Indiana field hockey entered its matchup with Iowa facing a daunting task: beating the No. 2-ranked team in the country.
The Hoosiers did just that.
Indiana stunned Iowa 3-1 Friday at Dr. Christine H.B. Grant Field in Iowa City, Iowa. The unranked Hoosiers handed the Hawkeyes their first loss of the season and opened Big Ten play with an upset.
Indiana took control early and never let Iowa fully settle into the game.
Senior midfielder Inés Garcia Prado started the scoring early for the Hoosiers, earning her first goal of the season with 12:04 remaining in the first quarter.
Baeza's goal gave Indiana an early 1-0 lead and put the pressure on the Hawkeyes to find an answer. Iowa nearly responded minutes later when senior midfielder Dionne van Aalsum had a point-blank opportunity, but her shot missed the goal.
Indiana continued to control the pace as the first quarter went on, forcing Iowa into several turnovers and keeping the Hawkeyes from finding an offensive rhythm. The Hoosiers earned two penalty corners in the final minutes of the quarter, but neither resulted in another goal.
The second quarter brought more pressure from Iowa, as the Hawkeyes looked to find an equalizer.
Indiana goalkeeper Sadie Canelli came up with a big save with 9:40 remaining in the second quarter, keeping Iowa off the scoreboard. The Hawkeyes seemed to build momentum midway through the quarter, but Indiana's defense continued to hold its ground.
Indiana had a chance to extend its lead near the end of the half, but Iowa's defense stopped the Hoosiers before they could get a shot off.
The Hoosiers took a 1-0 lead into halftime as both teams struggled to create consistent scoring opportunities outside of the early Indiana goal.
Out of the locker room, Iowa needed answers, but the Hoosiers were the ones to strike again.
Sophomore forward Celia Arroyo Cabezudo scored with 14:33 remaining in the third quarter, notching her sixth goal of the year and doubling Indiana's lead.
The Hoosiers weren't finished.
Sophomore forward/midfielder Molly Stutte added to the advantage with 4:03 left in the quarter, scoring her seventh goal of the season off an assist from freshman midfielder Berta Sáenz de Santa María.
The two goals gave Indiana a 3-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter, putting the Hoosiers 15 minutes away from completing one of the biggest upsets in program history.
The Hawkeyes finally found the back of the cage with 8:17 remaining in the fourth quarter. Iowa fifth-year forward Frederique van Cleef scored her 11th goal of the season off an assist from fifth-year defender Emily Edwards, cutting Indiana's lead to 3-1.
Following the goal, the Hoosiers settled back into their defensive shape. Iowa continued to push forward, trying to complete the comeback, but Indiana's defense held strong.
With 18 seconds left, Iowa earned a penalty corner that gave the Hawkeyes one last chance to cut into the deficit. After a video review, however, the call was overturned, giving Indiana possession.
The Hoosiers ran out the final seconds and secured the 3-1 victory over the No. 2-ranked Hawkeyes.
Indiana finished the game with six shots, putting five on goal, while Iowa recorded eight shots with two on goal. Indiana junior goalkeeper Sadie Canelli made one save in the win.
The victory extended Indiana's win streak to five games and gave the Hoosiers their first Big Ten victory of the season.
The Hoosiers will look to keep the streak alive at 1 p.m. Sunday when they face Iowa again in a match not counting toward conference standings at Dr. Christine H.B. Grant Field. The game will be streamed on Big Ten+.
Follow reporter Jack Davis (@JackDavis0006 and jjd5@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana field hockey season.
