TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State controlled the majority of its Sunday afternoon contest with Drake, but the Bulldogs rallied with a pair of late goals in regulation and added another in overtime to escape Memorial Stadium with a 3-2 victory in front of 400 fans on a cool but clear day for women's college soccer.
The Sycamores fell to 6-8-3, 0-5-1 MVC while Drake improved to 7-8-1, 4-1-1 MVC. The win by the Bulldogs was their first in Terre Haute since 2014, breaking a two-match winning streak at home against Drake.
Katie Wells stuck first in the match with a goal in the 28th minute as she took a long pass from
Caitlyn Eddy and then took some contact from the Drake goalkeeper but pushed the ball past her and into the back of the net for the 1-0 advantage. The goal was Well's 11th of the season -- a number which leads the Missouri Valley Conference -- and is a new school record. Wells went past Abby Reed for sole possession of the ISU single-season goal record. She now has 23 goals in her storied career which is only two behind Lauren Podolski for the ISU career record. She would add an assist later in the match to give her 29 points on the season, which also leads the MVC and is also a school record.
ISU would take the 1-0 lead into the half as
Hannah Sullivan made a terrific save in the waning seconds off the opening stanza off a Drake corner kick. Sullivan would finish the match with five saves while facing eight shots on goal.
Alina Steffen came off the bench in the second half and made an immediate impact. In the 63rd minute, Steffen took a soft touch from
Katie Sidloski off the cross through traffic by Wells for her fourth goal of the season to stake the Sycamores to a 2-0 lead. The assist by Wells was her MVC leading seventh of the season which is third-best on the ISU single-season chart. She now has 19 for her career which is just one off the school record. She finished the match with 65 career points which is second-best ever at ISU and only five behind Podolski's school standard of 70.
But Drake would not go away as they scored in the 78th minute when Olivia Bruce took a rebound off the post from Alyssa Brand and snuck the ball past Sullivan for get within 2-1 of the Sycamores. The Bulldogs found the equalizer in the 85th minute when Shannon Steurer took a cross pass from Shelley Lyjak to knot the game up at 2.
That goal sent the match into overtime when in the 96th minute the Bulldogs got the game winner from Libby Helverson as the ball dribbled into the box from Lyjak for the 3-2 victory.
Wells led the offensive attack for the Sycamores as she had five shots on goal. She now owns 65 in her career as she moved past Alison Gasparovich for second all-time at ISU. Eddy added a shot on goal for Indiana State. Sidloski, Steffen and
Pam Silies also had shots on goal in the contest.
Drake had a 14-11 edge in shots while ISU owned a 10-8 cushion in shots on goal. Drake held a 6-3 advantage in corner kick opportunities.
The Sycamores will wrap up the season on Thursday, October 25 when they travel to Valparaiso. Kickoff in the finale will be at 5:00 p.m. (ET) and will televised world-wide on ESPN3.
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