Top 10 Indiana Athletics moments of 2022-23 No. 9: Women’s soccer’s shutout streak

Nil. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

Zero.

That’s the total number of goals Indiana women’s soccer surrendered through their first eight-plus games of the 2022 season. That’s good... historically good:

Indiana did not concede a goal until the 67th minute of its’ ninth match of the season when Minnesota defender Gabbie Cesarone used her noggin to deflect a corner juuuust into Indiana’s goal. Up until that point West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Ball State, Indiana State, Louisville, Memphis, Trine, and Penn State all failed to find the back of the net against the Hoosiers.

The season-opening streak broke Indiana’s program record for consecutive shutout minutes with 788 and the program consecutive games shutout streak at eight. The Hoosiers’ also set the NCAA D-I record for scoreless draws during a single season as six of their first eight outings ended 0-0.

5-0 and 3-0 results over Trine and Indiana State were the only games that did not end goalless during the streak.

Indiana’s scoresheet success came largely thanks to the (giant glove-adorning) hands of goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg.

The sophomore out of Birkenwerder, Germany, started eight of Indiana’s first nine games and saved all 33 of her opponents’ on-target shots during that time. Gerstenberg earned Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week honors when she set and subsequently tied her career-high saves mark with eight at Virginia Tech and against Penn State.

Despite finally learning what it feels like to give up a goal on September 22, Gerstenberg continued to play well for the remainder of her second season as Indiana’s primary starter. She led the Big Ten in save percentage with an .839 figure and her ten goals allowed were the fewest of any B1G keeper with more than 1,000 minutes played.

Thanks to her 52 total saves, Gerstenberg, one of three international players on Indiana’s roster, received All-Big Ten honors for the second straight season. She was named to the third team in 2022 after making the freshman squad in 2021. With first-teamer Lauren Kozal of Michigan State and second-teamer Mia Raben of Northwestern having each exhausted their eligibility, Gerstenberg looks to be the conference’s best returning goalkeeper in 2023.

As isolating as the different colored shirt and funny gloves can be, however, a goalkeeper is largely dependent on the defense ahead of them to keep the scoreboard dark. Indiana’s back line contributors like Arianna Rose, Natasha Kim, Camille Hamm, and Zoe Tiger did their part and then some to limit oppositional chances. They held opponents to just over four shots on target per game and successfully fought off a ridiculous 41 corner kicks during the streak.

The program record could not have been set without graduate goalkeeper Bethany Kopel, either. Kopel got the start and recorded two saves against in Indiana’s win over Trine on September 14. She also recorded a four-save shutout against at Michigan in the Hoosiers’ season finale on October 23.

Goose eggs just seemed to be the name of the game for all parties involved during the 2022 women’s soccer season. Just 1 of Indiana’s 17 matches saw goals scored by both teams: a 2-2 draw versus Purdue on October 16.

788 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal sounds like a tough feat to replicate in 2023 but the Hoosiers are already (unofficially) on their way.

Indiana went undefeated during its’ spring season and did not give up a goal in any of their five exhibition contests. Given that momentum, and Jamie Gerstenberg once again minding the net, opponents will continue to find goals at Bill Armstrong hard to come by.