INDIANAPOLIS - The IU Indianapolis women's soccer team will open Horizon League play on Saturday (Sept. 19) when the Jaguars host perennial league power Milwaukee (2-4-2) at 1:00 p.m. at Michael A. Carroll Stadium. The women's match will kickoff a soccer doubleheader at Carroll Stadium on Alumni Day.

IU Indy closed the non-conference at 2-4-2 overall with home wins over Chicago State and Bellarmine. Most recently the Jags played a tough Toledo squad to a 2-2 road draw, thanks to first career goals from Madeline Chappa and Addison Stover. 

For the season, the Jaguars have been outscored 25-13 and had four different players tally twice. Junior midfielder Annaliese Black has a team-high seven points (2 goals, 3 assists) and senior Lindsey Castillo has six points (2 goals, 2 assists). Junior Bethany Hartigan has been a workhorse in the defensive third, having played a team-high 676 minutes while also contributing a goal and an assist. Chappa is second on the team with 614 minutes, including six starts, and Black is third at 593. 

The Jaguars have utilized three different goalkeepers with sophomores Isabel Oferosky and Gwen Eiler having played the majority of the minutes. Oferosky has made three starts and posted a 1.71 goals against average and 19 saves while Eiler has also made three starts with a 4.33 GAA and 12 stops. 

QUOTABLE
"We feel really good about where we are. The tough non-conference schedule is really going to help us as we move into league play. We are just coming into our own! We are going to be a fun team to watch down the stretch," Stover said following the 2-2 draw at Toledo on Sept. 13. 

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Milwaukee is 2-4-2 to start the season, but have played three matches against ranked foes and a fourth against an opponent receiving votes in the national polls. The Panthers have been outscored 16-6 on the year with Emily Petring leading the attack with a pair of scores. Defensively, Lauren Nidey has played the bulk of the team's minutes in net, registering a 2.01 goals against average and 33 saves in her eight appearances. 

INSIDE THE SERIES
IU Indy is just 1-9-2 all-time against Milwaukee and 0-3 in the three meetings in Indianapolis. The Jags haven't defeated Milwaukee since March 2021 when they won on the road, 1-0. Milwaukee defeated the Jaguars 6-0 in Milwaukee last season. 

UP NEXT
The Jaguars will continue a three-game homestand on Thursday, Sept. 24 when they host Wright State at Carroll Stadium for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff.