Indiana field hockey found itself in a two-goal hole late in the third period against Miami University in its season opener Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky. Nothing seemed to be going the Hoosiers' way until freshman midfielder Gabriela Garayo Aranceta found the back of the net near the end of the third period.
The goal gave the Hoosiers life heading into the final period, as Indiana continued to pressure Miami in search of the equalizer. Indiana had several chances throughout the fourth period but couldn't capitalize on them.
Miami ultimately held on for the 2-1 victory, handing the Hoosiers their first loss of the season.
Throughout the first period, the RedHawks controlled the pace of the game, pressuring Indiana on defense and allowing the Hoosiers very few chances. The RedHawks struck first with two minutes left in the first period when sophomore midfielder Justina Intzes converted off a penalty corner.
Penalty corners continued to plague the Hoosiers in the second period. A little more than halfway through, Miami extended its lead to 2-0 off another penalty corner, this time scored by senior back Lucia Ventos.
After the halftime break, the Hoosiers started to settle in. Their passes looked cleaner, and they weren't allowing as many chances for the RedHawks. Indiana began to find more opportunities on the offensive end, and it seemed like only a matter of time before the Hoosiers would break through. Their attempts finally paid off with just over two and a half minutes remaining in the third period, halving Miami’s advantage.
Indiana's sustained pressure continued in the fourth period, and completing the comeback seemed like a possibility. The Hoosiers began to narrow the gap in shots and shots on goal, which had heavily favored the RedHawks earlier in the game. Indiana also erased Miami's advantage in penalty corners, with both teams finishing with six.
Indiana amped up the defense on the RedHawks with two minutes remaining and continued searching for the equalizer. Despite having multiple chances in the final minutes, Indiana couldn’t convert.
RedHawks senior goalkeeper Nicky Sjouken made four saves, while Indiana's freshman Isa Smulders and junior Sadie Canelli combined for eight saves.
Indiana's late push made the fourth period competitive, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
The Hoosiers will have a chance to bounce back from the loss at 2 p.m. Sunday against the University of Louisville at Trager Stadium in Louisville. The Cardinals defeated Miami 2-1 in a penalty shootout Friday, setting up what could be a difficult test for the Hoosiers. The game will be streamed on ACCNX.
Follow reporter Jack Davis (@JackDavis0006 and jjd5@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana field hockey season.
