IU field hockey opened up its three game road trip with a win and a loss.
On Friday against Saint Louis University, the Hoosiers drew 11 corners and had 11 shots on goal, to the Billikens’ three and one, respectively.
IU scored the opening goal of the match for the first time this season when junior midfielder Rylee Pearson scored her first goal of the season and the third of her career to give IU the lead.
Then, within 66 seconds of one another, the Hoosiers scored two goals, one from sophomore forward Hailey Couch and the other from sophomore midfielder Mary Kate Kesler. IU went into the break up 3-0 and held on for the victory.
The Hoosiers returned to the Billikens’ field Sunday, facing off with Fairfield University. The game was the opposite of the Saint Louis match.
The Hoosier offense was stagnant, only managing two shots on goal to the Stags’ 11.
The match was deadlocked at zero until three minutes left in the first half, when Fairfield finally capitalized on IU’s inability on the attack and scored a quick pair of goals to bring the halftime score to 2-0.
IU was unable to respond, and 40 seconds into the fourth quarter, the Stags tacked on another goal, with the final being 3-0 Fairfield.
The weekend moves the Hoosiers’ record to 3-3, only one win less than last year’s overall finish of 4-13. IU travels to East Lansing, Michigan to open conference play against Michigan State.
Michigan State was IU’s lone conference victory a year ago, and was also the team to end IU’s season, avenging the prior loss in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.
IU head coach Kayla Bashore has been adamant all season that the conference schedule will be vital to the teams’ success, both for the rest of the current season, as well as for the future that the first-year coach is trying to build in Bloomington.
