IU Falls on Senior Night, But Earns B1G Tournament Berth

Wednesday, October 26

Bloomington, Ind.

6:00 PM

Indiana University

7-8-4, 4-4-3B1G

Michigan

10-4-3, 6-3-2B1G

Michigan

Indiana

IU Falls on Senior Night, But Earns B1G Tournament Berth

10/26/2016 9:50:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Despite a 3-2 setback to Michigan on Senior Night, Indiana Women's Soccer has clinched a berth to the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2013.

The Hoosiers earned a spot in the eight-team tournament after Ohio State fell to Penn State, 2-0. IU owns the tiebreak against the Buckeyes after defeating Ohio State on Oct. 13, 3-2.

"I'm happy for the kids that we got in," said head coach Amy Berbary. "I thought we let this one get away from us, but when you get to this point of the season, it's about attention to detail."

Indiana (7-8-4, 4-4-3 Big Ten) twice led the Wolverines (10-4-3, 6-3-2 Big Ten) in the game and had a 2-1 advantage in the 78^th minute. However, Michigan netted a pair of goals within four minutes of each other to grab the 3-2 lead in the 88^th minute.

Redshirt sophomore Mykayla Brown put IU up early as her shot was deflected by a Wolverine defender and into the top left corner of the net. It was the Indianapolis native's third goal in two games and her seventh on the season.

Michigan's Reilly Martin responded in the 33^rd minute as she equalized on one of her game-high eight shots. After a throw-in, Jada Dayne headed it backwards to Martin, who pushed it through past IU goalkeeper Sarah L'Hommedieu.

The second half of action saw the Wolverines hold a 13-4 shot advantage. However, it was the Hoosiers that broke the stalemate in the 78^th minute. Freshman Meghan Scott won the ball from a Wolverine 18-yards out and delivered a perfect cross into the box. Sophomore Maya Piper got her head on it from seven yards out past a jumping Sarah Jackson in goal to make it 2-1.

Nicky Waldeck equalized the game for Michigan just five minutes later as she picked up a cross from Ani Sarkisian and scored from 10 yards out. Just four minutes later, Sarkisian scored the game-winner as result of a re-service from a corner kick.

Indiana returns to the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2013, a season that saw the Hoosiers advance to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. The senior class of Marissa Borschke, Veronica Ellis and Ari Kowalski, who were honored before tonight's game, were freshmen during that season.

"My freshman year was obviously a great season and I think I kind of took that for granted at the time," said Ellis. "These past two seasons haven't been exactly what we wanted but we continue to work hard everyday and I think it's finally paying off. I can say it's really exciting for myself but I'm really excited for the underclassmen who, for the first time, are seeing that all the work they put in really does pay off and they'll get to experience it."

The Hoosiers earned the eighth seed and will travel to the first-seeded Minnesota Golden Gophers (13-3-3, 7-1-3 Big Ten) on Sunday afternoon. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET.

"It's another season," said Berbary. "Anything can absolutely happen. You just have to get there and getting there is the most difficult thing."