For the third straight match, Indiana women’s soccer was shut out, losing 2-0 to Wisconsin on the road Sunday afternoon. Sophomore goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg, who has seven clean sheets and two Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week honors this season, was given a red card and sent off in the 32nd minute after starting the game with no goals allowed.
Indiana got off to a bright start in the first half hour with a chance as early as the second minute. Freshman forward Sarah Sirdah entered the box and fired a right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area, however, like the other three Indiana shots on goal in the match, it was saved by Wisconsin graduate goalkeeper Erin McKinney.
The match completely flipped on its head in the 32nd minute, when Wisconsin freshman forward Rylee Howard was by herself behind the Indiana back line, one-on-one against Gerstenberg. Howard made her move and Gerstenberg kicked Howard in the face with her cleat in an attempt to clear the ball.
[Related: Indiana women’s soccer loses second consecutive match, falls to Wisconsin 0-2]
Howard initially didn’t go down, but after realizing the contact that had been made, she shielded her face and warranted the referee to consult his assistant. The decision to show Gerstenberg a red card proceeded.
Indiana was down its star goalkeeper for the match’s remaining hour, and the effect was imminent. Wisconsin scored two goals in less than seven minutes after graduate goalkeeper Bethany Kopel was subbed in.
Despite allowing two goals, Kopel made three saves throughout the rest of the match, after being called into action unexpectedly against a team with seven goals scored previously in two Big Ten matches.
Indiana’s offense, which has not scored in six straight conference matches dating back to last season, couldn’t pick up the win for its ejected goalkeeper. Indiana only had four shots on goal scattered throughout the match, with two of them coming from senior defender Megan Wampler. Wampler remains the last Hoosier to score against a Big Ten opponent back on Oct. 8, 2021, against Northwestern.
It’s been 352 days since Indiana scored against a Big Ten school.
Although it was Gerstenberg’s first red card of her collegiate career, it’s not the first time Gerstenberg has been unavailable for the Hoosiers. Last season in late October, Gerstenberg was called up to the German U-20 national team and missed Indiana’s final two regular-season games. Indiana lost both of those matches to Rutgers and Purdue with a final score of 2-0, the same as today’s match.
Gerstenberg will be suspended for Indiana’s next match against Ohio State, the beginning of a two-match homestand for the Hoosiers. The game will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
