BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Playing in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007, Indiana (15-6-1) picked up a 1-0 win against DePaul at Bill Armstrong Stadium on Saturday night. Freshman Veronica Ellis scored the game-winning goal in the 76th minute for the Hoosiers, who will take on North Carolina, the defending national champions, in the second round.
"I think our kids did a really good job tonight of remaining calm and playing very composed, and then the goal came," Indiana head coach Amy Berbary said. "Things got a little hectic at the end, I thought we were giving the ball away and losing our composure a little bit, but they weren't going to let this one get away."
The victory gives the Hoosiers 15 on the year to set a new single-season record while Ellis' goal is the 43rd of the season, also a new IU single-season record. On the defensive side, Shannon Flower picked up her ninth shutout in goal this season to set a new single-season mark at Indiana.
The goal by Ellis came in the 76th minute after a corner kick was cleared out of the box by DePaul, Tori Keller was able to chip the ball back in toward the box and find Rebecca Candler. After settling the ball, it was deflected up into the air around the penalty spot and, with the DePaul goalkeeper charging after the ball, Ellis beat her to the ball by a step and knocked it into the goal.
Ellis has three goals this season, and all of them have been game-winning goals.
Following the goal, DePaul put together a couple very strong offensive attacks on the IU goal, but the most dangerous came with three minutes left. A shot from 12 yards out on the left side that appeared headed inside the far post was saved by Shannon Flower. And while she only had to make two saves in the game, that was by far the biggest.
"She was absolutely huge," said Berbary. "I don't think your typical goalkeeper makes the save she made in the second half with three minutes to go. We ask our goalkeepers to make one big save a half, and that sure was a big one for us."
Indiana advances to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the third time in program history to take on North Carolina on Friday.
