Hoosiers Open Big Ten Play with a 1-0 Victory at Michigan State

Thursday, September 14

East Lansing, MI

7:00 PM

Indiana University

5-3-1, 1-0-0

Michigan State

4-4-0, 0-1-0

Indiana

Michigan State

Hoosiers Open Big Ten Play with a 1-0 Victory at Michigan State

9/14/2017 10:40:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Indiana Women's Soccer shut out Michigan State to start Big Ten play on Thursday night, 1-0. Sophomore Chandra Davidson knocked in the gamewinner in the 18^th minute while freshman goalkeeper Bethany Kopel earned her fourth clean sheet of the season.

The win was the first conference-opening victory for the program since 2013.

"We went in tonight prepared," said Indiana head coach Amy Berbary. "We've been on the road the last six games and we've learned, we've grown up a bit and we figured out how to fight and get a gutsy win. That's what we had tonight. If you look at that stat line, we were even across the board, we were just poised enough to put one in the back of the net in the first half."

The teams combined for 35 shots, with 23 of those coming in the first half of action. IU (5-3-1, 1-0 B1G) and Michigan State (4-4-0, 0-1 B1G) each put up seven shots on goal, with four of those for Michigan State coming from Jamie Cheslik.

Cheslik's first attempt of the day came in the fourth minute after a corner kick led to an-target look by the senior. Kopel made the save and Davidson cleared the rebound out of danger. Six of Kopel's seven saves came in the first 45 minutes of action.

Just four minutes later, the Hoosiers looked to threaten on their own corner as a header by junior Maya Piper was saved by Michigan State goalkeeper Reilley Ott.

The Hoosiers broke through in the 18^th as Piper won the ball at midfield and sent it down the right flank. Redshirt junior Mykayla Brown took the ball back from the Spartans and crossed it from 10 yards out. Ott went out to Brown, allowing an empty net for Davidson, who charged forward to bury it.

Davidson is now tied for the team lead with four goals on the year, three of which have been gamewinners.

"She just continues to get better every week and we really rely on her," said Berbary. "She's grown into such a leader by example and the team looks to her in big moments. She's proved for us that she can handle those moments and had a terrific finish on the back post for us."

The Spartans nearly equalized in the 27^th minute as a Michigan State shot banged off the crossbar. On the rebound, the ball nearly dropped in but it stayed just outside the line to keep the game at 1-0.

Michigan State came out of the break by putting together strong offensive possessions, including back-to-back looks in the 59^th minute. However, freshman defender Hanna Németh blocked the first before the second Spartan shot went wide.

One of the biggest defensive stops of the night for Indiana came in the 70^th minute as Kopel dove to her right on a close-range look by Cheslik to preserve the shutout.

The Hoosiers had chances to add on to their advantage in the second half, including a look from redshirt junior Annelie Leitner from 25 yards out that was fired in hard but saved. Junior Abby Allen also had a solid opportunity in the 81^st, as she took the keeper on one-on-one before her attempt hit off the left post.

Indiana returns to action Sunday afternoon as the Hoosiers visit Michigan. The game will kick at 3 p.m. and be broadcast live on Big Ten Network. The game marks the final in a stretch of seven-straight road contests.

"From now until Sunday we have to take a look at the film, we've got to recover and just stay focused for our last road game before we get back home to Armstrong Stadium," said Berbary.

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