Coach sees improvement in 2-0 season finale win

After three years of blood, sweat and tears, the IU field hockey seniors ended their home careers Saturday with a 2-0 win on Senior Day over the St. Louis Billikens. IU scraped out a win after being outplayed by No. 11 Iowa 3-1 Friday. Junior Jamie O'Pray scored all three Hoosier goals on the weekend for the squad (5-11, 1-4 Big Ten).\nTwo of these seniors, back Akila Jones and forward Lindsay Schafer, saw their last game on the turf at Mellencamp Pavilion end in a victory. But Big Ten save leader senior goalie Molly Pulkrabek will return for her fourth year of eligibility, and the team awaits forward Erica Nilsson's decision on whether she will accept her fourth year.\nDuring the program's three years of existence Jones said she has enjoyed seeing the team steadily improve from a 1-12 record in 2000 and a 1-16 record in 2001 to this year's 5-11 campaign. The biggest victory of the season came when the Hoosiers earned their first Big Ten win ever with a 3-2 victory over Ohio State Oct. 5. \n"I've just had an awesome experience being here from day one when the program started and watching it grow," Jones said. "Watching all the new girls come in and join the program and adding so much to it on and off the field."\nOn Friday, however, IU's positive experiences were few and far between against Iowa (9-5, 2-2 Big Ten). The Hawkeyes forced a controlled tempo and exploited offensive opportunities when they presented themselves. Iowa capitalized on one of those opportunities in the first half when junior Pattie Gillern saw a diving Pulkrabek on the ground and found sophomore Sarah Dawson to put the Hawkeyes on top 1-0.\nFollowing intermission, IU and Iowa battled to a stalemate, but with 14 minutes left junior Adria LaSovage scored on another assist from Gillern. Three minutes later, junior Lindsay Miller completed the Hawkeyes offensive output with a rebounded goal off of Pulkrabek's pads. Miller's goal capped a five minute rally in which IU failed to maintain their mental composure.\nSophomore Kayla Bashore attributes disorganization to the Hawkeyes success.\n"I think Iowa took advantage of the opportunities when we were disorganized," Bashore said. "There were like five or ten minute intervals where our defense was disorganized, and that's when they exploited us."\nCoach Amy Robertson agreed, and accounts for Iowa's success because of a lack of Hoosier discipline.\n"We let them go at us too quickly," Robertson said. "We didn't hurry back to recover. We got a little disorganized and frazzled. We just lacked discipline for a few minutes, and they got us."\nFollowing Iowa's outburst, Robertson called a timeout. IU renewed its motivation during the break and played an increasingly aggressive style that culminated when sophomore Kim Nash made a beautiful move and shot on goal that was stopped. But junior Jamie O'Pray tallied her first goal of the season when she finished it off and drew IU closer, 3-1.\n"We were just coming down the field, and Kimmie took a shot from the right," O'Pray said. "And Erica (Nilsson) got a piece of it, and I just finished it off and put it into the back of the net."\nIU was held scoreless the remainder of the contest and fell to the Hawkeyes for the third straight year.\nThe Hoosiers looked to avenge last year's 3-2 double overtime loss to St. Louis Saturday. \nRobertson said she saw positives in her team's resolve to find a way to win through their effort.\n"I think we found a way to win," Robertson said. "I thought our effort was really good today. Sometimes we rushed it, and I think that's something that we're learning. I think we settled down and found out a way, and we connected."\nO'Pray found a way for the second straight game when she put the Hoosiers on top 1-0 with a controversial goal. After numerous shots on Billiken goalie freshman Julie Moeckel, Moeckel appeared to bail SLU out with a save to end IU's rally. However, the official ruled that the ball crossed the line and Moeckel brought it back over, and O'Pray was credited with her second goal of the season.\n"The first goal I tapped it, and it went over the line. And the goalie brought it back over," O'Pray said. "It barely just crossed the line, but the ref was lucky enough to see it."\nIU carried its lead into the break. And after numerous missed opportunities, IU capitalized when O'Pray again scored on a scramble in front of the cage off of a penalty corner shot.\nO'Pray's second goal ended the games, scoring after IU outshot SLU 13-8 on the afternoon.\nA big key to the victory was the Hoosier defense's ability to keep IU in the game while the offense found its stride. Co-captain Jones said that communication was a big factor in IU's success.\n"Communication is a big thing with our team," Jones said. "Just being able to communicate with each other as a defense and knowing that if I miss a ball that somebody's behind me to back me up."\nIU will look to back up this win with another on their final road trip of the season when they battle Northwestern and Colgate on Friday and Saturday respectively. But Jones said she will always remember her final home contest.\n"Although it's not the last game it's the last game at home and playing at home is so special because you're playing at your house," Jones said. "But we were able to come up with a win which made it amazing"