For the second straight match to open the 2022 season, Indiana women’s soccer played to a 0-0 draw. After tying West Virginia University on Thursday, Indiana was deadlocked with Virginia Tech University Sunday after 90 minutes.
Indiana was once again stagnant on offense as they were outshot 19-5 and only had two shots on goal. But, they relied on sophomore goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg to save all eight shots the Hokies put on net, a new career high for the German keeper. Gerstenberg is now tied with former player Shaunna Daugherty for sixth all-time in Indiana program history with 11 shutouts. In her 18 career starts in net with the Cream and Crimson, Gerstenberg has only conceded multiple goals once.
Indiana has now been kept off the board in six straight matches dating back to last season.
One of Indiana’s best chances to score came in the tenth minute when sophomore defender Camille Hamm floated a ball up to senior forward Paige Webber, whose header went just above the net.
The only other good look on goal for Indiana was in the 47th minute when freshman defender Jaelyn Pallas fired a shot from outside the box on a free kick but went high.
Virginia Tech had the better scoring chances, beginning at the half-hour mark when sophomore defender Aino Vuorinen took a shot that was destined for the bottom corner, but Gerstenberg brushed it aside.
Virginia Tech freshman Taylor Price had the best chance of the match just five minutes into the second half when she was behind the Indiana back line, however she fired her shot right at Gerstenberg.
The Hokies put as many shots on goal as they could in the final fifteen minutes, the best coming from freshman forward Tori Powell. Her shot late in the match was punched aside by Gerstenberg. Powell had a game-high six shots and three shots on goal.
This season, the nucleus of Indiana will be its youth, and that showed again on Sunday. Freshman midfielder Olivia Rush made her first start this season, and redshirt freshman midfielder Ava Akeel made her first career appearance. Including Gerstenberg, 20 Hoosiers played on Sunday, three more than the opening game three nights ago.
Indiana will return to Bloomington for its home opener at 8 p.m. Thursday at Bill Armstrong Stadium, when they host in-state foe Ball State University. The match will be broadcast live on B1G+.
