BROOKINGS, S.D. - For the second time in three weeks, the IUPUI women's soccer team felt the sting of heartbreak in the final seconds, this time as the Jaguars opened Summit League play with a 2-1 loss at Fishback Park against South Dakota State on a cold, windy Friday night (Oct. 3). After falling behind in the early minutes of the second half, the Jaguars pulled even on a Catherine Raster tally in the 83rd minute. 

Unfortunately for the Jaguars, IUPUI (2-7-3, 0-1 Summit) allowed an own goal with just two seconds left, leading to a stinging defeat. It was the second time the Jags have allowed the game-winning goal in the final minute of regulation in the past three weeks, having given up the winner at Butler with just 47 seconds left before overtime. 

After a scoreless first half, SDSU's (5-5, 1-0) Diana Potterveld broke the ice in the 53rd minute with her fourth score of the year. Potterveld beat Lauren Kulaga to a 50-50 ball and before eventually eluding IUPUI rookie goalie Catherine Schmidt and scoring from a tough angle into an empty net. The Jackrabbits' lead held for more than 30 minutes before Raster knotted the score. Having missed nearly a month due to injury, the South Bend-native found an opportunity after Tori Minnich earned a free kick chance. Sophomore Maddie Riedford played the ball into Grace Perkowitz, who headed the ball into harm's way. From there, Raster was able to slip a shot past the SDSU keeper for the equalizer. 

The match seemed destined for overtime until misfortune struck the Jaguars with the clock in the final countdown. This time, Potterveld crossed the ball in and freshman Ali Nelson, who was retreating into the defensive third, mishit her clearance past Schmidt and in the goal.

"I was very proud of the girls for coming back and not letting the elements around them effect how they were playing," IUPUI Head Coach Chris Johnson said. "After we got even, the girls had the look in their eyes that we were going to make this thing happen.

"We were taking it to them for a period of time and really connecting passes and making things happen. Unfortunately, we just didn't finish it off the way we would've liked."

The match was played fairly evenly as SDSU outshot the Jaguars 14-11 and 8-7 on goal. Schmidt made six stops in goal while Elise Stamatakis collected six saves in the win for the Jacks. Potterveld led all players with three shot attempts while four Jaguars closed with two attempts. Senior Taylor Heidorn paced the Jaguars with two shots on goal off the bench. 

IUPUI easily had the best scoring chance of the first half in the 25th minute when the Jaguars were awarded a penalty kick. However, Alyssa Fox's attempt hit the crossbar, keeping the Jags off the scoreboard. Five of Stamatakis' saves came in the first half for SDSU while Schmidt split her six saves evenly over each half. 

The loss kept IUPUI winless against SDSU for the fifth straight time. The Jaguars last victory over the Jackrabbits came at Fishback Park in The Summit League Championship match in 2009.

IUPUI will conclude the two-game Summit League trip at North Dakota State on Sunday (Oct. 5) at 1:00 p.m..