Recent performances haven’t gone Indiana field hockey’s way, as the Hoosiers dropped a pair of games over the Oct. 13-15 weekend at home to No. 6 Iowa and on the road against Ball State University. These two games mark five losses for the Hoosiers in their last six games as they failed to get back on track with the season coming to a close Oct. 29.
Indiana initially faced another high ranked opponent in Iowa on Oct. 13. Iowa marks the fourth top-15 team the Hoosiers have played in the last five games, along with Michigan, Ohio State University and the University of Louisville. This comes with the territory of being in one of the most competitive field hockey conferences in the country, with seven Big Ten teams ranked in the top 25. The 2-0 loss marked the fourth straight home game without a goal, another game where the home offensive struggled.
The Hawkeyes dominated the game on the offensive end, doubling the Hoosiers’ shot total at 16-8, along with more penalty corners at eight to five. The Hoosiers aren’t the only ones who have fallen to the Hawkeyes’ high-powered offense, who are second in the Big Ten in goals at 49 and first at 3.5 goals per game. The shutout has also become standard for Iowa, who are second in the conference at .64 goals allowed per game.
The Hoosiers attempted to bounce back against Ball State on Oct. 15, but lost in penalty shots in a shocking upset. Although the game was 2-2 going into overtime, the Hoosiers dominated the game, outshooting the Cardinals by an astounding 27-6, with a 16-4 split of shots on goal. Ball State senior goalkeeper Hannah Johnston was the key piece in the win with 14 saves in the game, along with key saves in penalty shots to give Ball State the edge it needed to come out on top.
The loss on Sunday slides Indiana to a 5-10 overall record. This marks Indiana’s first loss against Ball State since 2012, as the Hoosiers had won eight games in a row before the weekend’s matchup.
The schedule once again does not let up for Indiana, who will face off against Rutgers on Oct. 20 in New Jersey. Rutgers has been on a roll this season, as the Scarlet Knights are 5-0 in conference play, and are now ranked number five in the country. Indiana will try to get out of its slump and be the first Big Ten team to knock off the Scarlet Knights this weekend.
Follow reporter Matt Rudella (@mattrudellaIDS) for updates throughout the Indiana field hockey season.
