IU field hockey suffered tough overtime losses to both No. 18 Iowa and Miami University this weekend.
IU performed well on defense and set up good offensive attempts throughout the weekend but couldn’t maintain that level of play when it came to overtime periods.
The Hoosiers and Hawkeyes played a competitive first half, but it wasn’t until the middle of the second half Iowa was able to find the back of the IU net.
The visitor goal ignited IU’s offensive attack, and freshman Kelsey Giese scored her first collegiate goal less than seven minutes later off a rebound on an offensive penalty corner to tie the match.
“I was thinking I can not miss this,” Giese said. “Kind of after the ball hit my stick I knew it was going in and it did, I was overrushed with joy.”
Both teams fought hard for the rest of the second half but neither could score.
Minutes before overtime each team had one player yellow carded so when the extra period began IU and Iowa were down to six players, including goalkeepers.
IU had a one-player advantage at the beginning of the overtime period, too, as an Iowa player received a green card that required them to sit out for two minutes. However, IU couldn’t find the back of the net.
Once both yellow-carded players came back on the field the Hawkeyes took no time scoring the wining goal of the game. Iowa’s Katie Birch sent the ball past IU’s goalie. She was assisted by Natalie Cafone, the Hawkeye who had previously received a yellow card.
“I think it was such a hard-fought game,” IU Coach Amanda Janney said. “We did a really good job to put our team in a position to be successful because our defense played so good.”
In contrast to the rest of IU’s games this season, this one had the Hoosiers playing defense most of the time rather than putting forth an offensive display.
On Sunday against Miami in IU’s last road Mid-American Conference match, IU seemed to be in control of the game early but was defeated 4-3 in overtime.
Junior Maddie Latino and sophomore Taylor Swope scored the first two goals for IU, with Swope making her career-scoring debut.
IU became a completely different team after getting out to a 2-0 lead. Miami scored three times to take the lead and would win in overtime.
Next weekend IU will seek to get back on the winning track when they face Northwestern at home for its fourth conference game.
