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(03/04/06 5:33pm)
INDIANAPOLIS — With Friday's 61-46 upset of No. 3 seed Minnesota the IU women's basketball team has advanced to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament for only the third time in school history. \nThe sixth-seeded Hoosiers will face No. 2 seed Purdue Sunday at Conseco Fieldhouse. During the regular season both teams claimed overtime victories on their opponent's homecourt. Purdue won 61-56 in Bloomington Jan. 5, while the Hoosiers upset the then-No. 10 Boilermakers 63-61 in West Lafayette Feb. 19.\nIn defeating No. 20 Minnesota, IU claimed its second win over a top-25 opponent in two weeks, strengthening its case for an NCAA Tournament bid.\nBut IU head coach Sharon Versyp insisted that, while she believes the Hoosiers should be considered for the tournament, the focus of the team rests solely on its next opponent.\n"I think we've done pretty well this year and have made some big steps," she said. "This group is deserving of something, but right now, it's the postseason and the Big Ten Tournament. That's all that matters."\nFrom the opening tip, the Hoosiers played as though they had something to prove. Senior guard Cyndi Valentin scored the game's first basket by boldly slicing through the heart of the Minnesota defense for a lay-up that sparked the Hoosiers to an early 10-2 lead.\nOn the other end of the floor, stifling defense caused the flustered Gophers to commit several costly turnovers and allowed IU to take a 25-20 lead into halftime.\nFreshman forward Whitney Thomas played with poise beyond her years, recording eight points and six rebounds in the first half, while holding second-team All-Big Ten forward Jamie Broback scoreless during the first 20 minutes. \n"I've been working on staying with the post player," Thomas said. "I just stayed right up with her."\nBroback finally got on the board by scoring the first points of the second half. But the Hoosiers responded with an 11-0 run to open up a 36-22 lead. After a nearly seven-minute drought, Minnesota scored, but its struggle to penetrate the Hoosiers' zone defense continued. The Gophers' offensive woes caused them to shoot a paltry 30 percent from the field, while committing 20 turnovers. \n"We flustered them a little bit and then it just builds," Versyp said. "That's usually what Minnesota does to us. They've caused us a lot of problems before, and they still did cause us problems. But I think we flustered them a little bit more."\nWhile the Hoosiers suffered bouts of sloppy play and missed lay-ups, they managed to shoot 45 percent from the field and 50 percent from three. \nSophomore Nikki Smith consistently found holes in the Minnesota defense, allowing her several open looks at the basket. Smith tied her career best with a game-high 18 points on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. \n"Cyndi (Valentin) does a great job setting up shooters," she said. "I know my role and when I'm open, I'm going to shoot. Luckily, tonight I got some open looks and knocked them down."\nDespite a seemingly dominant performance, the Hoosiers are not allowing themselves to get overconfident. The team knows a battle awaits it against Purdue, Smith said, and it cannot get distracted by looking ahead to a possible NCAA Tournament berth.\n"We're really not thinking about the NCAA Tournament right now," she said. "Purdue is a really hard team. We had two really tough games against them. We're just really excited and enjoying this win and then tomorrow we'll work on beating Purdue"
(03/02/06 5:39am)
With the book officially closed on the regular season, the IU women's basketball team (15-12, 9-7) has completed an impressive one-year turnaround. The Hoosiers hope the resurgence continues as they begin Big Ten Tournament play Thursday against Michigan at Conseco Fieldhouse. \nLast season, the team finished 10-18 overall and 3-13 in the Big Ten before a loss to Wisconsin in the first round of the conference tournament. \nThis season, the Hoosiers claimed five more wins overall and six more in the Big Ten -- a feat that has garnered them the No. 6 seed in the tournament. The seeding is the highest for the Hoosiers since 2002, when, as the No. 5 seed, they became the lowest seeded team to win the tournament.\nAfter a long and grueling\nseason, sophomore guard Nikki Smith said she knows that replicating that achievement will require considerable focus and determination from the entire team.\n"We have to keep mentally focused," she said. "It's toward the end of the season, our bodies are tired. We have to stay together and stay focused. We have to be sure that our team as a whole is together and has the one goal in mind that we want to go as far as we can."\nIU coach Sharon Versyp said the strain of a long season was evident in the final two games of the season as the lackluster Hoosier team dropped both games. However, she said she expects the team to be refreshed and at the top of its game by tournament time. \n"We have good confidence," she said. "It was a tough road, but we played well. We have some concern of not letting someone go on a run. You've got to make sure that you're staying composed. If they go on a run, we've got to answer and we didn't do that the last two games."