Hoosiers Drop Close Battle with Michigan State, 3-2

Sunday, October 15

Bloomington, IN

11:50 AM

Indiana University

(6-10, 0-6)

Michigan State

(8-8, 2-4)

Michigan State

Indiana

Hoosiers Drop Close Battle with Michigan State, 3-2

10/15/2017 5:10:00 PM | Field Hockey

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Giese, Girouard score their second goals of the Indiana home stand

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana field hockey team fell short on the score line in their penultimate home game of the season, 3-2, against Michigan State. The Hoosiers (6-10, 0-6) increased their offensive output and success on penalty corners, but a pair of late consecutive scores by Michigan State (8-8, 2-4) sealed Indiana's fate.

"We had some encouraging play on offense, and Maddie Latino had a fantastic game today," said Indiana head coach Amanda Janney. "She's so dynamic and able to beat at least one player every single time. We just need to get more players up on attack to support her and we'll continue to get goals in the future."

Sophomore Ciara Girouard buried her seventh goal of the season, her second from a penalty stroke, to tie the game early in the second half. Indiana also scored on their final penalty corner of the afternoon with a goal by sophomore Kelsey Giese, her third of the season. Nora Aucker and Taylor Swope each earned their fourth assists of the year on Indiana's 70^th minute corner.

Senior goalkeeper Katie Johnson made eight saves in the cage over a 67-minute shift, making way for freshman Sachi Ananias to log experience in her third game this season. Freshman defender Sofia Keen recorded two defensive saves in the first half, the most by a Hoosier in a single game since Elle Hempt's two-save output last season at Penn State (10/28/16). Keen finished the weekend with three defensive saves in total, the first three stops of her career.

The Spartans earned their first lead of the game in the 14^th minute with the only goal of the first half on either side. Kendal Anderson threaded a pass from the center of the circle to the back side of the play, where Lauren Bonness redirected the delivery into the open net.

Indiana squared the contest at 1-1 shortly after intermission in the 50^th minute. The Hoosiers drew a penalty stroke after a corner play, sending Girouard to the spot for the second time of the three-game home stretch. Girouard flicked her attempt into the netting, an impressive feat given the rain-soaked conditions at the IU Field Hockey Complex.

"This feels like November, and this is what postseason games can look like," Janney commented on the weather faced by both sides this afternoon. "The more you can get used to the different feel of the field and how the ball plays off the stick, the bigger advantage you have when playing late in the year."

The game's result came down to a three-minute span in the latter portion of the second half, when the Spartans put away the contest with consecutive scores. Simone Vagnoni regained the Michigan State lead in the 60^th minute on a penalty corner hit, while Cara Bonshak backhanded the game-winner off of a save rebound in the 62^nd minute of play.

The Hoosiers, determined to end the game on a high note, pressed to the finish and earned a pair of corners in the final minute. Giese converted the second after time expired for her third goal of the year, drilling the straight shot into the lower left corner.

"I'm really pleased with the team for their corner execution today, that Kelsey was able to execute on her shot," Janney said. "That's under a lot of pressure with time expired, so that's a good sign for future situations like that."

Up Next: Indiana (6-10, 0-6) at No. 25 Ohio State (8-7, 1-5)
Friday, Oct. 20 • 3:00 p.m. ET • Columbus, Ohio • Buckeye Varsity Field
Live on BTN Plus • Live Stats • @HoosiersFH on Twitter

Indiana (6-10, 0-6) vs. No. 6 Penn State (12-3, 4-2)
Sunday, Oct. 22 • 12:00 p.m. ET • Bloomington, Ind. • IU Field Hockey Complex
Live on BTN Plus • Live Stats • @HoosiersFH on Twitter

Indiana closes their 2017 regular season next weekend with a split slate between Columbus, Ohio and the IU Field Hockey Complex. They travel to face the No. 25 Buckeyes on Friday afternoon before hosting No. 6 Penn State on Senior Day at the home turf.

Indiana's tie with Ohio State presents a great deal of intrigue as the away team has won the last five meetings in the all-time series, with the Hoosiers taking a 3-0 win the last time they played the Buckeyes in Columbus. Sunday's game with Penn State will be the last at home for Indiana's senior class: Cameron Gibson, Elle Hempt, Katie Johnson, Maddie Latino, Taylor Pearson, and Abby Urbanek.

The Buckeyes enter Friday's game after split results on the road this past weekend, losing 3-1 at No. 16 Maryland before a 2-0 win at No. 18 Rutgers. The Nittany Lions are coming off of an overtime loss to Maryland, and they'll face Rutgers at home the Friday before their trip to Bloomington.

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