Ipina Taylor scores second goal of '24, Brand makes seven saves in SSU's 1-1 tie with Indiana-East

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- In a tight contest throughout, the women's soccer program at Shawnee State showcased progression as the Bears got a 40th minute goal from Carlota Ipina Taylor and received seven saves from Harlee Brand to ultimately obtain a respectable 1-1 tie with Indiana-East in a Thursday evening matchup at Shawnee Turf in Portsmouth.

Despite facing a 12-4 disadvantage in shots, Shawnee State's ability to value possession late in the opening half, along with active defensive play by Brand and the Shawnee State defensive backline, helped the Bears fight the Red Wolves to Thursday's tie.

The Bears, who got a shot attempt from Alex Hurn that was saved over the game's first minute-and-a-half of game action, then got a big first half effort from Brand. The freshman, who starred at North Adams High School in nearby Adams County, made five first half saves to help keep SSU in the fight throughout.

Shawnee State then capitalized in a big way in the 40th minute of action -- as after a foul by Indiana-East, Ipina Taylor was set up with a free kick from just outside the box. The left-footed Taylor, who arguably has the most powerful leg on the team from a shooting standpoint, fired a high-velocity shot that Indiana-East goalkeeper Kylie O'Leary simply had no chance of stopping as the senior scored her second goal of the 2024 campaign to put the Bears in front by a 1-0 margin.

Brand then added to the momentum moments later. Just two-and-a-half minutes after Ipina Taylor's conversion, Brand made her best save of the night to that point by leaping high off of the ground to stop a Morgan Grudich shot, forcing the ball to graze the crossbar and sail high as the ball moved past. The save, as a result, preserved Shawnee State's 1-0 advantage heading into the halftime break.

While Indiana-East tied the score, 1-1, on a Ava Wittrock goal in the 54th minute, Shawnee State stepped up its play defensively in the second half after that salvo by the Red Wolves, as the Bears held IU-East without a shot for 33 minutes following the goal while Ipina Taylor and Lucie Ashkettle placed shots on frame in the 63rd and 80th minutes of action.

In the 88th minute, Shawnee State arguably made its two biggest defensive plays of the contest to preserve the tie.

With time winding down, Wittrock got free again and beat Brand to the ball, but Ashkettle -- who showcased tremendous energy in playing up front and in the back over the course of the contest, reached out with her feet and just stopped Wittrock's attempt from going through for the go-ahead goal.

Brand then recovered for her seventh and final save of the night by stopping a point-blank rebound attempt by Indiana-East's Mia Runyon, officially preserving the tie as a result.

With the result, Shawnee State now sits 0-6-2 and 0-1-1 in the River States Conference, while Indiana-East sits 1-6-3 overall and 1-0-1 in the RSC.

Shawnee State will be back in action Saturday evening when the Bears take on Oakland City, Ind. (6-4, 2-0 RSC) in a 12 p.m. road matchup that will be held at Southridge High School in Huntingburg, Ind.