Indiana drops fourth Big Ten loss in 3-0 defeat by Penn State

For one half, Indiana kept the nation’s leading scorer, Maya Hayes, to a single goal.
However, Hayes’s goal in the sixth minute proved to be the game winner.

Two more goals in the second half made the final margin 3-0 in Penn State’s favor.

Sophomore defender Lara Ross said Hayes created a major objective for the team.

“Our main focus was keeping one person on her at all times,” Ross said. “We kept (redshirt freshman midfielder) Bekah White trailing her.

“She got away a few times. There’s a reason she’s the leading scorer in the nation. She’s fast.”

Hayes’s goal put IU in a 1-0 halftime deficit for the third time in six Big Ten matches.

“It keeps a lot of pressure on us knowing we’re down, and we have to fight for a goal and keep them from scoring too,” redshirt freshman Kate McCusker said.

“We played so well in the first half. I don’t think the score reflects it at all. That goal they got was lucky, a 15-second lapse in our defensive judgment.”

In the 29th minute, Ross required a substitute IU Coach Mick Lyon said her presence on the field was missed.

“When Lara got hurt, she was playing extremely well,” Lyon said. “She adds to our offense because she gives good support behind who is playing in front of her. That was a tough injury.”

Sophomore forward Rebecca Candler said the Hoosiers looked to possess the ball.

“If we have the ball, they can’t score,” she said. “Our biggest defense is having the ball. When we’re on offense, they don’t have the ball. 

“We did a good job of keeping the ball from them. We had (an) unlucky slip.”

Penn State registered its ninth shutout in 15 matches.

Penn State entered the match leading the Big Ten with 83 corners earned. IU successfully defended the first five.

The Nittany Lions’ sixth corner resulted in a goal, giving them a 2-0 lead.

Hayes tacked on the third goal in the 67th minute, as goalkeeper Erin McNulty’s ball found Hayes, who chipped the ball past senior goalkeeper Lindsay Campbell to earn her 18th goal.

McNulty earned her second assist of the season as Penn State earned its sixth consecutive victory.