FAYETTE, Iowa – Drury earned its first road win of the season Sunday morning at Upper Iowa, breaking open a scoreless match with five second-half goals.
The Panthers controlled more than 60% of possession in the opening half and generated 12 shots, but were unable to solve the Peacock defense despite several quality chances. Upper Iowa weathered the early pressure and sent the match into halftime tied at 0-0.
It took Drury just over a minute into the second half to find the breakthrough.
Elli Davison collected the ball 30 yards from goal, dribbled through the Upper Iowa defense and finished from just outside the six-yard box to put the Panthers in front.
The lead remained at one for the next 25 minutes as Drury continued to create opportunities. After a Panther shot struck the post and deflected out for a corner kick,
Molly Kroenlein bent the ensuing corner into the net in the 73rd minute after it bounced off a Peacock defender.
Three minutes later,
Ella Caputo headed home a pass from
Danielle Buker to extend the advantage to 3-0.
Caputo struck again in the 81st minute, receiving a pass from
Rebeka Gaal before slipping past the Upper Iowa goalkeeper and two defenders for her second goal of the match.
The scoring concluded in the 83rd minute when Gaal sent a ball into the box that deflected off the hands of the Peacock goalkeeper and crossed the goal line for the fifth and final goal of the match.
MATCH NOTES
- Drury outshot Upper Iowa 30-7, including a 15-3 advantage in shots on goal. It is the first time Drury has recorded 30 or more shots in a game since its 9-0 win at Lincoln in 2024.
- The Panthers took seven corner kicks to the Peacocks' one.
- Two Upper Iowa goalkeepers, Suzette Orta and Audey Bollin, combined for 10 saves, including nine by Orta.
- Three of the five goals were scored against Upper Iowa starter Orta.
- Katy Fitzler made three saves.
- The shutout was Fitzler's 28th career shutout. The win was the 29th of her career.
- The two goals from Ella Caputo were the first two of her career.
- Molly Kroenlein's goal and assist on Gaal's goal were the first goal and assist of her career.
- Rebeka Gaal's goal and assist were the firsts of her Drury career. Gaal assisted on Caputo's second goal.
- Elli Davison's goal was her second this season and fourth of her career.
- Danielle Buker assisted on Caputo's first goal. It was Buker's second assist of the season and the fifth of her career. Against Upper Iowa, Buker now has one goal and three assists in her career.
- Cameryn Lynde made her collegiate debut in the win.
- Shaeley Combs appeared in her first game of the season.
- Mia Tatten played 57 minutes on defense for the Panthers, the most minutes in a match in her Drury career.
- Bailey Snyder and Katy Fitzler were the only two Panthers to play the full 90 minutes.
- The win was Drury's largest shutout victory since a 6-0 win against Southwest Baptist on Nov. 3, 2024.
- Drury is now 5-0-0 all-time against Upper Iowa, outscoring the Peacocks 19-2 in the series.
- The 5-0 victory is Drury's largest margin of victory over Upper Iowa in series history.
- Upper Iowa's scoreless streak has reached six matches and the Peacocks have been outscored 27-0 during that stretch.
- The win was Drury's first road victory of the season, improving the Panthers to 1-4-2 away from home.
- Justin Olson now has 116 career wins, 68 of them at Drury.
- Drury now has 295 program wins in its 36 season
QUOTABLE
"I am really proud of our entire team today," Olson commented postgame. "I am proud of our depth, giving us a spark late and keeping the momentum. Today was a full team win."
UP NEXT
Drury travels to Kansas City on Oct. 14 for a Wednesday evening matchup against William Jewell.
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