Joray’s Equalizer Leads to Draw with Northwestern

Sunday, September 20

Bloomington, IN

12:00 PM

Indiana University

3-3-4, 0-0-2B1G

Northwestern

7-1-2, 1-0-1B1G

OT 3

OT 4

Northwestern

Indiana

Joray’s Equalizer Leads to Draw with Northwestern

9/20/2015 3:51:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Behind a 79^th minute equalizer by Lauren Joray, the Indiana Women's Soccer team earned a draw with Northwestern on Sunday afternoon, 1-1. The tie is the third straight overtime contest for Indiana and the fifth of the season.

"Anytime you can walk out of a weekend with some points, it's huge," said Indiana head coach Amy Berbary. "I like the fight in our team today. I thought we battled and we've been doing that all year."

The Hoosiers (3-3-4) came out firing to start the match as Kayleigh Steigerwalt and Hanna Johnson put up a pair of shots on goal in the first nine minutes of action. Indiana finished the game with six shots on target, which is the most since a 2-0 win against Middle Tennessee State on Sept. 4.

After a evenly contested first half, which saw both teams put up five shots, Northwestern (7-1-2) came out of the locker room and knocked in a goal in the 46^th minute after Nandi Mehta served the ball into the box to Niki Sebo, who headed it in to the center of the net.

Indiana earned a trio of corners early in the second half, but all were cleared by the Wildcats as the Hoosiers were unable to connect again on a shot until the 64^th minute on a blocked attempt from Cassidy Blacha.

After a perfectly played ball by Kayla Smith to just outside the six-yard box, Joray battled the Wildcat defender to make a diving attempt to get her right foot on the ball. Northwestern goalkeeper Lauren Clem was able to get a touch on it, but it slid past her to the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1. The score was Joray's first of her career.

"I really think it was a goal that was just a straight fight," said Joray. "I don't really remember it that much because I was so excited but I remember the ball coming in and doing everything I could to get a touch on it."

Neither team put up much of a scoring threat in the final 11 minutes of regulation as an Addie Steiner shot that flew high was the only attempt by either team.

Steiner struck first in the 95^th minute as her header was sent in on goal, but Stone was there to pick up her fifth save of the game. Jessie Bujouves responded a minute later as she put up a shot on target, but Clem was able to make the stop and extend the game.

The final overtime period was marked by three Northwestern shots, but all were off-target.

"Some teams would have absolutely crumbled, getting scored on in the first minute coming out of half time," said Berbary. "These guys are mentally tough. We may be young but they're mentally tough. I don't even think they blinked."

The Hoosiers return to action next weekend as they travel to Wisconsin on Friday before facing Minnesota on Sunday.