HAWK TALK

August 30, 2012

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IOWA Soccer By AARON BLAU Piecing In six years as head coach of the University of Iowa women's soccer program, Ron Rainey put pieces in place to help the Hawkeyes climb out of the Big 's basement With each new season comes a new piece to the puzzle Aſter recording the most successful season in school history last year, the puzzle is almost in place. Together the Iowa Soccer Puzzle Rainey wants to add another piece during 2012 Rainey enters year seven of his tenure at Iowa with loſty goals and expectations In 2011, Iowa set or tied nine school records, including most wins (13), fewest defeats (four), best winning percent- age (.675), fewest goals allowed (17) and longest unbeaten streak (11). Rainey understands the added expectations aſter coming off a record-breaking season, but he knows that 2012 is a brand new year. "What we are trying to do is get better, each day, in practice," Rainey said "That has to be our main focus We really can't worry about any of the other stuff, whether it's preseason rankings or outside expectations." Rainey has shown that team improvement from one year to the next is one his strengths He started that improvement by building a strong back line from the beginning, making it difficult for op- ponents to score. Iowa's opponents netted 49 goals the year before he took over and had also scored 188 goals in the previous five seasons before his arrival Iowa's defense has responded during Rainey's tenure, never allowing more than 26 goals in a season, including a school-record low 17 last year. The next piece was the attack Since 2006, Rainey's Hawkeyes have improved their scoring output in all but one season, moving from just 11 goals scored in 2006 to 44 goals in 2011, five shy of the school record Iowa's +27 goal differential last year was the best in school history. Last year's combination of a solid defense and a strong attack led to the best record in Iowa soccer history Rainey wants to take those positives, but build something better, in 2012.

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