Field hockey set for final regular season game

After helping lead the Hoosiers to two victories last weekend, IU field hockey junior forward Audra Heilman received her second Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honor of the season, making her the first Hoosier to do so in program history.

Heilman said the award is an honor and a representation of how hard the team has worked this season.

“It’s a huge honor,” Heilman said. “It’s awesome to get it, but I’m also representing the team and the team’s effort from this weekend. I feel honored to be the person representing the team.”

IU Coach Amy Robertson said Heilman’s ability to get things going offensively shows how the team has improved throughout the season.

“The award is definitely a testament to Audra,” she said. “She creates a lot of the goal-scoring opportunities. It’s also a testament to our whole squad.”

Robertson said IU’s entire team is better.

“People have to worry about everyone, not just Audra,” she said.

The Hoosiers will conclude their regular season on Saturday when they travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., to face off against the Michigan Wolverines.

The Wolverines have a 10-7 record, and they are 2-2 in Big Ten play.

On defense, the Hoosiers will need to contain Michigan’s leading scorer, senior forward Rachael Mack. Mack has 42 points this season, including 18 goals.

When the Hoosiers are on offense, they will be going against one of the Big Ten’s best goalies, senior Haley Jones, who has a 9-7 record and 62 saves this season.

Robertson said both wins over the weekend have been a big confidence boost to the entire team.

“It gives us the knowledge to tell us that we can score,” Robertson said. “We scored five against a good Big Ten opponent.”

Heilman said the Hoosiers need to get started on offense early against the Wolverines.
“We need to come out firing right away,” Heilman said. “We did that against Ohio State. When we come out early on offensive it gives us the momentum, and that will lead to our success.”

IU senior forward Emily Bowker said she thinks the win over Ohio State has the Hoosiers feeling more confident than they have been all season. The victory over Ohio State was the Hoosiers’ first Big Ten regular-season win since 2011.

“That win was huge,” Bowker said. “It gives us the confidence to know that we can win a Big Ten game. I think it’s the best that we have felt going into a game all season.”

Follow reporter Dan Matney on Twitter @Dan_Matney.