Women's soccer heads to Lexington in finale

The IU women's soccer team will conclude its ninth season this weekend as it travels to Lexington, Ky. to play the Kentucky Wildcats, and come home to host the Ohio Bobcats Sunday. Neither opponent is in the Big Ten, although the battle involves two border rivals.\nThe Hoosiers enter the weekend 7-7-1 (3-6-1) playing a Kentucky team they are 4-2 against all-time. The Wildcats are 11-6 and 5-4 in SEC conference play. This will be the first time IU has played Ohio, who enters the weekend 10-7 and 9-2 in the MAC conference.\nTonight's game at Kentucky will be the last game away from Bloomington for the Hoosiers, and will conclude the team's grueling 2001 road schedule. The game will be especially memorable for freshman midfielder Jessica Laswell, a Lexington native.\nLaswell, who started her first collegiate game last weekend, is excited for tonight's game. \n"It is going to be so much fun going back home," Laswell said. "I am nervous, because for the first time this year I'm going to know everyone in the crowd, and I usually don't know anybody. It is going to be special."\nLaswell, who often attended Kentucky games at the UK Soccer Complex said she will play with a lot of passion tonight. She wanted to play at Kentucky until the coach said she was not good enough. She said she wants to prove him wrong. \nThe team is focused for this weekend after a disappointing loss to Purdue last Friday night eliminated the Hoosiers from the postseason. The team still understands that these are two very important games.\nCoach Joe Kelley said his team has had no letdown in practice this week, even though the Hoosiers aren't playing conference foes.\n"We have the same approach for this weekend that we have had all year" Kelley said. "We are taking this one game at a time."\nKelley also said the two wins would be important for the team psychologically. \n"Wins this weekend would absolutely give us momentum for the spring season" Kelley said. "Any time that you can move forward as a team, under any circumstance, that is a good thing."\nThe game against Ohio will be full of festivities, especially for the three Hoosier seniors who will be playing in their final collegiate games. Whitney Butler, Kelly Kram and Stacey Peterson will all be honored along with their parents Sunday afternoon. These seniors hope their last game on the season will result in a victory.\n"I think that it is pretty important to win these two games" Peterson said. "Not only are wins important for our record, but it is important for the spring season, and we are not giving up yet."\nPeterson is focused on the final games of her career, which saw her tally five career goals and and 17 career points.\n"We all want to do our best this weekend" Peterson said. "We want to go out there and have fun. It is a big key for me personally to just try and enjoy these two games."\nWhitney Butler, who also will be apart of her final collegiate game this weekend, said she will truly cherish the last game of the year. \n"I am going to try and remember every part of the game" Butler said. "I will remember the last pre-game meal, the pre-game talk, the senior ceremony, walking out with my parents, my teammates, the field, and everything else. I will always remember everything about that game."\nButler said the team has come together this year, and is satisfied with the Hoosiers who will be back next year. \n"The whole team has done an exceptional job," Butler said. "(Emily) Hotz is by far the most outstanding person on this team by the example she sets. Carly (Everett) and (Erin) Hesselbach are terrific sophomores. Dana (Philp) is an amazing junior. Kara Kornfeld and (Kim) Grodek are terrific freshman. This is a great team that is going to be here next year."\nButler considers this weekend to be two of the most important games of the year, not only for herself, but for the team. \n"This team has a lot of pride left" Butler said. "We have character and integrity and it will show this weekend by how we play."\nKelley spoke of the seniors he will be coaching for the last time.\n"It is going to be hard for the three of them" Kelley said. "They have all given a lot of time, effort and passion. It will be hard for me not to see Kelly Kram, Whitney and Stacey anymore, because besides being great soccer players, they are great people"