ISU soccer falls in heartbreaking fashion
Apr. 15—If soccer was a game of creating chances, Indiana State's women's team would be heading to Chicago on Sunday to play for the Missouri Valley Conference championship.
However, soccer is a game of taking chances, and though it had fewer of them, Valparaiso is headed to Loyola instead.
The Sycamores, who had their best season in school history, suffered a cruel fate in Wednesday's MVC Tournament semifinal at Memorial Stadium.
Valparaiso's Lindsey Dusatko had a ball that ISU failed to clear fall to her in the box. Dusatko slotted a game-winning goal into the right corner in the 109th minute as ISU was stunned in a 1-0 defeat.
ISU was a minute away from penalty kicks, but Dusatko's goal provided a gut-punch instead.
"Soccer is a cruel game," ISU coach Julie Hanley said. "We had so many opportunities that were cleared off the line or just missed. Give credit to John Marovich, [Valparaiso coach] and his group.
"They got the result, but I thought at times we were the better team, but that doesn't always work in your favor."
ISU (6-4) out-shot Valparaiso 23-13, though the teams were even in terms of shots on goal at five apiece. ISU also had an edge in possession as Valpo (5-3-5) preferred to lean on its defense and play direct, depending on the second ball type of goal it ultimately got.
ISU hit the crossbar once and had two would-be goals saved off the line by Valparaiso defenders. Valparaiso goalkeeper Nikki Coryell had five saves. She and ISU keeper Maddie Alexander were consistent throughout.
"It's a sad locker room and coaching staff. It's tough," Hanley said.
In the first half, the frustrating pattern set in the for the Sycamores. Most of its shots were low-percentage chancers from long-range, but CeCe Wahlberg had two good shots in the 18-yard box that sailed just wide. Jensen Margheim had a free header in the 6-yard box, but it also sailed wide.
Valparaiso's only good first-half chance was a lob by Dustako over a drawn-out Alexander that landed on the top of the goal.
ISU also had the better chances in the second half. Anna Holcombe's wicked knuckler from just outside the box hit the crossbar, but fell in a disadvantageous spot for the Sycamores.
No chances were more frustrating than a series of shots in the 79th minute. Holcombe, Anna Stephens and Isabella Hunter all got decent cracks inside the box, but Stephens' was cleared off the line and Hunter's was saved.
Alexander helped ISU with two saves in the final two minutes of regulation to force extra time. Under NCAA rules, college soccer is decided by a golden goal.
ISU's fortunes began to go wrong in the second extra-time period. Defender Danielle Varner got hurt 35 seconds into the period
Chloee Kooker later had another shot cleared off the line with seven minutes left and penalty kicks seemed to be imminent.
However, ISU didn't clear a ball ping-ponging around the box. A header by Kooker sailed past an ISU defender and to the feet of Dusatko on the left side of the box. From 10 yards, she slotted past a defense-less Alexander to end ISU's season.
"They played a long ball in and they were thriving off of second-ball opportunities. They finished it well," Hanley said.
The Sycamores were devastated in the wake of the loss, but could take heart that the season they had pointed the program in the right direction.
"This is going to hurt. It's going to hurt for a while. Kudos to the senior class for sticking with the program and sticking with me. They helped me through some of the toughest times in terms of being a young coach," Hanley said.
ISU returns all but two of its players to its roster for the 2021 fall season.
