Hoosiers sweep weekend games

The women's soccer team closed out its non-conference schedule undefeated with wins against San Diego State and Utah State at home this weekend. The team goes into the Big Ten season as winners of five consecutive games, allowing one goal during the stretch.\nThe Hoosiers kicked-off the weekend with a Friday night match against the Aztecs of San Diego\nState, winning 2-1 in double overtime.\nIU struck first as sophomore midfielder Kate Kastl scored on a free kick around the 13th minute of the first half. The goal was Kastl's second goal of the season.\n "Kastl and (freshman forward Shelly) Gruzska were just phenomenal," coach Joe Kelley said. "Every time they got around the ball they were dangerous. They found each other. They were always dangerous. Tonight was their night. They were on fire."\n The Aztecs replied with a goal from Kim Castellanos just past the 27th minute of the first half, tying the game at one. That would be the last goal of regulation.\nThe game remained scoreless through the remainder of the first and second halves and nearly two overtime periods. With 45 seconds remaining in the second overtime period, senior back Kendal Willis changed all that.\nSophomore midfielder Lisa Tecklenburg sent a corner kick in front of the Aztecs' goal and when the defense couldn't clear the ball, Willis kicked it past two defenders while on the ground, giving the Hoosiers the victory.\n"It was basically a big scramble," Willis said. "We knew it was the last play of the game, and if we didn't put it in then, we were going to end up tied and we didn't want it to end like that."\nThe Hoosiers wanted to win the game, not tie it after they tied an NCAA Division I record with six last season.\n"We didn't deserve a tie," Willis said. "We'd been working really hard."\nThe Hoosiers continued their success against the Aggies of Utah State Sunday afternoon at Armstrong Stadium, winning 3-0. The team took the field under sloppy conditions after a late night rain made for poor playing conditions.\nThe Hoosiers struck first for the fifth consecutive game when Kastl scored ten minutes into it when freshman midfielder Emily Hotz found Kastl running down field for the goal. \n"Kastl's first goal was outstanding," Kelley said. "She had composure, she got through there and made a real nice shot and just tucked it away. We've been working with her on that, having that composure, and that was very good."\nRain began after Kastl's goal, making for an even sloppier playing field. Despite the conditions junior midfielder Stacey Peterson knocked one in a little over five minutes after Kastl's. Sophomore Emily Markwell was credited with the assist.\nAt the 8:26 mark of the first half and IU up 2-0, the officials pulled both teams off the field when lightning was spotted in the area. The delay would last more than a hour and a half with heavy rainfall soaking the field. \nPlay resumed at 1:15 p.m. under terrible conditions as water was standing on parts of the playing field. The teams completed the first half and immediately started playing the second with no intermission in between halves.\nWith 31:38 remaining in the second half, Peterson again hooked up with Markwell, scoring her second goal of the game and the third of the weekend.\n"Markwell gave me two good balls," Peterson said. "They slipped right through her hands. A goal's a goal." \n"Stacey's a really good player to find downfield," Markwell added. "She always seems to be wide open."\nOverall, Kelley seemed pleased with this weekend's performances.\n"We need to work on a number of things but yet, I'm really happy," Kelley said. "We're 5-0 and put ourselves in good position going into the Big Ten. We have some confidence, we're scoring goals and we're not giving up a lot of goals"