Field Hockey: Hoosier win streak reaches double digits

The No. 7 IU women's field hockey team's win streak reached double digits Friday, as the Hoosiers defeated No. 9 Ohio State 2-1 during a double overtime thriller.\nThe victory extended the team's record-breaking win streak to 10 games and improved the Hoosiers' record to 13-1 overall, with the 13 wins marking an all-time high for the program and all but ensuring 2005 as the most successful season in coach Amy Robertson's tenure. \n"This team has more heart than any team I've ever coached," Robertson said. "They believe they deserve the success they're having, and there is an 'it's our turn now' feeling throughout the whole team." \nAfter a scoreless first half, the Buckeyes were able to get on the board first when Lauren Kruse netted a goal five minutes into the second half. IU knotted the score at 1-1 when sophomore forward Frederique Meeuwsen scored her second goal of the season in the 51st minute. \nAt the end of regulation, the scored remained 1-1. \nAfter the first sudden-death overtime period of 15 minutes expired without a goal, the Hoosiers and Buckeyes entered into a second overtime period. In the 97th minute, the Hoosiers caught the break they needed, as they were awarded a penalty corner that resulted in the game-winning goal from junior back Morgan Miller. Sophomore Meredith Brown and junior Lydia Schrott assisted with the deciding goal.\nSophomore goalkeeper Haley Exner led the IU defense, recording a career-best 16 saves and stifling five OSU penalty corners during overtime.\n"We organized and communicated well out there," Exner said. "I'd make a save and one of our backs would be right there to clear it out. As a unit, we just shut them down." \nThe Hoosier victory snapped OSU's 11-game winning streak and dropped the Buckeyes from the ranks of unbeaten Big Ten teams. IU improved its record in Big Ten play to 4-0, marking the first time the Hoosiers have ever been perfect at this point in the conference season. Penn State remains the only other unbeaten Big Ten team. \nFriday's victory was the second time the Hoosiers have played a double overtime game this season. The first was Sept. 24, when the Hoosiers upset then-No. 6 Michigan State 3-2. \nSenior midfielder Lesley Wiler said she believes her team has something extra that allows it to pull out the narrow victories.\n"Sometimes it just comes down to who can find it within themselves and push themselves farther than they think they can go," Wiler said. "We've just found a way to push through the fatigue and pain and pull it out."\nRobertson said her team was already a little fatigued from an emotional victory over Louisville on Tuesday, which made the travel and strain of a double overtime game on the road all the more difficult.\n"We were a little tired physically to start the game, so we started out a little defensive," Robertson said. "We just kept putting all our effort into it, and ultimately, the bottom line was that we refused to lose"