Indiana women’s soccer will travel on Thursday to Columbus, Ohio to take on Ohio State.
The Hoosiers tallied their first win against a ranked opponent since 2017 when they defeated No. 18 Northwestern on Sept. 24. Indiana sits atop the Big Ten standings, tied with No. 4 Penn State while the Buckeyes are in a four-way tie for fifth.
In the victory over Northwestern, the Hoosiers got on the scoreboard quickly when junior midfielder Hope Paredes slotted a shot into the net in the second minute. Indiana’s defense didn’t allow a shot from the Wildcats during the first half, and allowed three total shots on goal that were all saved by junior goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg.
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The Buckeyes are coming off a victory on the road against Maryland. Ohio State dictated the pace of play and controlled possession during the match. Senior midfielder Christin Baumbick scored the game-winning goal with under a minute remaining in the match to give the Buckeyes a 1-0 victory.
A pair of Hoosiers to watch Thursday are graduate student forward Paige Webber and junior goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg. Webber is tied for fifth nationally in total goals this season — standing at 11. Gerstenberg leads Indiana’s defense, allowing six goals alongside her seven clean sheets this season.
[RELATED: Indiana’s Gerstenberg, Paredes earn Big Ten women’s soccer weekly awards]
Ohio State junior forward Kailyn Dudukovich leads the Buckeyes with seven goals and four assists. Sophomore forward Amanda Schlueter stars alongside Dudukovich, standing at three goals and three assists on the season.
The Hoosiers will be looking for their 10th victory of the season. Indiana has not reached double-digit victories in a season since 2013 when they made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. With 11 games under their belt, the Hoosiers remain undefeated — the longest undefeated streak to start a season in school history.
The Hoosiers are seeking their first win against the Buckeyes since 2019 when the two square off. The match will kickoff at 7 p.m. and will broadcast on Big Ten Plus.
