IU looks for consistency in opener

The IU field hockey team struggled last season with a road record of 1-6, yet the team was successful defending its home field with a 6-1 record.

“It shouldn’t matter if you’re on the road or at home,” IU Coach Amy Robertson said. “We’re trying to be really consistent, and we are going to prepare the same way on the road as we do at home. It starts with practice.”

The Hoosiers start the new season noon Friday at Kent State.

To ensure players are ready for the season opener, players such as senior forward Morgan Fleetwood are receiving additional help to develop the right mentality to compete away from home.

“We’ve been talking with our team psychiatrist, and she has been helping us with our mindsets and the best way to prepare when on the road,” Fleetwood said.

Robertson said some returning players will fulfill different roles this season.

Sophomore forward Audra Heilman is one player who will have to become a leader, Robertson said.

Heilman said she was a quiet freshman last year and now has to be a more verbal player to help the team.

“I have to be more vocal this year because I’m not the freshman anymore,” Heilman said. “I have to teach what I’ve learned over the summer and this past year to the freshmen.”

The Golden Flashes struggled last year with a 8-13 record.

Though Robertson said the Hoosiers weren’t the same team away from Bloomington last season, she also said she has faith in the gameplan, and that the team’s two exhibition games have it in regular season mode.

“I feel like the team feels confident with what we are going to do,” Robertson said. “I’m expecting us, after having two scrimmages under our belt, to come in like it is the third game of the season and take steps forward.”

Unlike most years, classes began before the field hockey season was underway, leaving the players eager to start the season, Robertson said.

Several freshmen will receive their first official playing time Friday. Though they might be nervous, Robertson said she expects them to play through it.

“They are excited and can’t wait to have opening weekend,” Robertson said. “The freshmen will have their first playing time, and there will be some nerves that first game, but we should play through them pretty quickly.”

Robertson said the freshmen aren’t the only members of the team ready to play.

“Team morale is definitely high, very upbeat,” Fleetwood said. “We are ready to go for this weekend.”