Courtesy: Indiana Athletics
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – No. 17 Indiana completed its perfect weekend at the Aztec Invitational on Sunday with wins over host No. 20 San Diego State (14-8) and a thrilling three overtime win versus No. 8 Harvard (17-16).
KEY MOMENTS VS. SAN DIEGO STATE
- Senior Portia Sasser paced Indiana early with a pair of goals as the offense caught fire in the frame as three others scored goals, including a pair from junior Louisa Downes, to make it a 6-2 advantage after one.
- Juniors Grace Klingler and Nicole Tyner added to IU’s scoresheet as it held on to an 8-5 lead at the break. Sasser completed her hat trick in the third keeping it a three-score game, 10-7.
- Four more were added by the Hoosiers in the fourth, with Downes also securing a three-goal effort as the Hoosiers defeated the host school, 14-8.
KEY MOMENTS VS. HARVARD
- Neither team led by more than one in the first as Nancy Baylor-Sefchick’s shot from the middle gave Indiana a 4-3 lead with 1:27 to go. But Harvard would score the equalizer and bring the game to a 4-4 tie.
- It was a back-and-forth battle in the second as the two teams traded goals throughout. Late in the period, Harvard tied the game up on a 5-meter penalty before junior Grace Klingler scored on the 6-on-5 opportunity with 58 seconds to go.
- The Crimson would tie the game at the break, 8-all. Once again, the game went back-and-forth as IU got three goals from Downes, Hathaway and Sasser to keep it at 11-11.
- Sasser and Hathaway combined for a pair of goals in the fourth to pull Indiana to a 13-11 lead. But Harvard came back and equalized the game at 14-all with 3:05 to go. The Crimson had a one-point lead with just 1:16 remaining but Downes forced overtime with her shot with 11 ticks in regulation.
- In the second overtime, Harvard took the edge, but it was once again Downes who kept Indiana’s hopes alive to send it to sudden death where Sasser’s career-tying fourth goal of the day in the first 30 seconds of action.
NOTES
- Indiana improved to 16-6 overall with its four wins over the weekend at the Aztec Invitational. They also picked up their second Top 10 win of the season in the victory over No. 8 Harvard.
- Against the host San Diego State, the Hoosiers were highlighted by hat tricks from Sasser and Downes.
- Junior goalie Jasmine Higgs made 12 saves in cage against the Aztecs as she played all 32 minutes in goal.
- Senior Olivia Stark had a team and career-high four assists in the win over SDSU.
- Junior Audrey Cox came up big in the win over Harvard, recording 10 saves in the second half and overtime periods.
- Sasser tied a career-high four goals and had two assists against the Crimson. Downes also tied Sasser for a team-high four goals in the effort. Senior Grace Hathaway also added a hat trick.
- Stark chipped in four more assists in the finale against Harvard while Downes added three.
UP NEXT
Indiana will travel to Arizona State for an MPSF matchup on Saturday, March 22 at 2 p.m. ET.
