Oct. 21, 2005
Box Score
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -
Heather Forsyth's two second period goals tied the game at the end of regulation, but the Illinois State women's soccer team could not hold on, dropping the Missouri Valley conference game to Indiana State 3-2 in double-overtime.
The Redbirds are now 6-6-3, 2-2-1 in the Valley, while the Sycamores picked up their second MVC win and are 2-3 in league play, 5-8-2 overall. This double-overtime contest was the `Bird's seventh overtime game of the season, the fourth that went into two extra periods.
Indiana State defended its home field from the start as Nichole Tiggs carried the Sycamores in the first half. Tiggs scored the first goal of the match, a header from eight yards out at the 8:30 mark, on an assist from Callie McDonough. This was Tiggs' eighth goal of the season.
Tiggs went on to feed Indiana State's second goal, also in the first half. In the 19th minute, Tiggs launched the ball from midfield, finding Sycamore forward Lauren Podolski for Indiana State's second score. The Sycamores led at the half, 2-0.
The Redbirds led in corner kicks at the half, 4-2, though trailing Indiana State in shots, 5-2.
Illinois State spent most of the second half on the offensive attack, led by senior Heather Forsyth. The captain scored both of the Redbird's goals in the second period. Forsyth had the first ISU score in the 59th minute. With the assist going to fellow senior Joyce Kleinheinz, Forsyth scored her fourth goal of the season on a shot from 10-yards out.
Forsyth's fifth goal of the season would come quickly as she found the net again (69:31) from 15 yards out. The assist on Illinois State's second goal went to sophomore Bethany Russ. Both of Forsyth's goals were scored on Indiana State keeper Rachel Rudzis who went on to record five saves and the win for the Sycamores. Forsyth led the Redbirds in shots, tabbing five on the night.
Though Illinois State dominated the second half, keeping the ball on Indiana State's side of the field, the Sycamore defense held the `Birds to those two goals in the second period, forcing overtime.
The first overtime period was scoreless, though Illinois State rallied with several corner kicks in the added 10 minutes, with three Meghan Boler corner kicks in a 90-second span.
A second overtime period was needed to determine a winner in the Valley contest. Indiana State's Lauren Podolski scored an unassisted goal, her second of the night and sixth on the season, on Illinois State goalie Andrea Shaw to lift the Sycamores over the Redbirds in the 104th minute.
Although they were held to just two first period shots, the `Birds rallied for 13 second-half attempts, ending with 17 to Indiana State's 12. The Redbirds also dominated in corner kicks, taking 13 from the corner and allowing only five for the Sycamores. Indiana State led the `Birds in fouls in the 105-minute battle, 15-6.
Redbird head coach Pete Kowall felt that Indiana State outplayed his team in the last two meetings.
"The last two times we have met Indiana State, they have been better than us," said Kowall. "Indiana State is a good team, and they have two very good strikers in Tiggs and Podolski. It doesn't matter how many corner kicks or shots you have, you have to score to win. Indiana State is a great team but so are we. Our problem today is that we buried ourselves into a hole, but then we got out of it. Unfortunately, Indiana State found away to win this game. I should do a better job of getting our team to find a way to win games like these."
Illinois State continues on the road, taking on Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa, on Sunday. The final Valley conference matchup for the `Birds will be at 1 p.m. at the Cedar Valley Youth Soccer Complex.
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