Indiana field hockey faced a tough weekend, squaring up against two top 10 squads. The Hoosiers narrowly lost to No. 3 Ohio State on Oct. 25 in a shootout before pulling off a stunning upset against No. 7 Michigan on Sunday.
Indiana falls to Ohio State in penalty shootouts
The Hoosiers' defense controlled their first game, holding Ohio State scoreless for the first 43 minutes. Despite six shots on goal, freshman goalkeeper Sadie Canelli made five crucial saves.
Sophomore forward Ines Garcia Prado scored the first goal on a nifty backhand shot from the middle stripe early in the second quarter.
At halftime, Indiana held a slim 1-0 lead over Ohio State, but the Buckeyes’ offense posed a constant threat to the Hoosiers.
Ohio State finally got on the board in the 43rd minute, scoring off its ninth penalty shot. Ohio State junior forward Makenna Webster converted the penalty shot after a loose ball deflected off an Indiana defender's foot.
Opportunities arose for both sides in the final 15 minutes, but neither team found the back of the net, with strong defense from both sides halting any threats.
The score remained 1-1 through regulation and two scoreless overtime periods, leading to a penalty shootout.
Each team missed its first penalty shot, and both goalkeepers saved each squad’s second attempt. With one shot remaining, Indiana sent Prado back out to take her second penalty shot. Her shot sailed wide: a crushing miss.
Webster stepped up after that. Like Prado, she missed her first penalty shot, but her next attempt fired past Canelli for the Buckeyes’ game-winning score.
Indiana upsets No. 7 Michigan
Indiana carried its momentum into Michigan to take on the No. 7 Wolverines.
Indiana managed just four shots, two on goal, against Michigan’s stifling defense. However, that was all it needed to secure the victory over the Wolverines.
The Hoosiers took an early lead over the Wolverines with senior midfielder Yip van Wonderen’s sixth goal of the season in the 22nd minute.
Michigan fought back after halftime, leveling the score at one apiece when graduate student forward Kate McLaughlin found the back of the cage in the 31st minute.
However, Indiana responded quickly, scoring a goal of its own in the third quarter. Prado scored her eighth goal of the season, reclaiming the lead for Indiana.
Aside from allowing one goal, the Hoosiers' defense made it exceedingly difficult for Michigan to push into Indiana’s offensive zone and find open shots.
Canelli once again excelled for the Hoosiers, making three saves, and holding an elite Michigan team to just one goal.
In the fourth quarter, the Hoosiers' defense held strong, allowing only three shots from Michigan during crunch time –– all of which sailed wide.
Indiana (8-8, 3-4 Big Ten) travels back home to close its regular season against Michigan State (8-9, 1-6 Big Ten) at 3 p.m. Friday at Deborah Tobias Field in Bloomington. The contest will stream on Big Ten+.
