IU found the back of the net for the first time in three games, but it was not enough.
In a game the Hoosiers needed to win for a chance to earn a spot in the Big Ten Tournament, they lacked the playmaker to finish the deciding chance that has plagued them for much of the 2015 season. IU tied Maryland 1-1 in double-overtime at Bill Armstrong Stadium on Thursday.
“We’re never going to put our heads down,” IU junior midfielder Veronica Ellis said. “We’re creating chances, and it’s obviously disappointing when you don’t finish them, but you can’t dwell.”
IU (3-7-6) played its sixth overtime game this season and finished with their fifth overtime tie. The level of intensity of play appeared in the box score, with the Hoosiers’ committing 24 total fouls. The Hoosiers’ frustration mounted as they could not find another goal.
“The chances that we did have we score every day in practice,” IU Coach Amy Berbary said. “The great players can do it under pressure.”
The Hoosiers may have struggled to capitalize to break the tie, but one player shined for the Hoosiers. Ellis, arguably IU’s best player on the field Thursday, played 92 minutes and posted three shots, including two on goal. Her best effort came in the 23rd minute when she turned a Terrapins defender and ripped a shot on goal that forced the Maryland goalkeeper to make a save.
After IU senior midfielder Jessie Bujouves was taken down in the box in the 26th minute, all eyes turned to IU sophomore defender Annelie Leitner, who was chosen to take the penalty kick. She buried the chance in the upper-left corner to put the Hoosiers up 1-0.
“It was definitely something that I have worked on, and Amy has no doubt that I can make it every single time,” Leitner said. “So I kind of stepped up, calmly, and kicked it in the back of the net.”
Berbary said she believed it was not only her freshman players who lacked composure, but her upperclassmen. Under pressure, her players did not execute well enough to get the win.
“The difference between good teams and great teams are they execute their chances,” Berbary said. “You can’t even say it’s all of our freshman because we had some upperclassmen that just weren’t composed on the ball when we won it inside of 25 yards.”
After a productive half, the Hoosiers surrendered in the waning moments. On a controversial play, the referee deemed IU redshirt junior defender Marissa Borschke’s challenge inside the box was a penalty. In the 45th minute, Maryland sophomore forward Alex Anthony struck a low shot into the left corner that gave IU senior goalkeeper Sarah Stone no chance to make a play.
IU continues Big Ten play at 1 p.m. Sunday at home against Ohio State.
“We need to forget about this now and just focus on Ohio State,” Leitner said. “Make sure we win because we have to and that’s definitely our goal.”
