Fleetwood, Green to play final home game for IU

The IU field hockey team will host No. 24 Ohio State for Saturday’s senior game.

The match will be the last home game for senior forward Morgan Fleetwood and graduate student goalkeeper Viki Green.

IU Coach Amy Robertson said although this is the senior game, the approach will be the same.

“We don’t want to place greater emphasis on this game,” Robertson said. “We’re going after it and playing to win. A win would be nice for seniors. It’s momentum heading into the tournament, and it proves to ourselves that we can win a game in the conference.”

Fleetwood said this experience will be both exciting and sad. She also acknowledged that while leaving IU behind will be a difficult task, she’s confident she and her teammates will remain close.

“I will always have these girls, and I’ll always be a part of this team,” Fleetwood said. “I still talk to my upperclassmen from when I was a freshman, so things change, but it’s all for the good.”

Though Fleetwood has been at IU for five years and Green for two, Green admitted the experiences and extent of her stay at IU won’t make leaving any easier.

“It’s very bitter,” Green said. “I don’t want the season to end. I’ve had a lot of fun experiences in my two years here, and it’s probably been my best decision I’ve ever made to come to IU and play hockey.”

Green also explained how unreal the thought of leaving has been to her.

“It’s going to be a shock to go back home to Ireland and not be able to see these girls again,” she said. “We’ve got Facebook, so we can do that. These are definitely my friends for life. I’ll definitely stay in contact with them.”

Junior forward Emily Bowker shared a story about Green she found memorable and funny.

“A little story about Viki Green is she actually bought a moped here, and it got towed and stolen,” Bowker said. “Let’s just say her dad wanted to get her. It’s so many memories with our Irish teammate.”

Junior defender Hannah Boyer said she, too, will have funny memories of Green.

“Viki is one of the most disorganized people I’ve ever met,” Boyer said. “She’s always wearing someone else’s clothes, at all times. She’ll walk in the locker room, and we will recognize the sweatshirt is ours, or the T-shirt is one of ours.”

Both Boyer and Bowker said Fleetwood is a mentor. Bowker also credits Fleetwood for her progression as a player.

“Morgan has been one of my teachers since I’ve gotten here,” she said. “It was certain people who reached out to me, and Morgan was one of them, and she got me to where I am today.”