\nWhile Versyp said she hopes her team has learned something from previous games, she said she knows that once the tournament starts, records no longer matters. \n"It's anybody's tournament," Versyp said. "It's a new season for everybody, records don't matter. We've always played hard, but our last couple games we haven't played with that passion and emotion and excitement. It's been depleted, so we've got to come back and get that."\nTo be successful, the Hoosiers expect major contributions from three players whose efforts earned the trio All-Big Ten honors. Senior guard Cyndi Valentin, IU's leading scorer with 18.1 points per game, was a consensus first team All-Big Ten pick. Their leading rebounder and second-leading scorer, senior forward Jenny DeMuth, was named to the second team by the conference coaches and third team by the media. Freshman forward Whitney Thomas became the first Hoosier selected for the All-Big Ten freshman team since Valentin earned the honor in 2003. \nValentin credits her performance and IU's improvement to the confidence Versyp has brought to the program in her first year. \n"Coach Versyp instills that confidence in us," Valentin said. "We know what we're capable of and it's just believing and having confidence in each other, which I think we have"
(02/20/06 4:43am)
WEST LAFAYETTE -- With less than 10 seconds remaining in regulation Sunday, Purdue had victory in its grasp. Seconds later, IU senior guard Cyndi Valentin yanked it away.\nValentin knocked down a 3-pointer with five seconds left in regulation to force overtime. She rose to the occasion again in the extra session, connecting on a pair of free throws with three seconds to go to give IU (15-10, 9-5) a 63-61 upset of No. 10 Purdue at Mackey Arena.\nFor the third straight time, the in-state rivals needed an extra period to decide the outcome of the game. And for the first time, the Hoosiers were victorious -- snapping a five-game losing streak to the Boilermakers (21-4, 12-2) and knocking them out of first place in the Big Ten.\n"This is a big win for us," Valentin said. "We have come so close in the past, but were never able to finish. This was the first time for me beating Purdue, and it feels awesome."\nThe Hoosiers took the lead late in regulation after a three by Valentin put them up 50-47. Purdue responded with a 9-5 run that seemed to seal the game. However, with less than 10 seconds remaining and IU down by three, Valentin connected on a running 3-pointer to force overtime.\n"We tried to get the ball in my hands, and I just tried to get ball in the hoop," she said. "They set off me a little bit and I shot it."\nAfter Valentin scored the first points in the extra session, the Hoosiers never trailed but were unable to put the Boilermakers away. Purdue tied the game three times in overtime, the third coming on a layup with four seconds remaining.\nJust as it appeared the game was headed for a second overtime, Purdue guard Cherelle George fouled Valentin on the in-bounds pass. With two seconds remaining, Valentin calmly knocked down two free throws to give IU the victory.\n"I'm so happy for our team," she said. "We executed our game plan. And we are so excited."\nThe Hoosiers out-rebounded a tall, physical Purdue squad 35-29 and slowed the Boilermaker offense with suffocating zone defense. The IU offense was boosted by a 10-of-14 mark from three-point range.\nSophomore guard Nikki Smith, who contributed four threes of her own, said that the win was a huge stepping stone for the Hoosiers.\n"This game is why we play basketball," she said. "We all wanted this win so much and just gave everything we had to pull it off. This feeling is so amazing."\nExcitement also surrounded IU coach Sharon Versyp on a personal level, as she returned to her alma mater for the first time as an opposing coach. Versyp, a four-year starter, left Purdue in 1988 ranked second in career points and assists. After losing her first contest to Purdue Jan. 5 at Assembly Hall, she is now 1-1 against her former school.\nHowever, Versyp said the focus belongs on the team, not her.\n"I give all the credit to these young ladies," she said. "We just focused all week, trying to get that mental edge. We've been so close on so many occasions. Going into overtime we just talked about finishing out on their court, like they finished on ours. I'm so proud of this group. This is gigantic for our program and where we want to take it"
(02/17/06 5:19am)
