No. 11 Indiana Wesleyan Edges No. 20 USAO, 1-0 in Women’s Soccer

MARION, Ind. — No. 11 Indiana Wesleyan continued its perfect start to the women’s soccer season Thursday night, picking up a 1-0 victory over No. 20 University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in a battle of nationally ranked NAIA programs.

The victory improves the Wildcats to 3-0 on the season, with Indiana Wesleyan yet to surrender a goal through its first three matches. USAO falls to 1-2.

Indiana Wesleyan senior Alyssa Hamann provided the only goal the Wildcats needed.
With the match still scoreless in the 23rd minute, Hamann took the ball away from the USAO goalkeeper inside the penalty area and converted the opportunity to give IWU a 1-0 advantage.

The goal continued an impressive stretch for Hamann, who has now scored four goals over the Wildcats’ last two matches and has four goals on the season.

It proved to be a defensive battle throughout the night. Indiana Wesleyan held a narrow 3-2 advantage in shots during the opening half before both teams recorded three shots after halftime.

The Wildcats finished with a 6-4 advantage in total shots.

Indiana Wesleyan goalkeeper Avery Sluss needed to make just one save, but the Wildcats’ defense did the rest as IWU recorded its third consecutive shutout to begin the season.
Neither side was able to score during the second half, allowing Hamann’s first-half goal to stand as the game-winner.

The victory came in the first-ever meeting between Indiana Wesleyan and USAO and gave the Wildcats an early-season Top-20 victory.
Indiana Wesleyan will now take its undefeated record on the road. The Wildcats travel to face University of Tennessee Southern on Saturday, August 29, at 7 p.m.