Piper, Davidson Score Twice as IU Shuts Out WMU, 4-0

Sunday, August 27

Kalamazoo, MI

2:00 PM

Indiana University

2-2-0

Western Michigan

2-1-0

Indiana

Western Michigan

Piper, Davidson Score Twice as IU Shuts Out WMU, 4-0

8/27/2017 6:05:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Behind two goals each from junior Maya Piper and sophomore Chandra Davidson, combined with freshman goalkeeper Bethany Kopel's first career shutout, Indiana Women's Soccer defeated Western Michigan on Sunday afternoon, 4-0.

The four goals tied for the most scored by the Hoosiers since a 5-3 victory against Illinois on Nov. 6, 2013. In addition, the multi-goal games were a career first for Piper and Davidson, who also tallied an assist.

"We made a lot of changes today, particularly in the front and the back," said head coach Amy Berbary. "We've said since the beginning that the depth we have could be our greatest strength and I think we saw that today."

All four scores came in the second half of action, which is the most for a single half for Indiana since Sept. 7, 2012 against Xavier.

"It was nice to break through in the second half," said Berbary. "But we have to be able to put together 90 minutes. As we go through the season, it's going to continue to get grueling. We have to find a way to play consistently throughout the entire game."

Indiana (2-2) outshot Western Michigan (2-1), 25-11, including a 16-3 advantage in shots on goal.

The Hoosiers came out dangerous from the start, putting up four shots in the first eight minutes of action. Junior Abby Allen sent in a pair of on-target looks in the first 20 minutes, both of which were saved by WMU goalkeeper Stephanie Heber. Piper nearly ended the stalemate in the 19^th minute as sent in a low shot, but Heber was there again to make the stop.

Western Michigan's best opportunity of the opening half came as the Broncos drew a foul just outside of the 18-yard box, but the resulting shot went wide. Two minutes later, the Broncos again threated on a throw in a few yards from the corner flag. However, Kopel was there to pick up her second save of the game on the shot from Ashleigh Garcia.

IU jumped on the scoreboard in the 54^th minute as redshirt junior Annelie Leitner connected with Davidson. After the Hoosiers drew a foul deep in their own territory, freshman Hanna Németh threaded the ball through the midfield down to Leitner. The redshirt junior flicked the ball from 40 yards out over the Bronco defenders to Davidson, who shot to the right of a charging Heber into the far post. It was the first career assist for Leitner and Davidson's second career score.

In the 61^st minute, Allen and Piper nearly connected on a score as Piper's header went just high. Just 50 seconds later, Allen picked a ball sent down by Smith, collected it just outside the 18-yard box and dribbled it in before lofting it to Piper, who was waiting four yards from goal to head it in and make it 2-0.

The Broncos nearly answered a minute later as Emma Kahn's shot hit the post and the rebound went to Hannah Kahn, who sailed it high.

Indiana extended its lead to 3-0 in the 81^st on another Piper header, this time with an assist to Davidson. After Kopel's goal kick found freshman Melanie Forbes at midfield, she won the ball and sent it on to Davidson. Davidson brought it down and crossed it to Piper from 35 yards out, who headed it in from 17 yards in to bottom left corner of the net. Piper has tallied three goals in the first four games of the young 2017 season, a career best.

The final Hoosier score came in the 88^th minute of action of redshirt freshman Kyndal McKinney earned her first career point on the assist to Davidson, who buried it from 16 yards out.

Up next, the Hoosiers continue their seven-game road swing with a visit to Nashville, Tenn. for the Music City Tournament. Indiana will battle host Vanderbilt Friday night before facing Memphis on Sunday afternoon.

"It's extremely hard to win on the road and this is the first game in a long stretch of road battles," said Berbary. "We just have to take it one game at a time and we've got to be able to recover from travel, catch up on our school work and then turn around and get a little better each week. We're excited to head to Nashville and play two great teams."

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