When the IU women's basketball team (14-10, 8-5 Big Ten) arrives in West Lafayette for Sunday's matchup with No. 10 Purdue, it will be looking for more than just an ordinary conference win. As the two rivals face off, bragging rights in the state of Indiana will be on the table. \nOn Jan. 5, the Boilermakers escaped Assembly Hall with a narrow overtime victory. After losing a rivalry game on their home court, the Hoosiers are ready to return the favor.\nSophomore guard Nikki Smith looks forward to healing the wounds caused by the early season loss.\n"That is one of the losses that hurts us the most because we were so close to getting the win," Smith said. "It was our third game in the Big Ten. We were still getting used to our team and figuring out our identity. We have a lot better team chemistry now."\nAlthough IU coach Sharon Versyp is in her first year at the helm of the IU program, she is no stranger to this rivalry. As a four-year starter at Purdue, Versyp is quite familiar with the way players come into this game. \n"There's obviously a little extra hype for an in-state rivalry game," she said. "The players are a little more fired up and excited than they are when they play anybody else."\nWhile Versyp can easily identify with the players' mentality, she knows that it is her job as a coach to keep the team focused.\n"I'm sure the mindset (of the players) is a little different than usual," she said. "That's pretty natural. But, I don't think we approach it any differently. We're not preparing any differently."\nAs they go on the road to take on the top team in the Big Ten, the Hoosiers know a win will not be easy. Versyp expects the game to draw a crowd of more than 10,000 fans, one of the biggest IU will have experienced so far. But the Hoosiers will have one thing on their side -- revenge. Versyp said she would love to return to her alma mater and silence the Purdue faithful. \nSenior guard Cyndi Valentin knows the team faces a difficult task, but she believes the Hoosiers are capable of pulling off the upset.\n"It's going to take a great team effort," she said. "Everyone needs to be ready. All 13 of us need to be ready and come to play. It's going be a battle, because they play really well at home. But I think we'll be ready if we all step up and execute." \nThroughout the season Valentin has led by example, stepping up and executing in every game. For her efforts, she was named co-Big Ten Player of the Week after putting up 22 points in games against Penn State on Feb. 9 and Northwestern on Feb. 12.\n"It's a great honor, especially since we have such a great conference," she said. "I just do whatever I can to help my teammates. I couldn't do the things I do without my teammates setting me up so well"
(02/09/06 7:13am)
On New Year's Day the IU women's basketball team (12-10, 6-5) snapped Penn State's 26-game home conference winning streak. Thursday night, the Lady Lions will be on the hunt for revenge to restore their pride.\nIU head coach Sharon Versyp expects Penn State to be looking for payback in Assembly Hall. \n"Whenever you beat a team you always know they're gonna be geared up the next time you play them," Versyp said. "When you beat them at home it adds a little extra incentive. We gave them the loss that snapped their streak. I'm sure that's in the back of their minds."\nWhile Penn State looks to avenge the loss, the Hoosiers seek to prove it was not a fluke. Senior guard Cyndi Valentin knows that Thursday's game will be a tough contest -- similar to the first game -- but is confident in her team's ability to duplicate the results.\n"I'd say (revenge) will be a factor," Valentin said. "We know that they're gonna come out and play and give us a battle. But I wouldn't say that we're worried. Instead, we're ready for them."\nIn the first contest, Penn State's youth got the best of them, as the team committed multiple turnovers and struggling to get into an offensive rhythm. But the Lady Lions have turned youth into experience. Leading the Lions' attack is the frontrunner for Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, Brianne O'Rourke. The 5-foot-6 point guard, who tops the conference in assists, has steadied the offensive attack. The recipient of many of O'Rourke's passes, All-Big Ten candidate Kam Gissendanner, ranks third in the conference in scoring. The duo has made its team competitive in the conference. \n"I think they're gonna play great," Versyp said. "They're just a really complete team now. They were inexperienced in the beginning of the year, but now they've gained some experience. They're not as young as everybody thinks they are." \nAs the Lady Lions hope to demonstrate their improvement, IU will attempt to improve it's postseason chances by moving up in the Big Ten rankings and securing a higher seed in the conference tournament. With five games remaining, the Hoosiers are in sixth place, but trail fifth place Iowa by only half a game and fourth place Michigan State by one game. Versyp knows that her team can move up before the postseason, but is only focused on one game at a time.\n"I think it really depends," she said. "I think the next couple of games this week will start showing where people will be. We need to have an amazing five-game stretch (to move up), but we're just gonna worry about one game at a time and see what happens."\nSenior forward Jenny DeMuth agreed that the Hoosiers need to focus on one game at a time and not allow themselves to look ahead to future games or be distracted by previous performances. DeMuth said that the team needs to move past a disappointing loss in its last game against Ohio State and focus on Penn State. \n"We're ready for them," she said. "We didn't play well against Ohio State, but we need to move on. So I think we're getting back to playing the way we play our style of basketball. We're ready for a good game"
