EAST CHICAGO, Ind. — Mari Williams scored her third goal of the season in the 35th minute, and the Indiana University Northwest women's soccer team rolled to a 1-0 victory over IU Columbus on Saturday in the first meeting between the two programs.
The RedHawks dominated possession from the start, putting constant pressure on IU Columbus goalkeeper Zoe Bippus. Williams tested her early, firing a shot in the ninth minute, and Xiomara Santana and Erin Harrison each had looks on frame before the midway point of the half. Bippus proved up to the task in the early going, turning away a pair of Williams shots and a Kaitlyn Long defensive stop to keep the match scoreless.
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IUN finally broke through in the 35th minute, as Ava Haluska set up Williams for the game's only goal, giving the RedHawks a 1-0 lead they would not relinquish.
IU Columbus pushed back the rest of the way, with Madelyn McIntosh and Miranda Yeager each testing Kaleigh Blatti, but the RedHawks goalkeeper made two saves to preserve the clean sheet. IUN, meanwhile, continued to press for a second goal throughout the second half. Williams had three more attempts on frame, Haluska added two additional shots on goal, and Gabby Maldonado and Gianna Witte each had chances of their own, but Bippus stood tall down the stretch, finishing with a career-high 13 saves in the loss.
IUN finished with a lopsided 21-3 advantage in total shots and a 17-2 edge on shots on goal, a testament to the RedHawks' control throughout. With the win, Indiana Northwest improves to 4-1-0 on the season. The RedHawks stay home and return to action Monday, Sept. 7, on Labor Day, hosting No. 21 Columbia College (Mo.). Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CDT.
