For more than 260 minutes, Indiana women’s soccer has searched for a goal.
Junior forward Maggie Ledwith scored in the 85th minute to end Indiana’s lengthy scoring drought, but the late breakthrough wasn’t enough to overcome Minnesota’s two second-half goals in a 2-1 loss at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
The result continued for Indiana through the opening weeks of Big Ten play. The Hoosiers have struggled to consistently turn opportunities into goals, scoring just twice through four conference matches. Three consecutive losses have left them needing points as they move deeper into their conference schedule.
Indiana entered Thursday after two consecutive shutouts in matches against Ohio State and Wisconsin. Its only conference goal came from Ledwith, whose 89th-minute winner against Nebraska on Sept. 10 secured Indiana’s lone Big Ten victory.
Thursday presented another opportunity to get the offense moving.
The Hoosiers earned four corner kicks in the opening 45 minutes and created several opportunities around Minnesota’s goal. Sophomore defender Grace Hamm came closest in the 27th minute, putting a shot toward the bottom center, which was saved by Minnesota fifth-year goalkeeper Sarah Martin.
Minnesota also struggled to create chances before halftime. Sophomore forward Tenley Senden placed an attempt toward the top-right corner in the 37th minute, but fifth-year Indiana goalkeeper Dani Jacobson made the save.
The match entered halftime scoreless.
This changed quickly.
Minnesota senior forward Ava Westlund broke through in the 53rd minute off an assist from fifth-year forward Katelyn Rigg. Less than five minutes later, senior forward Caroline Birdsell doubled the Golden Gophers’ advantage with a goal assisted by senior midfielder Taylor Heimerl.
Head coach Josh Rife said Indiana’s inability to capitalize in decisive situations continues to be the difference between the Hoosiers from its opponents.
“We’ve talked about critical moments,” Rife said postgame. “I thought we did a lot of good things. But still, when it mattered, in some critical moments, we come a bit short on both ends of the field.”
Indiana responded to the two-goal deficit with created chances.
Ledwith put attempts on target in the 59th and 68th minutes, but Martin stopped both. Fifth-year defender Olivia Albert followed with a shot over the goal before senior defender Ella Stanley forced another save in the 74th minute.
Indiana generated the opportunities it lacked against Ohio State and Wisconsin. Converting them remained the problem.
Ledwith eventually did in the 85th minute. She’s now scored both of Indiana’s conference goals across its four matches.
“I think she’s been someone who consistently has shown up for us in every moment,” Rife said. “She’s been kind of a great example for our group of what it means to kind of show up in big moments.”
The loss extended Indiana’s losing streak to three matches and dropped the Hoosiers to 1-3 in Big Ten play. The stretch included losses to No. 8 Ohio State and No. 14 Wisconsin, but Rife said the strength of Indiana’s competition cannot become an excuse.
“It’s the Big Ten, so there’s not an easy game,” Rife said. “That’s what you sign up for.”
Rife said the Hoosiers can keep the difficulty of their schedule in perspective while still holding themselves accountable for subpar results.
“You can keep in proper perspective that you’re playing against good teams, but I think it’s also you can’t use that as a cop out,” Rife said. “You want to go do hard things, and so I think leaning into those hard things and not making excuses for it.”
The Hoosiers will look to move past their early conference struggles Sunday against Northwestern in Evanston, Illinois, as they continue to slide in the Big Ten standings.
Follow reporters Will Kwiatkowski (@WKwiatkowski_15 and wdkwiatk@iu.edu) and Leonardo Vesperini (@leovmedia and lvesperi@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana women’s soccer season.
