DETROIT, Mich. - The IUPUI women's soccer team got a critical road victory on Sunday (Oct. 10), tallying a first half goal and making it stand in a 1-0 win at Detroit Mercy. Sophomore
Leah Shumate scored on a free kick from just inside midfield and senior goalkeeper
AP Woodall dialed up a shutout for IUPUI's first road win of the season.
The win snapped the Jaguars' four-game losing skid with three of those outcomes coming by a one goal margin.
On Sunday, freshman
Paige Waskom drew a foul in a seemingly innocuous spot on the field, just inside the midfield stripe in the 34th minute. Shumate made the Titans pay, driving a long ball towards the upper left-hand corner of the net. UDM goalkeeper Jazmine Scott read the attempt correctly, but had the ball squirt through her hands and over the endline for the game's first goal.
"It's always a great feeling to get the lead. We had a great effort by the whole team to keep it," Shumate said. "It's awesome to come out with a win and we are aiming to keep the momentum going."
It proved to be enough as the IUPUI (3-10-1, 2-5 HL) defense kept Detroit's offense at bay throughout. The Titans were limited to just nine shots overall and one on target in the game's closing minutes. Woodall came up with her lone save of the day in the 88th minute, engulfing a Hailey Wentzloff attempt hit right at her.
Juniors
Autumn Weeks,
Grace Moore and
Maya Turner helped deliver the win from the defensive third, neutralizing the Titans' group of front runners. On the flip side,
Elizabeth Bueckers paced the IUPUI offense with three shot attempts and
Maya Lacognato,
Sam Slimak and Shumate had two each.
IUPUI outshot Detroit Mercy 11-9 and 4-1 on target. Senior
Renae Blevins had a quality chance in the 43rd minute, hitting a strike from just outside the penalty area that Scott pushed wide of target.
The Jags tried to deliver a knockout blow early in the second half, getting early attempts from Slimak and Bueckers, but was unable to get one past Scott.
The shutout was the eighth of Woodall's collegiate career.
The win was beyond critical for the Jaguars' postseason hopes as the league's top six teams will earn spots in the Horizon League Tournament. IUPUI entered play with just one Horizon League victory, but has already faced the top three teams in the league standings this year.
IUPUI will return home to host Green Bay on Thursday, Oct. 14 at 5:00 p.m. at the on-campus Michael A. Carroll Stadium.
