IU breaks scoreless streak, notches 2-1 overtime win topping Stanford

Scoring hasn’t come easy lately for the IU field hockey team. \nBut on Monday afternoon at the IU Field Hockey Field, the Hoosiers broke a three-game scoreless streak and outlasted Stanford for a 2-1 overtime win. \n“It was just good to finally get on the board,” IU coach Amy Robertson said. “It kind of seemed like we had a seal on the lid there for awhile, but to finally get that goal was a big relief.” \nThe Hoosiers (7-8, 0-5) overcame an early Stanford goal and steady rain throughout the game to come away with the victory. \n“It feels really good to come away with a win,” senior forward Kate O'Connell said. “We played well despite the rain, and it’s always a good feeling getting an overtime win.”\nAfter a goal at the three-minute mark by Stanford’s Midori Uehara, IU picked up its attack and put the pressure on the Cardinal defense. The Hoosiers attempted 21 shots and earned 15 penalty corners on the game. \n“We’ve been working on our passing and just moving the ball into the circle to create chances,” sophomore forward Haley Funk said. “I think we did a pretty good job of that today.”\nThe Hoosiers failed to turn their scoring chances into a first-half goal, but finally broke through for a goal in the second half. Senior midfielder Amanda Oyler scored off a penalty corner to tie the game at 1-1 in the 53rd minute. \nThe Hoosiers battled back and forth with Stanford for the rest of regulation, and the game remained tied at the final whistle. \nWith seven-on-seven play in overtime instead of the normal 11-on-11, the pace of the game was much faster, and both teams used the open field to create good scoring opportunities.\nStanford’s best chance in overtime came on a shot off a penalty corner, but senior goalkeeper Haley Exner made a diving stop for one of her three saves on the game. \nWith less than five minutes remaining in the overtime period, Funk took a pass from senior midfielder Meredith Brown at midfield and found herself on a 2-on-1 breakaway with freshman forward Katie Griswold. With the Stanford goalkeeper charging from net, Funk fed Griswold, who found the back of the net and gave the Hoosiers a 2-1 victory. \n“It was an amazing feeling to get the game-winning goal,” Griswold said after the game. “We really wanted to get this win today.”\nThe overtime win was the first of the season for IU and the first since a 2006 overtime win against Northeastern. \n“I think we really scratched and clawed during the overtime period,” Robertson said. “We kind of had that mentality that in no way are we going to let this game go.” \nWith only two regular season games remaining before the Big Ten tournament, the Hoosiers will look to carry the momentum from this game through to the rest of the season. \n“This game kind of takes away that doubt,” Robertson said. “We know we can score, now let’s just go out and play and give everything we have.”