The final stretch of a forgettable season has not been kind to Indiana women’s soccer, and that continued on Sunday with a 3-0 loss to Minnesota at Robbie Stadium in Minneapolis.
The loss marks the Hoosiers’ fifth in their last six games and drops their record to 6-8-2 overall and 1-8-1 in conference play.
There were some positive takeaways in Indiana’s 1-0 loss Oct. 17 to Illinois, including when Indiana head coach Erwin van Bennekom described the second half as one of the best halves the team has played all season.
However, the Hoosiers went in reverse against Minnesota, as the team sputtered from the first whistle to the last. Minnesota jumped on the Hoosiers early, including two shots in the first five minutes, and a goal by senior forward Khyah Harper in the 12th minute.
Harper found space at the edge of the penalty box and struck the ball to the top of the net, perfectly deflecting off the crossbar and leaving Indiana senior goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg with no chance for a save. Harper was a force for the Gophers throughout the match, racking up seven shots, one goal and one assist.
The Hoosiers’ offense could not match the Golden Gophers’, as they tallied just one shot on goal and eight total shots. The lack of offense has plagued Indiana for the entire season, as the Hoosiers are still searching for their first goal since Sept. 26.
The Hoosiers tend to start their matches slow, and did so again Sunday. They attempted just one shot in the first half, which was taken by senior defender Camille Hamm and negated by a diving save from sophomore goalkeeper Sarah Martin.
Indiana did not place a shot on target for the rest of the match, as the offense stalled in the second half. Minnesota kept the pressure on the Hoosiers’ defense, including two insurance goals in the second half. Graduate student midfielder Evelyn Calhoon got behind the back line of the defense and finished a one-on-one opportunity with Gerstenberg in the 55th minute to add to the lead.
Gerstenberg kept the Hoosiers in the game with three saves, but the Hoosiers didn’t attempt a shot from the 55th minute to the 84th minute.
In the 83rd minute, Indiana junior defender Olivia Albert committed a foul in the box, allowing Minnesota graduate student midfielder Sophia Boman to knock in the penalty kick to add an exclamation point to the win.
The Hoosiers’ offense was shutout again, marking their sixth straight game without a goal and their ninth in their last 10 matches. The Hoosiers have scored just three goals in conference play.
Indiana will close out its regular season against Nebraska at 2:05 p.m. Oct. 27 at Hibner Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Hoosiers will look to scratch across a second conference win before they turn the page to 2025.
Follow reporters Sam Elster (@samelster1) and Matt Rudella (@mattrudellaIDS) for updates throughout the Indiana women’s soccer season.
