INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI women's soccer team opened Summit League play with a 2-2 double overtime draw with Fort Wayne at Michael A. Carroll Stadium on Sunday (Oct. 4), running the team's unbeaten streak to four. Sophomore Krissy Kirkhoff and senior Grace Perkowitz scored goals for the Jaguars while Kirkhoff, Meghan Day and Leia Peterman added assists. 

After nine days between games, IUPUI (5-4-2, 0-0-1 Summit) showed some rust in the early going, but finally got the offense going over the final 20 minutes of the half. The Jaguars' attack was focused on getting the ball to Kirkhoff, who finally cashed in in the 41st minute. IUPUI won a header in the defensive third, leading to Day getting loose in transition. Day drew the defense before shifting a pass to Kirkhoff, who rolled a long shot just inside the right post for her team-high seventh score of the year.

"Something affected us for sure coming out in the first half, we just weren't where we've been in the past few games," IUPUI Head Coach Chris Johnson said. "The intensity wasn't there - maybe it was the nine-day layoff - but we had some personnel changes too."

After taking a 1-0 lead to the break, the Jaguars pushed the lead to 2-0 in the 67th minute when Perkowitz hit a composed shot past IPFW's Kiley Dunning. Peterman played Kirkhoff into space, who delivered a pass wide left to Perkowitz. The senior drove a shot to the far post for her second score of the year, while Kirkhoff claimed IUPUI's single-season assist record with her seventh of the season. 

However, the Dons had an immediate answer to remain in the game.

An IUPUI foul just outside the 18 allowed Erin Gill to drill a direct kick past Catherine Schmidt for the guests' first score. The shot deflected off the Jaguars' defensive wall and rocketed into the right side of the net. IPFW (3-8-2, 1-0-1 Summit) tied the score in the 77th minute, this time on a penalty kick. An IUPUI defender was called for a hand ball in the box, leading to Rachel Good's PK score. 

IUPUI stayed on the offensive, including some quality chances from Kirkhoff and Kalli Shepler-Tucker in the closing minutes. Junior Tori Minnich caused problems for IPFW's backs late in the second OT, leading to a look at a game-winner with the final seconds running off. Minnich was pulled down on the right side, as the ball popped loose to Shepler-Tucker trailing the play. Shepler-Tucker rifled a shot in the direction of the goal, only to see it knocked down by an IPFW defender. 

The Jaguars closed with a 19-10 shot advantage and 8-3 edge in shots on frame. Dunning made six stops for the Dons while Schmidt was credited with just one save for the hosts. Kirkhoff attempted a game-high 10 shots, putting four on target. It was also her fourth straight game with a goal scored.  

"I think we struggled with putting the gas pedal down and putting people away. That's a definite mental lapse that we have as a group and we've had for awhile," Johnson said. "We had two unfortunate set piece opportunities that changed the game, but we should have had four or five goals at the other end." 

Good led IPFW with three shot attempts.

The Jaguars will continue Summit League play next weekend when they travel west to take on Omaha on Friday night (Oct. 9) at 7:00 p.m.