Indiana field hockey continues its six-game homestand this weekend in Bloomington at Deborah Tobias Field. After splitting their games last weekend against Drexel University, 3-0, and the University of Louisville, 4-5, the Hoosiers welcome Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania - Lock Haven and Saint Francis University.
Indiana performed well offensively to start the season. The Cream and Crimson are averaging three goals per game, which ranks them tied for 19th in the NCAA and fourth in the Big Ten. With a team-high four goals, freshman forward Celia Arroyo Cabezudo is leading that effort. She is now tied for 16th in the NCAA in goals scored and tied for first in goals amongst freshmen.
However, Indiana’s defense let them down the last time out against Louisville on Sept. 7.
“I think what really let us down today was our discipline in our defensive circle,” Indiana head coach Kayla Bashore said after the Louisville game. “Allowing a lot of corners, allowing some goals in [defensive penalty corners], and that was ultimately what cost us the game.”
The Hoosiers gave up five goals and 10 penalty corners to the Cardinals. Sophomore goalkeeper Sadie Canelli had her worst statistical game of the season, but was sure-handed in the other two games she appeared in. Indiana does not face a tough defensive task on paper this weekend, however, as both teams are averaging less than two goals per game.
Meet the Bald Eagles
Indiana will match up against Lock Haven at 1 p.m. Friday. The Bald Eagles are 0-4 to start the season and are coming off a pair of losses to Towson University and Georgetown University.
The Lock Haven defense has given up at least four goals in all four games this season. Their worst performance came in a 15-0 loss against then No. 11 Syracuse University on Aug. 29. Redshirt senior goalkeeper Kelsey Felix has started three games, while freshman goalkeeper Taryn Dolka started the last game against the Hoyas. The pair has a combined 7.25 goals-against average and a 0.580 save percentage.
Offensively, junior forward/midfielder Melanie Beall leads the team in goals with two, both coming against Colgate University on Aug. 31. However, the Pennsylvania native has not played in the last two games for the Bald Eagles.
Lock Haven lost a lot of scoring production from last season. Out of the seven multi-goal scorers in 2024, only two return for the Bald Eagles. Other than Beall, sophomore forward Madison Friend comes back after a two-goal performance last season, but none of her five shots this season have gone into the back of the goal.
Last season, the Hoosiers defeated the Bald Eagles 3-0 in Pennsylvania behind a hat-trick by then senior back Yip van Wonderen. The only other time the two squads played each other was in 2012, with Indiana winning 2-1.
Meet the Red Flash
Before coming to Deborah Tobias Field on Sunday, Saint Francis will head up to Muncie, Indiana, on Friday to take on Ball State University. The Red Flash will enter “The Hoosier State” riding a 2-2 record. Saint Francis defeated La Salle University 2-0 in their last game after a two-game losing streak to Miami University and Bucknell University.
Sophomore midfielder Sofia Marciano leads the team in goals with two. In only four games, Marciano is closing in on her three-goal performance from last season. She also has a team-high 11 shots and nine shots on goal this season.
The Red Flash lost two out of their three leading scorers from last season. The only returnee out of them is senior defender Madison Waldspurger. She has two assists this season, but none of her four shots on goal have scored. Then-sophomore forward Consu de Castro — who scored 11 goals in 2024 — transferred to the University of Vermont. Then-senior midfielder Dolores Zavaleta graduated after a four-goal season.
Junior goalkeeper Mia DiGenova has started all four games between the pipes this season for Saint Francis. She has a 0.609 save percentage — which ranks her 63rd in the NCAA — and has given up nine goals this season for a 2.25 goals against average. DiGenova received the Northeast Conference Prime Performer award this week after a shutout against La Salle.
Indiana holds a 2-0 lead in the all-time series against Saint Francis. The Hoosiers last played the Red Flash in 2023. Indiana came away with a 3-1 neutral-site win in Oxford, Ohio. Then-freshman midfielder Inés Garcia Prado scored the last goal for the Cream and Crimson. Now a junior, Garcia Prado scored her first goal this season against Louisville after an eight-goal performance in 2024.
Coverage for both games will be on Big Ten+. Indiana will need to pick up victories before starting Big Ten conference play on Sept. 19 against Iowa. In this week’s National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll, seven out of the nine Big Ten teams were ranked, with the Hoosiers and Michigan State being the only teams that were not.
Follow reporter Sean McAvoy (@sean_mc07 and semcavoy@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana field hockey season.
