Hoosiers defeated in 2 matches

The careers of six seniors on the IU women’s soccer team (6-11-1, 2-8) had been devoid of postseason play.

The team needed a win against Wisconsin to maintain an opportunity to earn a Big Ten tournament berth this season. Instead, the Badgers’ 2-0 victory Sunday extinguished any chance for IU’s seniors to culminate their collegiate careers with a postseason match.

The loss extended IU’s losing streak to five.

Senior forward Carly Samp said it’s disappointing she and her fellow seniors won’t play in the postseason. However, she said she is looking forward to the season finale.

In Sunday’s matchup, Wisconsin’s Cara Walls scored in the 21st minute. It was the eighth time in 10 Big Ten matches that IU’s opponents scored first.

Two first-half saves for senior goalkeeper Lindsay Campbell kept IU within a goal at halftime, and the Hoosiers had an opportunity to score the equalizer in the 58th
minute. Wisconsin committed a foul in the box, and junior forward Orianica Velasquez took the penalty kick. Wisconsin goalkeeper Michele Dalton made the save, snapping Velasquez’s perfection from the penalty spot.

Junior defender Molly Buynak said the team was “a little disappointed” when Dalton made the save, but it motivated them.

“We took the energy and used it to keep fueling us because we got two corners,” she said. “We were upset, but we also took it as a positive that we got the opportunity, and we could get more just like that.”

IU attempted only two shots in the final 20 minutes.

Friday was another loss for IU, a 3-1 decision. An issue that had plagued the Hoosiers all season struck again as Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute. The Gophers added the decisive goal in the 32nd minute.

The Gophers attempted nine shots — scoring twice — before IU netted one.

Velasquez accounted for the Hoosiers’ first two shots in the 18th and 21st minutes, respectively. Velasquez’s third shot hit the frame in the 35th minute.

Velasquez was the only Hoosier to attempt a shot in the first half.

IU scored in the 78th minute when a header by redshirt freshman midfielder Rebecca Dreher found the back of the net. Freshman midfielder Abby Smith took the corner kick and notched the assist, the second of her career. Dreher’s second goal of the season gave the Hoosiers their seventh second-half goal in 10 Big Ten matches. Dreher started in place of sophomore Becca Zambon.

Zambon was ineligible due to a red card she received last week against Michigan State. Assistant Coach Stacey Matthiessen said her absence had minimal impact.

“It’s always tough when somebody’s red carded and can’t play in the next game,” she said. “It would’ve been great having her there, but the player that went in for her did a fine job. I wouldn’t say those goals they scored were due to Zambon not being in.”

IU’s two losses mathematically eliminated them from postseason contention.

“I wish we could have done better,” Matthiessen said. “This year, we’re very unlucky. They put the effort in. We couldn’t get the lucky break this year.”