What we have learned thus far in 2011

Classes are back in full swing, and five of IU’s 24 varsity sports have begun their 2011-12 campaigns. From dominance to question marks, IU has seen it all in the early part of the semester. Here’s what we can take away from the first portion of the fall
season:

Football
Many did not expect IU Coach Kevin Wilson and his staff to lead the Hoosiers (0-1) to an undefeated season. However, not many predicted a loss to open the season,
either. The Hoosiers’ 27-20 loss to Ball State (1-0) at Lucas Oil Stadium had fans scratching their heads as the fourth-quarter clock melted away.

Neither line looked good. The run game was awful, and a loss to Ball State raises question marks for the remainder of the season.

The Big Ten has some of the most talented teams in the country, and if IU does not find answers quickly, it could be a long season in Bloomington.

I am not saying Bill Lynch would have led the Hoosiers to victory, nor am I jumping off the Coach Wilson bandwagon, but I bet Zakk and Jack are laughing at the season-opening loss.

Field Hockey
A young roster and a .500 season a year ago would lead to concern for any program heading into a new season.

However, being undefeated at 4-0 with a win against a top-15 opponent should silence any doubt about what is to come.

The Hoosiers’ field hockey team has done just that. An impressive start thus far should result in high hopes for the remainder of the season.

The Hoosiers head west for a date with Stanford (3-1) Friday and University of California-Berkeley (3-0) Sunday.

Men’s Soccer
After zero goals in the season opener, the Hoosiers’ (2-0-1) offense ignited this past weekend at the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic.

On Friday, Saint Louis (1-2-0) was up first for the Hoosiers, who had a big weekend.
A 3-1 victory was only the beginning as Indiana dominated 6-0 against Dayton (0-3-0) on Sunday. The wins allowed the Hoosiers to claim their first Classic title since 2005.
Freshman striker Eriq Zavaleta earned Big Ten co-Offensive Player of the Week honors for his two-goals, two-assists performance during the weekend games.

Any questions the lack of offense posed earlier are gone. The Hoosiers are a solid team and have a lot to look forward to for the remainder of the
season.

The quest for an eighth star has begun, and if the Hoosiers keep up their early season success, they could be a force to be reckoned with later in the year.

Women’s Soccer
It is still early and has been tough to gauge the women’s soccer team (3-2-1).
The Hoosiers finished second at the Notre Dame adidas Invitational last weekend.
In the first-place match, No. 10 Notre Dame (3-2-0) defeated Indiana 4-1.

The Hoosiers looked strong for all but eight minutes when the Irish scored three of their four goals.

IU will close out the non-conference portion of the schedule this weekend when the Hoosiers face Xavier and Marquette on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
A five-game home stand is nice, but the Hoosiers need momentum since the Big Ten schedule comes calling next week.

Volleyball
The IU volleyball team (4-2) did not experience defeat until its 13th match last
season.

This year has been much different as the Hoosiers continue to search for someone to fill the void of middle blocker Ashley Benson.

The Hoosiers need a key performance each night if they expect to have a solid year. They received that from junior Samantha Thrower, the key ingredient to the Hoosiers’ success Saturday.

Her 15 kills on 15 attempts set a new Big Ten record for hitting percentage and tied the national record for hitting percentage from a player with between 15-19 attempts.
The Hoosiers need more stellar performances like this one as they continue their push for another successful season.

IU now prepares for the Hoosier Classic this weekend.