Hoosiers End Home Stand With 2-1 Win Over Ball State

Sunday, September 17

Bloomington, IN

1 PM

Indiana University

(5-3)

Ball State

(4-4)

Ball State

Indiana

Hoosiers End Home Stand With 2-1 Win Over Ball State

9/17/2017 6:23:00 PM | Field Hockey

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Latino provides dramatic finish with her fourth game-winner of the season

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana field hockey team completed their two week, four-game home stand on a high note with Sunday's 2-1 victory over Ball State at the IU Field Hockey Complex. The Hoosiers (5-3, 0-1) broke the 1-1 tie against the Cardinals (4-4, 0-0) with five minutes remaining as senior Maddie Latino once again delivered a goal in the clutch.

"It feels good to get back in the win column," said head coach Amanda Janney. "This was a good challenge for us today. I think [Ball State's] defense stepped up and played big to make it hard for us to score. I'm just happy that Maddie, our senior leader, found a way to score at the end."

Latino is on a goal-scoring tear as the Hoosiers approach the midpoint of the regular season. Her breakthrough score in the 66^th minute, an unassisted drive through the circle that beat the keeper between her legs, was the fourth game-winner of the season by the fourth year forward.

The game-winner by Latino would not have been possible without Bente Buwalda scoring Indiana's equalizer in the first half. The freshman forward redirected Ciara Girouard's corner hit away from the goalkeeper's lunging save high into the net for her first career goal. Girouard also walked away with her first career assist.

Defensively, senior Katie Johnson made two crucial saves against eight total shots faced. The Hoosiers also received excellent blocks in the field from Sofia Keen and Andi Jackson to preserve the tie in the first half.

The visiting Cardinals issued a challenge to Indiana by getting the first score on the board in the 16^th minute. Ball State earned a series of penalty corners, putting away their fourth attempt with a lifted shot over Johnson's save attempt.

The Hoosiers battled back and equalized in the 25^th minute. Elle Hempt's first corner hit took a block that drew another corner attempt, which slipped to Girouard after Taylor Swope's stop. Girouard hammered the hit to her right, where a waiting Buwalda lifted her attempt into the net with little resistance.

"I was really relieved, because I've been waiting for a goal for seven games now," Buwalda said. "I think everyone was working hard through the end of the game to get that win, and it was a real team effort."

Indiana came back for the second half and dominated the run of play, out-shooting Ball State 26-8 with a 16-5 edge on penalty corners, but they had to grind for 30 minutes before they found the decisive score.

Latino's unassisted drive had a similar feel to recent graduate Kate Barber's solo score against New Hampshire (9/11/16) last season. The senior called her own number, driving down the left side of the circle before tapping her shot through the five-hole and into the board. That goal clinched Indiana's fifth win of the season, four of which have come from Latino's stick.

"She just makes plays happen," Janney said of Latino, Indiana's leading scorer. "She's so savvy with the ball, dribbling through people and finding good passes, and has a good variety of ways that she can score. It's nice to have her leading by example."

Game Notes:
• Maddie Latino's game-winning goal is her fourth this season, a new personal season best. That's tied for the third-highest single-season total in program history, a feat last achieved by All-American Kate Barber (2016).
• Latino now has eight career game-winning goals, tied for third all-time in Indiana's records. The last player to accomplish such a mark was Audra Heilman (2011-14).
• Latino has delivered the game-winning goal in four of Indiana's five wins this season. The fifth belongs to sophomore Sheridan Weiss, who scored the lone goal in an upset win over No. 15 Wake Forest (9/1).
• The score moves Latino to 56 career points (t-6^th, IU history) and 20 career goals (t-7^th, IU history).
• Bente Buwalda became Indiana's sixth goal scorer this season after netting the first goal of her career.
• On Buwalda's equalizer, Ciara Girouard earned her first career assist for the 19^th point in 28 career appearances.
• The Hoosiers are now 3-1 at home this season, 5-1 in the month of September, and 3-0 against teams from the Mid American Conference.

Up Next: Indiana (5-3, 0-1) at No. 24 Rutgers (5-3, 0-0)
Friday, Sept. 22 • 3:00 p.m. ET • Piscataway, N.J. • Bauer Track and Field Complex
Live Stats • Live on BTN Plus • @HoosiersFH on Twitter
Indiana (5-3, 0-1) at Monmouth (5-2, 0-0)
Sunday, Sept. 24 • 12:00 p.m. ET • West Long Branch, N.J. • So Sweet A Cat Field
Live Stats • Live on WatchESPN • @HoosiersFH on Twitter

The Hoosiers have enjoyed the comforts of home over the last two weekends, but they'll embark on a five-game stretch away from friendly confines. That begins on the east coast next weekend with two games in the Garden State. First, the Hoosiers will play No. 24 Rutgers in their second Big Ten game of the year and first trip to Piscataway of Janney's tenure at Indiana. After that, Indiana heads to the Atlantic shore for a showdown with Monmouth, the reigning MAAC Champions.

The weekend promises to be a special occasion for the five Hoosiers who came to Bloomington from New Jersey. Ciara Girouard (West Deptford), Katie Johnson (Ocean City), Sam Scire (Wall), Hanna Zarrilli (Wall), and assistant coach Becky Stiles (Medford) are all anxious for a return to their home state next weekend.

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