(01/26/06 5:43am)
With one month remaining in conference play, a log jam exists in the middle of the Big Ten standings. IU, Illinois and Michigan State are deadlocked in a three-way tie for fourth place. \nBut the Hoosiers (10-8, 4-3) could distance themselves from both teams by the end of the weekend, as they welcome Illinois to Assembly Hall Thursday, before heading to East Lansing to face Michigan State on Saturday.\nLooking ahead to the Big Ten tournament, IU head coach Sharon Versyp knows that winning these games will greatly affect her team's postseason chances.\n"A win tomorrow would separate us from the pack because there are about three or four teams that are dead center right now," Versyp said. "We're just preparing to be the best that we can for the postseason tournament. We're just trying to set a precedent for a winning attitude."\nSo far that attitude has carried over into the team's conference win column. Through seven games, the Hoosiers have already bested their season total for conference wins from last year. Another win would give the team five conference victories for the first time in three years, but Versyp isn't interested in that.\n"I'm a coach that doesn't look at what was in the past," she said. "I think we're just focused on getting better every day. And we're continuing to do that."\nIn the team's last game against Michigan on Jan. 22, the Hoosiers recorded their largest conference victory since 2001. However, Versyp expects the team to play even better against Illinois and its tough pressure defense. The Illini lead the Big Ten in field-goal percentage defense and defensive rebounds by forcing their opponents to take low percentage shots and preventing them from getting second-chance opportunities.\nJunior guard Leah Enterline knows that it will take perfect execution on offense to overcome the Illini defense.\n"We're gonna have to take care of the ball, get it into the post so they can establish their game," she said. "We're gonna have to make our shots. With the offenses that we run we get a lot of open shots, we just have to connect and knock them down."\nSophomore guard Niki Smith will be responsible for knocking down many of those open shots. The team leader in 3-pointers-made hopes the Hoosiers can overcome Illinois and boost their confidence going into the Michigan State game, and set themselves up for a strong finish in the Big Ten. \n"This is a huge game for us," Smith said. "We need to go out there and bring a lot of energy. (Illinois is) right above us in the Big Ten so this game is a major stepping stone for us. If we can just get this win it will give us so much momentum going into Michigan State"
(01/23/06 5:56am)
Last season Michigan entered its game against IU on a six-game losing streak and winless in the Big Ten. The Wolverines finished the game with a two-point advantage for their only conference victory of the season.\nSunday, the circumstances were eerily similar. \nMichigan entered the game against IU on a six-game losing streak and winless in the Big Ten. However, the result was dramatically different.\nIn front of 2,546 fans -- the team's largest crowd of the season at Assembly Hall -- IU routed Michigan 69-44.\n"We had a great turn out today," IU head coach Sharon Versyp said. "I hope we continue to have between 2,500 and 3,000 fans every game. The fans are the sixth player and it really helps the program and the players. We encourage everyone to continue to come and support IU women's basketball and all IU athletic sports." \nThe Hoosiers did not disappoint the record crowd. After IU gained an early 5-0 lead, Michigan battled back to take its first lead with 14:40 remaining in the first half. The Hoosiers responded with a 10-0 run that gave them an 18-7 lead with 8:18 until halftime.\nDuring the stretch, the defense held Michigan scoreless for more than six minutes. IU played solid defense throughout the half, forcing 10 turnovers and holding the Wolverines to 6-of-26 from the field.\nThe second half continued much like the first. The Hoosiers opened the period on a 9-4 run to build a 40-19 lead with just more than 15 minutes left to play. A barrage of 3-pointers by sophomore guard Nikki Smith and senior guard Cyndi Valentin gave the Hoosiers a 56-27 lead, their largest of the night, at the 9:04 mark.\nIU's constant pressure on defense prevented the Wolverines' offense from finding its rhythm. The Hoosiers finished the game with 11 steals and forced Michigan into shooting 16-of-52 from the field.\nThe Hoosiers will look to continue their success Thursday when they welcome Illinois to Assembly Hall.
