TERRE HAUTE — Indiana State battled visiting Marshall to a 1-1 draw at Memorial Stadium as the Sycamores took on both the Thundering Herd and the Wabash Valley heat in their 2023 home debut.

Kickoff time for the Thursday night match was originally scheduled for 6 p.m., but the two teams agreed to push back the start to 8 p.m. earlier this week. With temperatures hovering in the upper 90’s and field temperature well into triple digits, match time was pushed back to 8:45 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.

The teams battled it out early with ISU (0-0-3) controlling the action throughout the first half. Ella Gorrie had the Sycamores’ first chance on goal with a shot from 18 yards out in the 15th minute, but her attempt scooted wide left to keep the contest scoreless.

Indiana State continued to press the attack with both Alexa Mackey and Mackenzie Kent controlling the midfield before the Sycamores finally struck in the 39th minute. Chloe Tesny took the feed from Carlie Jensen near the top of the box before connecting on her first goal of the season over Marshall (2-0-1) keeper Alexis Wolgemuth to give Indiana State the 1-0 lead heading into the break.

Marshall came out firing in the second half with Ava Hall, Olivia Gandee, and Bailey Fisher all connecting on shots on target over the first seven minutes, but ISU’s Maddie Alexander proved up to the task with a trio of saves to keep the score at 1-0.

The Herd evened the match up in the 55th minute as Gandee fed Abi Hugh up the left sideline and the Marshall striker put the ball under Alexander’s glove and into the lower left part of the next to tie the match up at 1-1.

Marshall outshot the Sycamores 9-2 over the final 45 minutes, but Alexander kept the Herd off the scoreboard down the stretch to secure the 1-1 tie.

Marshall held the 13-6 edge in shots in the physical contest that featured 17 fouls on the pitch. Alexander had five saves in the tie.

News & Notes

·         Chloe Tesny scored ISU’s first goal of the season in the first half and her fifth overall at ISU to pace the Sycamore offense.

·         Tesny’s goal was her first since finding the back of the net back on September 4, 2022, at Illinois.

·         Carlie Jensen turned in her first assist of the season with the pass leading to Tesny’s strike. It marked the senior midfielder’s first collegiate assist.

·         Maddie Alexander surrendered her first goal of the season in the 55th minute as the Sycamore goalkeeper opened the year holding the opposition scoreless for 235 consecutive minutes.

·         Alexander’s five saves in the contest gives her 17 for the season.

·         The Sycamores move to 0-1-1 all-time against Marshall following Thursday night’s tie.

·         Indiana State’s three ties to open the 2023 season has never before been done in program history.

·         The Sycamores allowing just one goal through three matches is also a program first, surpassing the previous mark of allowing just two goals through the first three matches of the 2017 season.

Up Next

Indiana State hits the road on Sunday afternoon as the Sycamores make the trip to Charleston, Ill. to take on Eastern Illinois University at Lakeside Field. Kickoff between the two programs is set for 2 p.m. ET. The game is set to be carried live on ESPN+.