa assistant athletic director was sitting next to me—I don’t know if he wants me for a personal hockey commentator or just doesn’t want me to be lonely—and wondered at the odds, eleven field players as opposed to an empty goal. I said that it’s a long shot. At first it appeared a mistake. Iowa got a penalty corner and Michigan had to defend with five field players in the goal but not goalie, a match-up I love to see. But Iowa’s injection was off and van Aalsum passed to Millie Short, whose shot went wide. Then with an extra attacker the defense couldn’t mark, the Wolverines got a penalty corner with two an a half minutes left. It was the most suspenseful moment in the match but the Iowa defense held. And then in the final minute Iowa’s van Kessel got possession in midfield and passed to Whalen who put the ball in the empty net. I said to Joe, “More often, something like that happens. That’s why it’s a long shot to pull the goalie.”

It felt strange. It wasn’t yet midafternoon on a Sunday, yet Iowa’s home season was over. With the victory, Iowa’s place in the Big Ten Tournament was assured, but not our seed. The Wildcats were first, which meant they would have a bye in the opening round and face the winner of the fourth-fifth place match on day two. Maryland looked a likely second, but if we could win our final regular season away match against Ohio State, we should be third with a good chance to make the finals.