Trip to Lone Star state garners women's soccer team win against ranked team

The IU women’s soccer team (1-2-0) came into the Aggie Soccer Invitational unranked and winless. The other three teams in the tournament were all ranked in the top 14, but the Hoosiers were able to leave Texas with a split in the weekend’s games.

IU picked up its first win of the season Friday night, defeating No. 14 Tennessee 2-0, its first win versus a ranked opponent since it defeated then-No. 13 USC last year. On Sunday, the Hoosiers fell to the host Texas A&M, 3-1.

The game was deadlocked at a 1-1 tie until the Aggies scored twice in the 78th minute.

“We played very well throughout this weekend,” head coach Mick Lyon said in a statement. “We were strong in the opening half, but got worn out in the second half against a very good and very deep Texas A&M squad. Playing in such an elite tournament and standing toe-to-toe with some of the top teams in the nation was incredibly good for the future of the program.”

In the Hoosiers’ first game, junior Kelly Lawrence got IU on the board, scoring on a penalty kick in the 69th minute after  freshman Devon Beach was taken down inside the box. Beach, who scored the team’s lone goal in the team’s opener, has once again caught the eye of her coach with her stellar play.

“Devon just terrorized them,” Lyon said. “She was close to scoring three or four times, missing by just inches. The only way they stopped her was by pulling her down in the box.”

Lyon was also impressed with others who contributed in the second half.

“A number of people played very well, though,” he said. “Kirsta Kellin, Kelly Lawrence, Christie Kotynski were strong at the end, and having Liz Holby score a late goal was great for us. It was a very, very good win for the program.”

As Lyon alluded to, junior forward Liz Holby’s goal capped the win for the Hoosiers. Her goal came in the 90th minute as she beat the keeper, netting the goal in the upper-right corner.

“This was a huge win for us and our morale,” Lawrence said. “We feel we are good enough to be a top 15, top 10 team and really needed to come out and show that.”

Sophomore keeper Lauren Hollandsworth picked up her first win and shutout of the season. She finished with six saves.

In Sunday’s game against Texas A&M, the Hoosiers found themselves down early after an Aggie goal in the 17th minute. The Hoosiers didn’t take long to answer, however, as Beach scored to tie the game in the 27th minute. The game went to the half tied at one and was scoreless in the second half until the Aggies broke through, scoring twice in 14 seconds within the 78th minute. The Aggies put consistent pressure on the Hoosiers all game. They finished with 22 shots as opposed to only four for IU and totaled 12 corner kicks to IU’s one.

“They controlled the ball a lot and had deadly services,” Beach said. “I think we did well for the most part.”

The Hoosiers will return to action next weekend, as they host the Hoosier Classic on Friday and Sunday on Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium. IU will face Vermont at 7:30 p.m. Friday in their home opener, and they will take on Cal Poly at 11 a.m. Sunday.