Women's soccer loses four straight

After falling to their first Big Ten opponents in Northwestern and Wisconsin last week, the Hoosiers are still looking for a conference victory.

On Friday, the Hoosiers lost 2-0 to Michigan State. Spartan forwards Laura Heyboer and Olivia Stander took care of both goals.

IU coach Mick Lyon said after Thursday’s practice he would adjust the lineup by increasing the focus on links in the midfield. But the young Hoosiers’ defense could not control the Spartans’ attack. Michigan State out shot IU 12-8 in the game.

In a meeting with Illinois on Sunday, the scoreboard remained blank until the Fighting Illini scored two goals in less than two minutes late in the first half.

Although the Hoosiers’ leading scorer junior forward Carly Samp scored her sixth goal of the season, IU lost, 2-1.

Lyon put a 4-3-3 lineup on the field, partly in order to contain Illinois midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo.

“We did well on that,” Lyon said. “But we should not have let the other two goals happen as well.”

Lyon said he was happy to see the efforts the Hoosiers made against a team ranked in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s top-25 poll.

“I cannot blame anyone,” Lyon said. “They all played very well. We hit the posts several times and had a lot of good chances to score more, but we just didn’t get them.”