Hoosiers try to clinch berth in Big Ten Tournament

FROM IDS REPORTS

Throughout the IU women’s soccer team’s season, the goal has been to make it to the Big Ten Tournament, which will be in Bloomington this year from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4.

Unlike in previous years, IU does not have an automatic berth. This time, only the top eight teams in the Big Ten make it into the tournament.

Coaches and players alike have expressed their desire to secure a tournament spot to represent IU on their home field.

Penn State has already clinched the Big Ten Championship following the team’s 1-1 tie against Michigan on Sunday and registering a 9-0-1 Big Ten record with one game left to play.

This title means the Nittany Lions will have the No. 1 seed going into the tournament.

For the Hoosiers, it’s not quite that simple.

A loss against Wisconsin last weekend put IU in a tie with Nebraska for seventh place in the overall Big Ten standings as the team heads into its final match of the season against Ohio State on Friday.

Now, the Hoosiers can make it into the tournament in two different ways, one of which would require them to rely heavily on the outcomes of another match.

The first scenario would require IU to either win or tie against Ohio State.

If this is the case, IU will be in the tournament regardless of what other teams do.

The second scenario would occur if IU loses to Ohio State on Friday. In such a situation, IU would need Iowa, currently in ninth place, to lose or tie in its game against Wisconsin this weekend.

The Hoosiers will take on the Buckeyes in the determining match 7 p.m. Friday at Bill Armstrong Stadium.

— Kourtney Liepelt