SANTA CLARA, Calif. — No. 16-ranked Indiana University continued its winning ways at the Santa Clara Invitational with an 8-7 win over the hosting Santa Clara University Broncos. For the first time this season, the Hoosiers battled back from a two-goal halftime deficit to claim victory in the Broncos’ home pool.
In a weekend of standout performances from the IU senior class, Sarah Young rose to the challenge and piloted Indiana’s second half comeback. Young recorded a hat trick, scoring all three goals in the third quarter to regain a one-point lead. The Hoosier defense with the help of 11 total saves from Jessica Gaudreault blanked the Broncos in that eight-minute stretch and refused to concede their lead to the final whistle.
Matching Young’s scoring output was Jennifer Beadle, who recorded her second hat trick of the weekend and fifth this season. Beadle and Young have scored at least twice in IU’s last four games.
Jessica Rodriguez and Megan Abarta followed on the score sheet with one goal apiece. Rodriguez gave the Hoosiers their first lead, at 2-1, while Abarta found the back of the net in her fifth consecutive game.
Kelly Matthews and Joelle Nacouzi each set two assists to lead the Hoosier helper tally. Matthews is now tied for eighth in career assists with Deb Simone (1998-2000), at 125. Nacouzi has now set at least two assists in the last six games for Indiana.
After a dead even first quarter, the Hoosiers regained a 3-2 lead in the first minute of the second on Beadle’s second strike. The Broncos, inspired by their home crowd, grabbed control before halftime with a 3-0 scoring run to take a two-goal lead to the break.
The deficit set up a heroic performance from Young and the Hoosiers. Midway through the third quarter, Abarta found Young in the center to chip away at the Santa Clara lead. Young tied the contest one minute later from Nacouzi’s second assist, and completed her hat trick with two minutes left in the third quarter on a connection with Beadle.
Indiana maintained their lead through the final quarter with a couple of big plays from senior Sarah Myers. With two minutes gone in the period, Myers assisted to Abarta to put IU up two. Santa Clara scored again and had an opportunity to equalize, until Myers picked off the pass to two meters. That play resulted in Beadle’s game-winner with two minutes to play in the contest.
The Broncos scored once more in the final minute and gained a potential tying possession with seconds to play, but Gaudreault’s save at the buzzer secured Indiana’s fourth win in a row.
Release courtesy Indiana University Athletics Communications
