IU field hockey prepares for Big Ten play

The IU field hockey team is seeking to build on last season’s 4-2 record in the Big Ten.

The Hoosiers will begin working toward that goal in their Big Ten opener Sept. 24 at Penn State.

For a Big Ten team to beat the Hoosiers, senior midfielder Kelsey Kiper said it has to defeat the way they play. Regardless of whom IU opposes, the Hoosiers must adhere to what makes them successful.

“We always focus on playing Indiana hockey,” Kiper said. “Whatever the teams might throw at us, I think that if you change your structure, if you change how you play according to a team, you can never build your own attack. You can never have your own mentality as a team.

“People aren’t going to be ‘Indiana’s really good at this’ because we’re constantly changing our structure. We have to define who we are so that they can be on their toes.”

Resilience is also necessary for success, according to freshman back Danielle McNally.

“If we get inside our head, then we’ve already lost,” McNally said.

Sophomore forward Shareyna Chang said IU must reflect on its Sept. 11 loss to Miami when they open conference play.

“We’re going to have to find it within ourselves to never have this feeling ever again, to ever walk off our field knowing that we just fought for two 35-minute halves and didn’t get the results that we want,” Chang said.

IU coach Amy Robertson said she wants her team to play with confidence during the Big Ten schedule.

Kiper made it clear IU will not change their style based on the opponent.

“We’re going to keep playing Indiana hockey,” she said.