Defense has been the main strength of the IU women’s soccer team this season.
The Hoosiers were able to limit Purdue, which has one of the top offenses in the Big Ten Conference, to a single one goal last Saturday in a 1-1 draw after two overtime periods.
"I think the game gave us confidence in that we can play with anyone,” junior forward Abby Allen said.
IU will play Northwestern next on Thursday at Bill Armstrong Stadium, a game that has all the makings of another defensive battle.
The Hoosiers and Wildcats are similar teams. Both are strong defensively, and both have the same overall record of 5-4-2.
Last season, IU lost its Big Ten opener to the Wildcats, 1-0, on a goal that was a rebound from a penalty kick in the 13th minute.
“We need to keep the ball in transition and find the extra pass," IU Coach Amy Berbary said. "I thought that was one of the things we were missing in the Purdue game, missing that extra pass before we take our shot.”
The Wildcats have posted five shutouts and have not given up a goal in their last three games. On the other hand, IU has scored only one goal in each of its last three games.
“I think we just need to make sure to work on our transition play and make sure we keep the ball once we win it,” Berbary said. “So, I think it’s going to be a game of few chances. We are going to need to make sure to take advantage of our chances in the final third."
After the Hoosiers face the Wildcats, they will be back in action against Illinois on Sunday afternoon. IU defeated Illinois, 1-0, in overtime last season.
These two games appear to be must-wins for IU to stay in the hunt for a Big Ten Tournament bid. IU is currently tied with Minnesota for eighth place in the conference standings. Northwestern is in a four-way tie for third place in the conference, while Illinois is tied for last place.
“I think we are growing every week,” Berbary said. “We’ve continued to improve on both sides of the ball, and we’ve had some not so typical starters play a lot more minutes for us and make an impact in the game. So, I think as a team, we are growing."
