After nearly a month on the road, Indy Eleven returns to Grand Park to take on Midwest United FC Friday night. The last game for the Girls in Blue was a nail-biter against AFC Ann Arbor, which resulted in a 2-2 draw. Head Coach Paul Dolinsky said with the game being the third road game in a row, it takes a toll on the team both mentally and physically.
“We had a slow start. I don’t think we played poorly,” Dolinsky said. “But I think we lacked a little bit of energy that we have had in the previous three games.”
Indy Eleven got off to a slow start in the game, allowing Ann Arbor to score within the first 17 seconds. Five minutes into the second half, Ann Arbor was awarded a penalty kick, which put the team up 2-0. Indy Eleven, on the other hand, did not let that deter them, as Maddy Williams’s 10-yard goal put the girls on the board in the 74th minute.
Indiana’s Team responded four minutes later with Molly McLaughlin’s 18-yard long shot to tie the contest. Dolinsky praised the girls for their perseverance in the second half and refusal to give up.
“We made a couple of adjustments in the second half to chase the game and push,” Dolinsky said. “And that’s what the girls did. It was a valiant effort on their behalf to come back from two goals down to tie it up.”
Midwest United FC comes to Indianapolis with confidence after a 3-1 victory over Detroit City FC, bringing their three-match record to two victories and a draw. As a result, they are slowly making strides towards being one of the top squads in the Great Lakes Division. The Eleven’s motivation is brewing, according to Dolinsky, because this is a pivotal game for both sides.
“We’re coming off a game, that I think, in the girl’s eyes, was our most disappointing,” Dolinsky said. “I think that’s where the motivation comes from is having a performance tomorrow that makes amends for what we did last time we stepped foot on the field.”
Dolinsky said his mindset does not alter from game to game when it comes to his game plan for Friday’s encounter. He said as long as the girls go out and play a difficult 90 minutes, he is satisfied. “There are certain ways that we want to play, there are different attributes and characteristics to what we believe will bring success, and it’s just getting back up on the horse and getting after it again Friday night.”
