INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI women's soccer team suffered its first loss of the 2023 season on Sunday (Aug. 27), falling to SIUE at the on-campus Michael A. Carroll Stadium, 3-2. The Jaguars got goals from Shannon Ott and Carlie Werner, but were unable to overcome a pair of two-goal deficits in the defeat. 

"We just can't dig ourselves a hole like that to begin with and expect that we're going to be able to dig ourselves out of that hole every single time," head coach Chris Johnson said.

SIUE (2-2-0) was more efficient in its attack, scoring three times off 12 shot attempts, putting seven on target against the goalkeeping duo of Ashton Kudlo and Cailynn Junk. IUPUI (3-1-0) created 18 shot attempts and put 11 on target, pressing SIUE goalkeeper Taylor Spiller into eight saves. 

The hole began when Savannah DeFini headed a shot just out of Kudlo's reach in the game's 27th minute, snapping the Jaguars' stretch of 296 minutes without allowing a goal to start the season. The Cougars built a 2-0 lead just before intermission when Matea Diekema laced a shot just under the bar off a short corner kick from Macie Begley. 

IUPUI began its response early in the second half as Ott blazed a shot past Spiller for her third score of the year. Senior Jessica Jacobs sent a free kick into the 18-yard box, only to have it recycled by the SIUE defense. However, the ball came free to Ott, who wasted little time in finding the back of the net. The Jaguars stayed on the attack, seeking an equalizer, but was unable to solve the SIUE defense. One flurry saw Cassie Rodriguez put an initial shot on frame, followed by a Werner rebound attempt. After Werner's attempt was blocked, Jacobs sent a tester on frame from distance on the same attack. 

SIUE reestablished its two-goal lead in the 80th minute when Mary Fetter got loose on a counter after an IUPUI free kick. Maddie Clark and Miranda Malcom set the table for Fetter, who was on the break from near midfield in behind the Jaguars' backs. She finally cracked the whip and put a shot into the upper right corner, making it 3-1. 

IUPUI had an immediate answer in the 82nd minute when Leah Shumate's free kick resulted in Warner redirecting a header inside the far post for her first tally of the year. Freshman Caroline Kelley nearly had an equalizer on two different occasions, having a header cleared off the line by a defender in the 84th minute and having a shot go just wide of the left post in the 85th minute. 

Junk kept IUPUI alive with a penalty kick save in the 88th minute, but the IUPUI offense was unable to muster a shot attempt in the game's final five minutes. 

Kelley finished with a game-high five attempts while Werner and Emily Tobin had three each. Kailyn Smith and Katie Hoog held down the back line, each playing a full 90 minutes at center back. 

IUPUI will return to action on Thursday (Aug. 31) when it travels across town to face Butler at 7:00 p.m. on FloSports.