INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indianapolis women’s soccer team opened the 2024 season with a 1-1 tie on opening night of the college soccer season at Michael A. Carroll Stadium on a rainy Thursday evening (August 15). Caroline Kelley scored the team’s only point on a night that saw two interruptions due to weather conditions, stretching the competition over three hours. Maia Ransom And Emma Frey collected assists as a senior Ashton Kudlo made five saves in goal.
Toledo’s Kaema Amachree scored the equaliser in the 79th minute of the match, capping the score.
“I think our guys fought until the end. I think we weren’t as relaxed on the ball in the last 20 minutes of the game, but our guys put in a great effort,” said head coach Chris Johnson said. “We were able to get some young guys on the field for some minutes and I think they showed they will play hard until the end.”
After just over five minutes of play, the game was halted due to a lightning strike in the area and the teams had to return to their respective dressing rooms.
After the first delay, the Jaguars opened the scoring of the season in the 11th minute of play when Kelley scored from close range on the first corner kick of the night. Frey played a diagonal pass to Ransom, who chased the ball into rain-soaked traffic in front of the goal. Kelley picked up the ball and scored her ninth career goal from the left flank.
The game was stopped again before half-time as a persistent downpour made the pitch unplayable, ultimately resulting in the first half lasting two hours.
IU Indy (0-0-1) was dangerous for much of the second half, as the Rockets outscored the hosts by 12-2 after halftime and 15-5 on the night. Amachree finally got a shot on goal in the closing minutes, taking advantage of a turnover and shooting over Kudlo from long range. That came after Amachree had nearly missed against a weakened Jaguars defense in the 67th and 72nd minutes.
Kudlo secured the tie with an impressive save on Carys Bourbeau in the 84th minute. Offensively, the Jaguars struggled to convert offensive chances into shots on goal, as Kelley converted two of the team’s five shots on goal.
The Jaguars were behind 6-3 in corner kicks.
The Jaguars return to action next Thursday (August 22) when they face Lindenwood at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
