IUWS vs Michigan State - 3/31/21 @ Noon on BTN+

[Class of '66 Old Fart 85,241]

Indiana Women's Soccer returns home to close out its home portion of the schedule with a match against Michigan State on Wednesday, March 31. Kickoff is set to air on Big Ten Network + at 12 p.m. ET.

Live Stats
 
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
Michigan State (1-7-1) has lost seven straight games.  Most recently, the Spartans are coming off a 2-1 loss from Illinois on Sunday. Freshman Zivana Labovic scored the lone goal for Michigan State and her third goal of the season. Labovic (3) and Gia Wahlberg (2) lead the Spartans' attack with five of their nine goals this season. MSU's goal goalkeeper Lauren Kozal ranks fourth in the Big Ten with 4.33 saves per game. Kozal has tallied 39 saves this season.
 
Indiana leads the series 18-7-2. Last season, the Hoosiers beat the Spartans in East Lansing, 1-0, with a goal by Avery Lockwood. She scored the gamewinner off a corner kick in the 74th minute. IU has won the last three matchups against Michigan State.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Indiana women's soccer toppled Michigan 2-0 at U-M Soccer Stadium in Ann Arbor for the first time since 2006. Sophomore Avery Lockwood scored the gamewinner in the 37th minute after freshman Gabi Rennie threaded a pass through the defense to Lockwood. In the 44th minute, freshman Sofia Black scored her first collegiate goal on a cross from fellow classmate Anna Bennett. A penalty kick opportunity for Michigan in the 58th minute was their last opportunity as they failed to attempt a shot for the rest of the game. Senior Goalkeeper Bethany Kopel recorded five saves against the Wolverines to earn her fifth victory this season. She now has 34 saves on the year.
 
NEW HOOSIERS HAVE IMMEDIATE IMPACT
•Indiana women's soccer welcomed six new freshmen to Hoosier Nation. Four freshmen have earned starts in the first five games of the season - Anna Aehling, Anna Bennett, Gabi Rennie and Jen Blitchok. Sofia Black and Zoe Tiger have also provided great minutes off the bench for the Hoosiers.
 
•Bennett and Aehling are the only two freshmen who have started in all nine of IU's games this season.
 
•They freshmen love to share the ball. Three Hoosiers Bennett (2), Aehling (1), Rennie (1) totaled four of Indiana's seven assists to earn their first career points.
 
•Freshman Sofia Black scored her first collegiate goal in the 2-0 win against Michigan. Classmate Bennett scored the gamewinner against Wisconsin for her first career goal.  
 
•Freshman forward Jen Blitchok recorded her first points after netting a brace in Indiana's 3-2 victory over Maryland on March 7. She is the second Hoosier to earn a brace this season. Senior Melanie Forbes also scored a pair of goals against Iowa on Feb. 28.
 
 
NEWS AND NOTES
•Indiana achieved its first five conference win season since 2013 when the Hoosiers went 6-5-0 in conference play. This is also a new record of conference wins under head coach Erwin van Bennekom after the Hoosiers went 4-5-2 in his first season in 2019.
 
• The 5-4-0 record marks the fourth time in program history where the Hoosiers have won five or more games (1998, 2006, 2007, 2013). IU is looking for its sixth to tie the program record for conference wins with six (1998, 2013).
 
•The Hoosiers defeated Michigan in Ann Arbor for the second time in program history and the first time since 2006.
 
•Indiana earned its fourth shutout this season against Michigan on Sunday, March 28. 
 
•Eight different Hoosiers have recorded a point along with five assists on eight goals.
 
•Senior goalkeeper Bethany Kopel has earned four victories this season along with four shutouts. Bethany Kopel tied two others (Lauren Hollandsworth, Stacey Van Boxmeer) in third place with the Big Ten record for most wins in a single season (5). Kopel ranks second with 26 and counting for most career victories in the Indiana women's soccer program. She also holds Indiana's program record for career shutouts with 21.  She also holds the record for most shutouts in a season with nine.
 
• Kopel recorded a new season high of seven saves against Ohio State.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 85,241]

Hoosiers with a 2-1 victory over Michigan State.  First goal coming at 22' by Gabi Rennie on an assist from Jen Blitchok.  Second goal at 47' on an Avery Lockwood penalty kick goal.

 

                                   IU               MSU

Shots                         8                   5

SOG                           5                   3

Corners                     6                   1

Fouls                         10               13

 

Regular season finale on Saturday at PUke.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 85,241]

Gabbi Rennie goal.

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 85,241]

Avery Lockwood's goal.