Pair of Mollys break IU's 3-game scoring drought as team earns 1st win of season

Four games. Two freshmen. One goal. \nPut it all together, and the IU women's soccer team has its first victory of the season, defeating Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, Sunday afternoon.\nAfter going scoreless in the first three games of the season, the Hoosiers (1-2-1) tallied their first goal when freshman midfielder Molly Beckwith found the back of the net off an assist from fellow freshman midfielder Molly Kruger. It would be all the team needed as the defense shut out the Cyclones for a 1-0 win.\n"The first goal is always the hardest," Beckwith said. "After that they start to come more easily. We had some kinks in the first few games. I think we got some of those out and hopefully things will continue to improve for us. Although the score was only 1-0 we could have had four or five more goals if we had converted more chances."\nConverting chances is something IU head coach Mick Lyon has stressed since the beginning of the season. Sunday, he altered his game plan in hopes of accomplishing just that.\n"Today we put an extra forward in the front line," he said. "That immediately created some extra chances. Putting the extra player up front helped, but we have to keep rehearsing and practicing so that when it comes to the games we are executing and using the right techniques."\nOn defense, the Hoosiers held Iowa State to only four shots all game. Friday, the Cyclones took 19 shots in a 1-0 victory over Purdue. For Sunday's game, Lyon made changes to his defense as well.\n"Today, we started our same defensive unit that set a school record for shots allowed last year," he said. "Earlier in the season I tried to switch things around on defense, but I need to realize that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Today, for 90 minutes, our defense was solid as a rock."\nThe defense was not quite as solid Friday night against the University of Missouri (2-1-1). The unit allowed 14 shots and two goals as the Hoosiers lost 2-0. \n"I told the girls after the Missouri game that I am still confident in them," Lyon said. "They were disappointed in being winless after three games. They worked so hard in all of the previous games and hadn't gotten the result. Personally, I knew we would get a win sooner or later. Being prepared and confident are the two main things to be successful. We just asked them to give us everything they have and put it on the field. We asked for the extra effort because that is what makes the difference in winning games. I think they did that today and it really showed on the field."\nLyon was impressed with the play of his two freshmen as they teamed up for the Hoosiers' first goal of the season. The combination was one that will be seen a lot in the years to come, Lyon said. After her first collegiate victory, Kruger was also confident in the team's future.\n"Our team chemistry is finally coming together," she said. "We played with a lot more heart and intensity and more as a team. I think we really stepped it up. We were tired of losing. We realized that we needed to come out and play as a team. Things are definitely looking up for us."\nThe team will resume action Sept. 9 in its first home appearance of the season during the Hoosier Classic.