IU looks to bounce back after overtime loss against MSU

Two-time Michigan Miss Soccer and Gatorade National Player of the Year Laura Heyboer was frustrated last Sunday.

Michigan State’s leading scorer, and the third-leading scorer in the Big Ten, was issued a yellow card in the 64th minute. She attempted two shots all match, though each was on goal.

Despite this, Michigan State won against IU.

A free kick taken by Olivia Stander with two seconds remaining gave the Spartans new life. They scored the game-winner in overtime.

The loss cost the Hoosiers three points and an opportunity to move within one point of eighth-place Ohio State. IU Coach Mick Lyon said he made sure all the players and staff realized that one play did not wholly determine the outcome of the game.
IU has to move on.

Senior goalkeeper Lindsay Campbell acknowledged that but said placing Sunday’s match firmly in the rearview mirror will not be too easy.

“It was devastating,” she said. “We controlled the whole game. It was the last two seconds. It was Senior Day. All those combined, it is going to be hard to move on. But as a team we had to move on. Next day, you got to forget about it.”

The Hoosiers get another chance Friday when IU plays Minnesota, currently sixth in Big Ten standings. The Gophers’ freshman forward Taylor Uhl is ninth in the conference in scoring, averaging 0.56 goals per match.

Lyon said his team can look to how it shut down Nebraska’s Morgan Marlborough and Michigan State’s Heyboer as examples.

He said senior defender Kerri Krawczak is fit and healthy.

The Hoosiers’ defense will be without the services of sophomore midfielder Becca Zambon. Her two yellow cards Sunday led to a red card. She is ineligible for the match against the Gophers.

Lyon said redshirt freshman midfielder Rebecca Dreher will start.

On Sunday, IU will face a stout Wisconsin defense, as the fifth-place Badgers have allowed 0.94 goals per match in 16 matches. Their goalkeeper, Michele Dalton, is fourth in the conference with an .824 save percentage.

Junior forward Orianica Velasquez said the Hoosiers’ offensive objective will not change.

“It’s soccer,” she said. “You have to shoot if you want to win games, if you want to score. All that we do in the offense is to attack the end line and go inside. It’s the same that we try to do and improve every game.”

The Spartans’ game-tying goal came at an inopportune time. The five days that pass between matches will have no affect, Campbell said.

“Once we come out to practice, it’s going on to the next game,” she said. “It’s similar to moving on from any other loss, but it does hurt a little more. It’ll stick with me.”

Velasquez said Campbell is a great goalkeeper. It was just an unlucky play. Lyon said his team is capable of responding well on Friday.

“They’re a real young group,” he said. “They can bounce back very quickly — very quickly.”