SYCAMORES NARROWLY MISS CHANCES IN 1-3 DEFEAT VS CREIGHTON

Box Score

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State would strike first, but it was Creighton who would come away with the 3-1 win over the Sycamores on Friday afternoon at the ISU Soccer Complex. The loss is ISU’s fourth-consecutive loss after coming off a six-game winning streak and drops the Sycamores to 2-3-0 in the Valley and 7-8-0 overall. The Blue jays improve to 8-6-2 overall and 2-1-1 in the MVC.

Despite the outcome, Indiana State came out with a strong focus and seemed to be in control of the game from the starting whistle.

Sarah Whiteley, playing one of the best games of her career according to head coach Vernon Croft, put the first points on the board from a perfectly placed ball by teammate Lauren Podolski. The ball found the streaking Whiteley in front of the Blue jay defense and the junior put the ball passed the keeper in the 24th minute for her third goal of the year.

“Sarah (Whiteley) had one of her best weeks in training this week and it carried over into one of her best games in the three years she’s been here,” Croft said of his forward.

The lead would be short lived as CU’s Lindsay Vaught tied the game as she stabbed a Gretta Arvesen cross in midair and redirected the ball into the back of the net. The draw would continue into the half with Creighton having the slight attacking advantage with 11 shots to the Sycamores’ nine.

Early goals would once again play an important role in the outcome of the game as had the previous two matches for ISU. Creighton would score its second goal of the game in the 46th minute as Katie Brennan kicked the ball out of a scrum in front of the goal, finding the back of the net on a corner set piece. Emily Munn would be credited with the assist.

The game was far from over and Indiana State has its chances to score, but each seemed to narrowly miss. Whiteley fired two shots, one in the 58th minute and one in the 61st minute that each missed by a matter of inches.

Podolski appeared to have an open goal later in the half, but her shot in the 78th minute was misdirected by a fully-extended Valerie Zimmerer who blocked the ball as she was parallel with the ground.

In the final goal of the game, Sycamore keeper Rachel Rudzis proved to be too aggressive as she overplayed a ball, leaving an open net for CU’s Arvesen to put away a security goal.

“The game today boils down to individual responsibility,” Croft said after the match. “Players need to be doing the right thing at the right time and when we don’t do that we are going to have problems.”

Indiana State will have its final regular season home game and final regular season conference contest when the Sycamores host the Drake Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon. Kick-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and will feature “senior day” festivities before the game.

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