The University of Indianapolis women’s soccer team wrapped up an undefeated weekend at home with a 3-0 victory against the University of Southern Indiana on Oct. 5.
Freshman forward Kacey Wells claimed the first goal of the game during the 33rd minute and junior midfielder and forward Lindsey Adams’s header brought the Greyhounds up 2-0 at the 55th minute. Freshman midfielder Melissa Kapasalis scored her first goal of the season, clinching the win for the team.
Two days before, the team earned its first conference win with a 2-0 victory against the University of Illinois Springfield Prairie Stars on Oct. 3.
Stacey Klene claimed the first goal of the game in the 63rd minute and sophomore forward Jocelyn Evans scored the second. Both assists for the goals came from senior midfielder Katie Johnston.
Prior to the weekend, UIndy traveled to play against the then No. 3 ranked Grand Valley State University Lakers on Wednesday, Oct. 1, and lost by a shutout score of 6-0.
After allowing just one goal against the Lakers right before halftime, during the 37thminute, the Greyhounds surrendered five more goals in the second half, failing to respond with a goal of their own. The Greyhounds failed to get a good look at the goal on offense throughout the match, as they attempted just six shots, with four on goal, compared to the Lakers’ statistically superior 42 total shots, with 23 on goal.
Senior goalkeeper Megan Fee had 14 saves in the first 60 minutes, allowing four goals, while sophomore goalkeeper Emma Crenshaw tallied three saves and allowed two goals during the final 30 minutes of action.
The Greyhounds experienced two losses on the road the week before, against the McKendree University Bearcats on Sept. 26, 4-0, and against the Bellarmine University Knights on Sept. 28, 2-1.
Against the Knights, UIndy fell 2-1 despite being on the board first in the 6th minute. Klene scored UIndy’s first goal, assisted by Johnston.
Although Fee made 12 saves during the match, that wasn’t enough to hold off the Knights’ offense. Fee took the loss in goal, allowing a goal in the second half and in overtime. Bellarmine’s sophomore forward Mary Beth Gorham scored at the start of the second half during the 52nd minute, while senior forward Abby Janszen scored Bellarmine’s second goal to seal the win in overtime during the 92nd minute.
UIndy did not compare well statistically against Bellarmine during the match, which resulted in the loss. The Greyhound’s had three shots on goal while the Knights had 14 shots on goal.
A few days before playing Bellarmine, the Greyhounds took on McKendree, losing 4-0. Fee took the loss in goal with five saves.
Within the first six minutes of the match, McKendree junior forward/midfielder Jordyn Reiniger was allowed two penalty kicks against the Greyhounds. Reiniger capitalized on both opportunities and put the score at 2-0 in favor of McKendree.
“[Giving up two PKs in the first six minutes] at McKendree was a momentum swinger for sure,” said Head Women’s Soccer Coach Kiley Cirillo. “Who knows [what would have happened if the two PKs hadn’t been converted]. That’s one of those things. You never know what the outcome is going to be other than what the outcome is.”
Johnston said that she believes that if the two PKs had not taken place, the Greyhounds would have had a good game on their hands.
“We tried as hard as we could to be as mentally tough as we could,” she said. “I think we just panicked a little bit.”
The Greyhounds not only lacked in goals, but also shots on goal (SOG), with three total, compared to the Bearcats’ 10. Klene, junior midfielder/forward Lindsey Adams, and sophomore back/midfielder Hannah Mangus all contributed to the Greyhounds’ SOG, but none made it past McKendree’s junior goalkeeper Taylor Zerbe, who had to make only three saves in the game.
The women’s soccer team is now approaching the second half of its season, with seven games remaining against Great Lakes Valley Conference competition in the regular season.
“I think as a team we just need to remember why we’re playing the game. Most of us have been playing since we were four and five, and we played it because we have loved it for so long,” Johnston said. “So why not continue to love it and have fun, and at the same time get better so that we can start winning? I think that [claiming] one [GLVC] win will get us motivated.”
Cirillo seconded that belief, saying that the team needed to “start with momentum, one game at a time. It’s kind of the way it goes, but the goal is one game at a time. Get the first one [GLVC victory] out of the way and build momentum from there.”
Johnston said that she believes in the team’s capability to win if it can accomplish one task.
“I would say our team chemistry is perfect this year,” she said. “I think it [the missing piece to claiming wins] is just finishing. Finishing the whole 90-minute game.”
The Greyhounds’ next contest will take place this Friday, Oct. 10, at Quincy University, with action set to begin at 6 p.m.
