Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Set For GMU, Dayton in Columbus
9/4/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
| Ohio State Tournament (Columbus, Ohio) | |
| When | Sept, 5 & 7 |
| Friday's Game | Indiana (2-2) vs. George Mason (1-3) 4:00 p.m. ET Audio (Free): Live Audio |
| Sunday's Game | Dayton (2-1-1) vs. Indiana (2-2) 11:00 a.m. ET Audio (Free): Live Audio |
| Game Notes | Indiana Game Notes  |
| Promotions | Upcoming Home Promotions |
| Social Media | @IUWSoccer IUWSoccer On Facebook |
LAST WEEK
Indiana posted a 1-1 week last week in Auburn, Ala., at the Auburn Soccer Classic. The Hoosiers opened with a 2-1 loss to Georgia Southern before claiming a 2-1 victory over UC Irvine in overtime.
In the game on Friday, the Eagles scored a pair of first half goals to take a 2-0 lead into the locker room. The Hoosiers responded with a goal less than five minutes into the second half to cut the deficit in half. Then in the closing seconds, Abby Smith's shot trickled just wide of the goal and the Hoosiers were not able to come up with the equalizer.
Sunday's game saw IU take control from the start. Indiana had a 6-2 edge in shots over the first half and also had a 1-0 lead thanks to Kayla Smith's first collegiate goal. Molly Pittman, a transfer from Samford, registered the assist on the play, her first point while wearing the Cream and Crimson. After the Anteaters tied the game early in the second half, neither team could find the go-ahead goal in regulation. As time ticked down on the first OT session, Jordan Woolums whipped a pass into the box that found a cutting Veronica Ellis and she put home the game-winning goal. It was her first goal of the season and fourth of her career -- all of which have been game-winning goals. In goal, redshirt sophomore Katie Gruelich picked up her first collegiate win, making two saves in her first-ever start.
"V" FOR VICTORY
Sophomore midfielder Veronica Ellis (Naperville, Ill.) has showed a penchant for coming up big in the clutch. She scored three game-winning goals last year as a freshman and was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team at the end of the year. But her biggest goal of the season came in the postseason, where she put home the winning marker against DePaul late in the second half of the NCAA Tournament. This season, she has added another winning goal, doing so in overtime against UC Irvine last weekend.
THE NEW "KG"
Redshirt sophomore Katie Gruelich made the first regular season appearance of her collegiate career last Friday against Georgia Southern when she came in to start the second half. She did not allow a goal in those 45 minutes and earned the starting nod against UC Irvine on Sunday - the first of her career. She made a pair of saves to register the win.
NEW FACES
The Hoosiers welcomed 10 new players to the roster over the summer - nine freshmen and one transfer. And in the first game of the season against Indiana State, five of them got their first collegiate playing time - including Kayla Smith, Taylor Coley and Molly Pittman in the starting lineup.
TOP RETURNERS
With the 10 newcomers, there are also 17 players returning from last years record-setting team. On the attacking side of things, Abby Smith, Jordan Woolums and Jessie Bujouves bring back a majority of the offensive punch. In goal, redshirt junior Sarah Stone is the most likely candidate to take over between the pipes after the graduation of Shannon Flower, who played every minute of all 23 games last year. Stone, however, does have some experience, having played over 600 minutes in 2012.
RECAPPING 2013
The 2013 season was one of the best - if not the best - in the history of Indiana Women's Soccer. The Hoosiers set program records for wins (15), goals (43), assists (46) and shutouts (9) on their way to a fourth place finish in the Big Ten -- after being selected 12th in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll. The 15-7-1 record propelled the Hoosiers to their first appearances in the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament since 2007. Overall, it was just the fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament in program history.
