In 2023, Indiana’s women’s soccer team was a team full of experienced players, and while they were still experienced (or something like that), the younger players particularly shined in the first two games of the season. First-year forward Layla Sirdah already had three assists, while second-year midfielder Kennedy Neighbors had scored two goals.

The Season opening against the University of Tennessee was no easy task for the Hoosiers, but they held on and used their strong defense to earn a well-deserved victory. When they Ball State UniversityThey got off to a good start, scoring two goals in the first seven minutes of the game. They held the Cardinals at bay for the rest of the game, allowing just one goal.

Jamie Gerstenberg, last year’s Big Ten Goalie of the Year, is in her final season and has earned a spot on the Big Ten Player Watch List for the third consecutive year. Last year, she had a 76.5% save percentage and a 0.82 goals-against average. In addition, she kept 10 clean sheets last season, setting the record for most goals-against-every-season in program history. This season, she looks to continue her historic progress between the posts, as she has an 85.7% save percentage and six saves in two games.

Two Hoosier defenders were also named to the Big Ten Player Watch List: sophomore Piper Coffield and graduate student Avery Snead. Coffield had an impressive freshman year: three Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards and a key piece on Indiana’s dominant defensive line.

Snead is in her first season with the Hoosiers after spending the last four years at Providence College, where she started all 69 games as a midfielder and totaled 13 points and six goals in her career. She had an impressive resume in the Big East and is a key addition to this year’s Hoosiers roster.

In their last two games, the Hoosiers have averaged 10.5 shots while their opponents have averaged 8. They will look to continue their performance on Thursday against Wright State University.

The Raiders are 0-2 this season and have yet to score a goal while allowing seven goals in two games. Indiana has never lost a game against Wright State in their three previous meetings.

Indiana will look to remain undefeated this season when it faces Wright State at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Bill Armstrong Stadium.

Follow reporters Sam Elster (@samelster1) and Matt Rudella (@mattrudellaIDS) for updates throughout the Indiana women’s soccer season.