After starting the Big Ten season 0-3, the IU field hockey team won its first conference game against Michigan State 2-1 on ?Saturday.
The No. 18 Hoosiers (9-3, 1-3) got both goals from senior Audra Heilman, who has scored 12 goals this ?season.
It was her third multiple-goal game, something she hasn’t done since recording back-to-back hat tricks to open the season.
“Audra was so on,” IU Coach Amy Robertson said in a press release from IU Athletics. “She felt the game, she could eliminate like no other and she was a spark. They had to worry about her, and the entire team played up to their potential today.”
The Spartans (7-5, 2-3) had four penalty corner opportunities in the first period but couldn’t capitalize.
In the second period, IU outshot Michigan State 17-9.
The first goal didn’t come until the 44th minute, when Heilman won a one-on-one with Spartan goalkeeper ?Sierra Patton.
Heilman then scored in the 53rd minute off an assist from sophomore midfielder Kate Barber to give the Hoosiers a 2-0 lead.
IU senior goalkeeper Maggie Olson made six saves.
She couldn’t preserve the shutout, though, with Michigan State’s lone goal coming off the foot of Megan Fenton in the 63rd minute.
This is the second-consecutive win over a ranked opponent for IU, the first time accomplishing that since 2011. It beat No. 4 Duke last weekend.
Robertson said that now is the time for IU to start building momentum with the Big Ten Tournament becoming increasingly near.
“It’s huge, this is the time of year we want to start building out play and having confidence,” Robertson said in a release. “We’re exactly where we should be and we just have to keep our foot on the pedal and be hungry to continue to improve and realize we’re a team in the Big Ten that can beat any other team on any day.”
The Hoosiers host Ohio State at 3 p.m. Friday.
Grace Palmieri
