Kotynski sisters set to face off

When the IU women’s soccer team (4-3) plays at 7:30 p.m. today against Butler (3-4) at Bill Armstrong Stadium, one Hoosier player will be doing something she has never done before – play against her sister.

Junior defender/midfielder Christie Kotynski will face her younger sister, Mandi Kotynski, who is a freshman defender/midfielder for the Bulldogs, a team IU has beaten the last seven times they’ve faced off.

“It’s going to be a lot different,” Kotynski said. “I never really played against her. We did a one-v-one thing in high school, and that was really the only time we played against each other, and we really didn’t talk to each other on the way home.”

Kotynski said she expects to see her sister often, considering they play the same position.

Not only will this be an emotional game for the Kotynski sisters, it will be hard for their parents as well, who are coming to the game to support both girls. They will do their best to show no favoritism. Christie Kotynski’s grandfather, on the other hand, will be rooting for her, she said.

“I think (my parents) have T-shirts made,” she said. “I think they have half-IU, half-Butler T-shirts being made. I know Grandpa is on my side, but I know it will be hard for (our parents).”

Although the sisters recognized they would be facing each other since the schedule came out this summer, Christie Kotynski said they have hardly discussed the scenario.

“We’ve known about this game for awhile, but we really haven’t talk about it,” she said. “We have obviously known we were going to play against each other. Last time I talked to her was Sunday, just asking her about how her game was, and I said, ‘I’ll see you Thursday.’”

In 16 years of coaching, two siblings playing against each other is an unfamiliar tune for IU coach Mick Lyon.

“You know what? I don’t think I have seen this before,” Lyon said. “It’s going to be interesting. I know her sister Mandi well, and I’m sure both of them will be playing with a little more emotion.

“Christie has guaranteed me that she’s got no hesitation about putting her sister on her back if that’s what it comes to. They are both really good players and I think it will be fun for them, and it will be one for them to put in the record books.”

As for the simple matter of the game, Wednesday’s practice saw the Hoosiers work on long service balls into the six-yard box. It’s something the Hoosiers feel they can improve when they take on the Bulldogs.

“It’s something we need to work better on,” junior Liz Holby said. “We feel like we are
not getting the keeper as involved as we should. On our services, we want to make sure that we are putting the ball between us and the goalie, so that we have a better chance (to score) and there is more of a chance for them to make a mistake on their part.”