Bloomington, Indiana – October 15, 2023
No. 25 Indiana’s women’s soccer team secured a victory over RV Michigan in a match that saw freshman defender Piper Coffield’s penalty kick seal a 1-0 win. The game, held at Bill Armstrong Stadium on Sunday afternoon, showcased the Hoosiers’ impressive defensive skills, with junior goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg breaking records with her 10th shutout of the season and 24th of her career.
In a first half marked by balanced play, both the Hoosiers (11-1-4, 5-1-2 B1G) and the Wolverines (7-5-3, 3-4-1 B1G) managed five shots each. Junior midfielder Sydney Masur and senior midfielder Anna Bennett created opportunities for Indiana, while their defense limited Michigan’s chances.
The Hoosiers escalated their attack in the second half. In the 46th minute, Paige Webber had a promising shot, expertly set up by midfielder Sofia Black, but it ricocheted off the right post, narrowly missing the net. Bennett attempted a shot on goal in the 52nd minute, and junior defender Camille Hamm followed suit in the 54th minute, but the Wolverines’ keeper thwarted their efforts.
The defining moment of the match came in the 61st minute when Piper Coffield calmly converted a penalty kick, following a handball by Michigan in the penalty area.
As the game progressed, the defensive battle intensified, and the Hoosiers, led by Gerstenberg and a resilient backline, successfully thwarted the Wolverines’ attack, leaving them with zero shots on goal in the final 29 minutes of play.
Indiana outshot Michigan 6-2 in shots on goal, with Gerstenberg making two crucial saves to maintain the clean sheet. The victory marks Coffield’s third goal of the season.
Indiana head coach Erwin van Bennekom lauded the depth and adaptability of his team, stating, “Our depth from the bench won us the game. Our depth is what won us the game. We had a lot of players come off the bench and really do an unbelievable job for us.”
The Hoosiers’ next challenge will be an away game against No. 4 Penn State on Thursday, offering another thrilling ranked match-up. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on B1G+.
