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97 e season opener against Wake Forest ended in dramatic fashion. With the score knotted, 1-1, at the end of regulation, the Hawkeyes came out in attack mode in overtime. Sophomore Mallory Leowitz drove toward the goal working around Deacon defenders before sending off a shot that would bounce off Wake Forest's goalkeeper and in front of the goal. ree Hawkeyes dove in des- peration to poke it in, but it was junior Stephanie Norlander that did, giving the Hawkeyes the 2-1 victory. "at win was a total team effort," said Cellucci. "We stuck to the game plan and found a way to manage the different phases of the game." e matchup against North Caro- lina ended with a different out- come, but the Hawkeyes held their own with one of the best teams in the country. Junior Chandler Ackers scored the lone goal as the Hawkeyes fell, 2-1. e six other ranked opponents the Hawkeyes will face in 2015 are No. 6 Stanford (Sept. 10), No. 10 Northwestern (Oct. 2), No. 14 Michigan (Oct. 9), No. 19 Michigan State (Oct. 16), No. 7 Penn State (Oct. 23), and No. 3 Maryland (Oct. 31). e opening performance has Cellucci and the Hawkeyes looking forward to the road ahead. "We took a big step forward," said Cellucci. "I am very proud of the team and their performance against tough competition." I n order to be the best, you must play the best. at has been a staple for the University of Iowa field hockey program throughout its rich history. e Hawkeyes, ranked 17th in the country, face eight opponents ranked in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Preseason Poll throughout the 2015 regular season. is presents what will surely be a tough task for a fairly young Hawkeye squad. Twelve of Iowa's 19 roster spots are represented by underclassmen. Not only are the Hawkeyes young, but they are also without reign- ing Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-American Natalie Cafone. e senior will redshirt during the 2015 season because of a shoulder injury. at doesn't mean the Hawkeyes won't compete on a daily basis. "We're not conceding the season because Natalie isn't available or because we're young," said UI head coach Lisa Cellucci. "It will test our character every week, but depending on the work this team puts in, that will show how close we're going to get to accomplishing our goals." A season filled with ranked opponents began Aug. 29 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, an annual event that started in 2002 and features four storied field hockey programs in Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, and Wake Forest. e Hawkeyes went 1-1 against the two ACC schools, topping the 11th-ranked Demon Deacons in overtime and falling to the second-ranked Tar Heels. SEPTEMBER HOME SCHEDULE Sept. 10 – vs. Stanford Sept. 12 – vs. Kent State Sept. 13 – vs. Saint Louis Sept. 18 – Rutgers Sept. 20 – Missouri State