Replacing 7 with 7

After losing seven seniors from last season, the No. 10 Hoosiers found a solution to their potential problem by replacing them with seven freshmen.\nWith its combination of young and old players, the IU field hockey team split the first two games of its season.\nOn Saturday, the No. 19 Virginia Cavaliers edged out the Hoosiers 3-2. Freshman forward Haley Funk and senior All-American forward Lydia Schrott each scored in the losing effort. Funk's goal in the second half was her first career score for the Hoosiers.\nIU coach Amy Robertson took advantage of her team's depth, and seven Hoosiers made their first career appearances in game action. Along with Funk, making their first appearances for the Hoosiers were freshmen Lucy Ireland, Fenna Gueskens, Brittney Hacken, Meg O'Connell, Elizabeth Schmidt and Alina Valenti.\nSenior back Morgan Miller said she believes the new players didn't have a negative effect on the outcome of the game.\n"I don't think that's why we lost," Morgan said of the new players. "The freshmen that played played great. It had a lot more to do with communication and spacing on the field."\nThe Hoosiers rebounded from their Saturday loss with a 5-0 victory against the Longwood Lancers on Sunday.\nSchrott followed up her goal Saturday with three more Sunday, which marked her third career hat trick. Schrott has notched three of the four hat tricks in IU field hockey history.\n"Lydia lifts the team every second she's out on the field," Robertson said. "She never has a day when she gives half effort, in practice or games. She really is a champion."\nAlong with Schrott's hat trick, Miller added two goals of her own for the Hoosiers. Miller said she believes the reason the Hoosiers were able to win their second game was because of an emotional -- not physical -- adjustment.\n"The biggest difference was confidence," Miller said. "We already had one game under our belts, and we knew what it'd take to be successful. We attacked more and were much more aggressive."\nRobertson was also impressed with her team's play this weekend.\n"I think the new faces have provided a lot of energy for us," Robertson said. "They are all very smart hockey players. It doesn't feel like they are freshmen."\nThe freshmen have had help this season meshing with the rest of the roster. Miller cited the senior class as the people who have helped the freshmen bridge the gap with the rest of the squad.\n"We have a really dynamic senior class," Miller said. "I think all of the freshmen can find someone in the senior class who is like themselves and thinks like them."\nThe Hoosiers travel to Muncie to take on Ball State at 2 p.m. Saturday.