SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The Hoosiers of No. 16-ranked Indiana University finished the first day of the Santa Clara University Invitational with gusto by stunning No. 10 University of California-Davis, 8-5. Indiana secured its first Top-10 win of the season—the second under head coach Ryan Castle – by dominating the defensive end with 10 team steals and five power play kills. Senior goalkeeper Jessica Gaudreault made 10 saves, her fifth game this year with double figure blocks.
Kelly Matthews completed an outstanding day in the water with another hat trick, her second in as many games, along with one assist and a team-leading three steals. Sarah Young and Jennifer Beadle added to the winning effort with two goals apiece, while Megan Abarta scored on her only shot to remain perfect (two-for-two) from the field. Beadle has found the back of the net at least twice in five of Indiana’s last six games.
The key to Indiana’s upset effort might have been their blistering start to the contest. Beadle, Young and Matthews got the Hoosiers up with four unanswered goals, holding the Aggies scoreless through the first quarter. Indiana converted two of their three successful power plays in that stretch.
Matthews opened the second quarter with another power play, sparking a back-and-forth goal exchange as the teams battled to halftime. Beadle and Abarta interrupted three UC Davis goals to close the quarter, but the Aggies made a slight chip in the Hoosiers’ 6-3 lead.
From there, Indiana put a lid on their goalmouth and scored enough to preserve their three-point lead. Abarta sent home the only goal on either side of the third quarter, while Young extended IU’s lead after UC-Davis scored twice on a late comeback attempt.
Abarta and Joelle Nacouzi led the Hoosiers in the assists category with two apiece while Beadle, Myers and Matthews found one helper each. Myers (120 assists) ascends to tenth all-time on Indiana’s career assists leaderboard, two behind Matthews; both are rapidly approaching Deb Simone (125, 1998-2000) for the eighth spot on the career standings.
Release courtesy Indiana University Athletics Communications
