Hoosiers go 0-2 during weekend

The IU field hockey team finished the weekend winless after falling 3-0 at Michigan State on Friday and losing in the final 18 seconds at Ball State on Sunday, 3-2.

IU coach Amy Robertson said injuries played a huge role in the outcome in the game against Michigan State.

“Unfortunately, it really affected us to have our backbone midfield players out with concussions,” Robertson said.

Senior forward Morgan Fleetwood was involved in a collision in the game against Penn State, and her symptoms began to progress and led to her not playing against Michigan State.

In addition to Fleetwood’s injury, sophomore forward Audra Heilman took an inadvertent stick to the head in the Michigan State game which put her on the sideline.

The Hoosiers failed to score a goal against the Spartans, losing 3-0. Robertson said although they played a good team, the lineup change and her team’s mental approach might have decided the game.

“Overall we didn’t play with as much confidence as we could have,” Robertson said. “And maybe the changes in personnel affected us, and we weren’t able to overcome.”

IU was back in action on Sunday as they traveled to Muncie, Ind., to face in-state rival Ball State. The team was again without Fleetwood and Heilman. The Hoosiers lost to the Cardinals on a goal with 18 seconds left in the game.

Robertson expressed her disappointment with the way certain players competed against the Cardinals. She said it was like they were not playing with the mind set of accomplishing the goals they had set before the game.

“It’s one thing to go out and play a game,” she said. “It’s another to go play with focus and clarity of what you are trying to do.”

Heading into the next practice, Robertson noted it will be simple but competitive. She said it will be situational and match-style so they are better prepared.

Robertson also said the team will watch film, and they will have a better feel to the game.

Robertson said the key to her team improving is returning to the style of play with which they began, and everyone has to be ready to play to be successful.

“We need to play IU field hockey,” she said. “We started the season with a different energy, and that is what we have to get back to. Right now the advantage for us is that we don’t have anything to lose after having a weekend like that.”