Early deficit too much for Indiana women’s soccer to overcome against No. 15 Michigan State

The Indiana ladies’s soccer crew misplaced its sixth consecutive match in a 1-0 defeat in opposition to No. 15 Michigan State Thursday in East Lansing, Michigan. The outing prolonged the Hoosiers’ scoreless convention streak to 10 video games, courting again to the 2021 season. 

Indiana got here into the competition making an attempt to rebound from a detailed loss to then-No. 10 Rutgers on Oct. 9, the place the Hoosier protection stayed strong for the primary half and conceded only one purpose within the 61st minute of play. Nevertheless, the matchup in opposition to the Spartans appeared the other.  

[ Indiana women’s soccer drops fifth straight against No. 10 Rutgers in 1-0 loss] 

It didn’t take lengthy for sophomore goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg and the remainder of Indiana’s defensive position to point out a deadly weak point, as Michigan State junior midfielder Zivana Labovic netted a purpose on the 4:59 mark to provide the Spartans an early 1-0 lead. Gerstenberg and the Hoosier protection have been the steadiest side of the crew all through the season, and it was evident within the goalie’s frustration that the Spartan rating was a fluke of miscommunication. 

Nonetheless, Indiana’s stagnant offense was on full show, unable to carry the Hoosiers again inside putting distance during the match. Indiana recorded simply 4 pictures with three on purpose in comparison with Michigan State’s 16 complete and 6 on purpose.  

The Michigan State purpose within the fifth minute of play was the one high quality scoring motion all through the match, and Indiana head coach Erwin van Bennekom noticed an all-too-familiar flaw in his crew’s efficiency. 

The Hoosiers haven’t solely gone 10-straight Massive Ten matches with out scoring a purpose, however they’ve recorded eight objectives throughout a mere two video games this season. 5 objectives got here in opposition to Division III opponent Trine College and the opposite three in opposition to Indiana State College. Outdoors of six losses within the 2022 marketing campaign, the remainder of the Hoosiers’ file consists of six 0-0 attracts. 

Nevertheless, in van Bennekom’s thoughts, just one factor really issues: profitable. 

“That doesn’t really feel good, and we positively want to alter that,” van Bennekom mentioned after a Sept. 29 match in opposition to Ohio State. “I don’t really feel stress as a result of (we’re not scoring). I really feel stress as a result of we’re not profitable.” 

Indiana may have simply three extra probabilities to hop into the win class throughout the common season, and its subsequent matchup comes in opposition to in-state rival Purdue. The Hoosiers will tackle the Boilermakers at 2 p.m. Oct. 16 in Bloomington.