No. 17 IU starts anew after a losing season

The Hoosiers are gearing up for their 10th season as a varsity team.

After an injury-filled 7-11 season last year, IU spent the summer working to ensure a better 2009 mark.

“We made a huge commitment in the off-season to get more fit, more disciplined, and to gain more experience on the field,” IU field hockey coach Amy Robertson said.

The Hoosiers return six seniors and a pool of talented underclassmen back from injury.

Leading the Hoosiers are senior forward Alina Valenti and senior midfielder Meg O’Connell, who scored seven and six goals last season, respectively. IU has won its first two preseason scrimmages, with a total of seven goals to only one goal for the opposition.

Sophomore back Brenna Moeljadi and freshman forward Morgan Fleetwood look to help the Hoosiers win the season.

With a team full of underclassmen, IU scored 33 goals to its opponents’ 47 last season.

Coming into this year, the Hoosiers only lost two players and are returning with 16 letter winners.