BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana Hoosiers got the 2011 season underway in style on Friday night at Armstrong Stadium with a couple of first half goals but the Evansville Purple Aces (0-0-1) battled back in the second half to tie the game and leave with a 2-2 draw. Orianica Velasquez scored the first goal on a free kick and Rebecca Dreher scored the Hoosiers’ second goal from 12 yards out for the first of her career.

 

“We are very encouraged to see 26 shots and 12 corner kicks,” Indiana head coach Mick Lyon said as he begins his 10^th season with the Hoosiers. “We created all kinds of opportunities throughout the match and this gives us a lot of positives to look at as we move on to Sunday against Butler.”

 

Indiana outshot the Purple Aces, 26-7, and drew 12 corner kicks to just four for UE. The constant pressure on the UE goal forced Chaviel Harrison to make nine saves in the contest, with a couple highlight reel saves to keep the game tied late in regulation and overtime.

 

Velasquez led IU with seven shots in the contest while Lisa Nouanesengsy tallied five and Carly Samp had four.

 

The Hoosiers used senior Lindsay Campbell in goal to start and she made one save in 53 minutes of action before sophomore Shannon Flower came on early in the second half and finished the game and made one save.

 

Orianica Velasquez got the Hoosiers on the board quickly with a strike off a free kick from 20 yards out on the right side that sailed into the upper left corner of the goal, leaving the UE goalkeeper helpless. It is the 13^th of her career. The free kick came after Lisa Nouanesengsy was pulled down from behind just outside the box on a perfectly played through ball by Velasquez that led Nouanesengsy in on goal.

 

The second goal came from redshirt freshman Rebecca Dreher when a crossing attempt by freshman Jordan Woolums was deflected by a Evansville defender and came right to Dreher’s foot. She took a touch and fired a shot to the low right corner that slipped by the Harrison, the UE goalkeeper, and gave IU a 2-0 lead.

 

For Dreher, who sat out as a redshirt last year, it was her first collegiate goal and the assist for Woolums, a true freshman, was her first collegiate point.

 

The Hoosiers are now 5-1-1 all-time against Evansville.

 

Indiana returns to action at Armstrong Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 21, against the Butler Bulldogs with a 1:00 p.m. kickoff. There will be a free youth soccer clinic at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday prior to the game, hosted by the IU women’s soccer staff and players.