INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI women's soccer team closed its exhibition slate on Saturday (Aug. 14) with a 5-2 defeat to reigning OVC champion SIUE at Michael A. Carroll Stadium. Freshman Cassie Rodriguez and sophomore Sam Slimak tallied for the Jaguars, but the visiting Cougars scored three unanswered goals in the second half to roll to the win. SIUE got goals from five different scorers in the win, including the game-winner from Andrea Frerker in the 61st minute. 

After falling behind by a pair of goals, IUPUI battled back to eventually knot the score at 2-2 early in the second half. SIUE went ahead 2-0 in the 36th minute when Kayla Klipsch chipped a shot just over AP Woodall off an assist from Sarah Magnoni. However, IUPUI countered 13 seconds later to cut the lead in half.

Emma Antoine worked up the right side and had her cross ping off the bottom of the far post and right to Rodriguez. The Ohio-native calmly angled a grounded shot into the open net for the Jaguars' first score. The score remained 2-1 until the 52nd minute when the Jaguars netted the equalizer. Renae Blevins shifted a cross to Slimak, who headed a shot inside the post for her second goal of the preseason. 

"I saw good fight out there in terms of our ability to come back from being down," head coach Chris Johnson said. "We went down a couple goals and came back and tied the game up. I saw some kids who came off the bench and who were able to give us some good minutes out there.

"Cassie Rodriguez came in and definitely gave us a lot of energy off the bench."

However, SIUE scored three unanswered to run away with the outcome. Frerker deposited the go-ahead goal in the 61st minute and Maria Haro added insurance in the 66th minute when her shot ricocheted off an IUPUI defender and redirected past Emily McGrath for a two-goal lead. The Cougars scored another goal in the 69th minute when the IUPUI back line was able to clear a ball out of danger, resulting in a Grace Cobb score. 

IUPUI looked to cut into the lead late, but SIUE goalkeeper Bella Henderson made a tough save on a Molly Harris restart in the 73rd minute. Henderson also came off her line to redirect a Jessica Jacobs shot in the 87th minute and Jacobs' rebound attempt went high of target. 

IUPUI opened the game with a prime scoring opportunity in the eighth minute when the Jaguars were awarded an indirect kick inside the Cougars' penalty area. However, Elizabeth Bueckers' initial attempt was blasted into a defensive wall stationed along the endline and her second try was cleared off the line by an SIUE defender. Bueckers ended the match with a game-high four shot attempts and Slimak, Harris and Jacobs had two each. 

SIUE outshot the Jaguars 19-15 overall and 11-6 on target. IUPUI ended with a 5-4 advantage on corner kicks, all of which came in the second half. 

IUPUI closed the preseason with a 1-1 mark with a win over Eastern Illinois prior to Saturday's loss to SIUE. 

"We learned, we've got to start playing and training a little bit faster than what we presently are," Johnson said. "(SIUE) is a good team and that's a team that we want to be by the end of the season."

"We keep the ball and we keep it moving, we've got some people who can put the ball away. We had a hard time holding on to the ball today and we're going to have to do better than that if we're going to consistently score two goals a game."

IUPUI will open the regular season at Eastern Kentucky on Thursday (Aug. 19) at 1:00 p.m.. That contest is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+.