IU poised to take on Michigan State

The IU women's field hockey team is set to take on Michigan State at this weekend's Big Ten tournament.\nIU has yet to win a conference tournament game, but the Hoosiers are coming off their best season since the program restarted in 2000. The team's 12 wins are the most in school history.\n"The fact that we've played Michigan State recently gives us an advantage," said IU coach Amy Roberston. "We should be able to make some adjustments and play well."\nThe Hoosiers are led by freshman Frederique Meeuwsen. She has proven to be one of the best players in the conference, either assisting or scoring nearly all of IU's goals in the final five games of the season. Meeuwsen is also the reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week.\nWith her performances, Meeuwsen now holds the single-season scoring record with 10 goals and the single-season point record with 23 points.\nSophomore Lydia Schrott and junior Lesley Wiler have both moved into the record books. Schrott now has 37 points in just two seasons of play to lead the points list. Also, Wiler is now third on the all-time career points list. \nThe Hoosiers will need senior goalkeeper Katie Kanara to play strong against the Spartans.\n"Defensively, we changed a few things to better prepare," Kanara said. "We're not afraid."\nMichigan State finished the season tied for the regular season conference championship and is now ranked third in the tournament and fifth in the nation.\nThe Spartans boast many standout players. Big Ten Player of the Year candidate senior Veerle Goudswaard leads the conference in points per game with 3.29. She's put 26 goals home on 66 shots on goal. One of those goals came in State's most recent game against Iowa as her goal in overtime would be the game winner. \nGoudswaard has received Offensive Player of the Week from the conference on two different occasions.\nThree others have stood out for the Spartans this season. Senior Annebet Beerman has tallied 14 goals and six assists, junior Jessica Miller and fellow classmate Breanna Harpstead have a combined 19 assists and four goals on the season.\nJunior goalkeeper Christina Kirklady has received Defensive Player of the Week honors from the conference twice, and is considered one of the best in the Big Ten. Kirklady has five shutouts on the season with 58 saves. Nineteen goals have slipped past Kirklady this season, giving her a 1.08 goals against average. \nIn the tournament, 11-year MSU coach Michele Madison will be looking to repeat her 2002 success when the Spartans played in the NCAA Final Four.\nThe Hoosiers will need to defeat the Spartans and the winner of the Iowa-Northwestern game to make it to the final game of the tournament. Robertson does not expect the team to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, so winning the Big Ten tournament becomes crucial.\n"We've done every thing we can," said junior Morgan Albini. "It's time to play well."\n-- Contact staff writer Sam Nissen at scnissen@indiana.edu.