Hoosiers continue streak with 2 weekend wins

With two hard-fought victories this weekend, the IU women’s soccer team extended its winning streak to five games. The Hoosiers defeated an aggressive Ball State squad 2-1 on Sunday and the Samford Bulldogs Friday by the same score. \nIU coach Mick Lyon said the Cardinals’ style was borderline reckless.\n“They play an extremely high-pressure game that tries to create goals off of your own mistakes, not off of what they create,” Lyon said. “That’s not how I want us to play. There is a difference between playing a physical game in that you are being competitive and making challenges and just playing reckless.”\nCardinal defender Lindsay Martin and forward Kristina Anderson both picked up yellow cards as their team repeatedly pounded into the Hoosiers.\nThe style of play seemed to work for Ball State, however. Even as the Cardinals were down after Hoosier midfielder Chloe McKay scored in the second minute, they seemed to control the match, tallying 20 shots compared to IU’s 10.\n“They play a very high-pressure, all-over-the-field style of play that doesn’t give you a chance to breathe,” McKay said. “It was a very good win – sloppy, but good.”\nBall State tied the game at 1-1 in the 48th minute of the game as midfielder Katelyn Alexander punched a free kick into the goal from just outside of the 18-yard box.\nSophomore forward Liz Holby scored the go-ahead goal for the Hoosiers in the 86th minute after teammate Kristin Arnold placed a perfect through pass that she sent into the back of the net.\nEven though every game is important, beating an in-state team means a lot, Holby said.\n“We are their big game, so they are always going to come and give us a strong challenge,” she said.\nOn Friday, the Hoosiers came from behind for the third time this season to beat Samford. \nIn the 19th minute, Samford’s Cassie Applegate scored off of a perfectly placed cross from teammate Lauren Cook. The goal came on a counterattack after the Hoosiers had multiple corner kicks on which they failed to capitalize.\nIU quickly responded with a tally of its own in the 22nd minute when sophomore Christie Kotynski headed a shot in off a corner kick from senior Suzie Teixeira. The goal was Kotynski’s second of the year.\nThe Hoosiers went ahead for good when freshman Leigh Anne Cummings scored her second goal of the season in the 55th minute of the contest. IU had 14 corner kicks against Samford’s two, while the team forced Samford goalkeeper Cayley Winters to make nine saves.\nThe Hoosiers will look to extend their winning streak to six games this week when they travel to Butler on Wednesday and host Evansville on Sunday to finish the non-conference portion of their schedule.