(01/19/06 6:10am)
For many Big Ten teams, winning conference games on the road is difficult. And winning more away games than home games is almost unheard of. \nExcept for the IU women's basketball team.\nThe Hoosiers (9-7, 3-2 Big Ten) have earned all three of their conference victories on the road. However, their two losses have both occurred in Assembly Hall.\nBut according to IU head coach Sharon Versyp, obtaining the fourth road win will not be an easy task, as the Hoosiers take on No. 7 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio Thursday night.\n"Ohio State is obviously one of the best teams in the country," Versyp said. "They just have all-around great athletes, great defenders. They're gonna try to get up and down the floor as much as they can. They're gonna pressure us as much as they can. They're gonna look to take us out of our game."\nVersyp also said that the Hoosiers will need to take control of the game, mainly by containing the defending Big Ten Player of the Week, junior Jessica Davenport. The 6-foot-5 center is the conference's leading rebounder and third leading scorer, with 9.3 rebounds per game and 18.7 points per game, respectively.\n"We need to control the tempo," Versyp said. "We need to have Davenport have fewer touches. We can't let (sophomore guard Marscilla) Packer have wide open threes. We gotta dominate the boards and get to the foul line."\nSenior guard Cyndi Valentin knows the Hoosiers will need to be on top of their game to pull off a victory. After setting the NCAA Division I record for consecutive free throws made in a season in the team's last game against Northwestern, and ending the streak on the same night, Valentin is ready to put her personal accomplishments behind her and focus on the team. \n"I think in the Big Ten every game is gonna be a battle," she said. "Everyone is coming to play. (Ohio State has) been playing well and I'm sure they want to defend their home court. I'm sure they're gonna bring it at us. And we're gonna bring it at them too."\nEchoing her teammate's \nsentiments, junior forward Carrie Smith said the Hoosiers are prepared to enter into tough competition with the Buckeyes. \n"I feel like every team in the Big Ten wants to kick the other's butt," Smith said. "So whenever you come into a game, it's war."\nThroughout Big Ten play IU has proven to be a worthy adversary. The team's two losses, by a combined 10 points, have come against top 25 opponents. Against Ohio State, Versyp expects her team to play relaxed and confident in their ability. \n"It's a great challenge and a great opportunity for us," Versyp said. "We're fortunate in that we have nothing to lose. We're not under any pressure and we'll just go out and play the best basketball that we can"
(01/13/06 5:05am)
Like a hitter digging into the batter's box, she plants her right foot just behind the free throw line. Once set, the left foot follows. After receiving the ball, she dribbles six times with her left hand. Following the sixth dribble, she places her right index finger over the air insertion hole. Ever so slightly, she bends her knees and then quickly straightens them as her arm extends and the ball smoothly rolls off her fingertips.\nDating back to a Nov. 26, 2005, game against Bowling Green, senior guard Cyndi Valentin has performed this routine 61 consecutive times. \nAnd each time she has produced the same result -- a made free throw. \nIn 1992, Ginny Doyle of the University of Richmond made 60 free throws in a row and set the NCAA Division I record for consecutive free throws made in a season. That record remained untouched until Valentin stepped to the line with 7:03 remaining against Northwestern on Thursday. After completing her routine, Valentin calmly knocked down her first free throw of the night and broke Doyle's 14-year-old record. After securing the record, Valentin missed her next free throw, ending the streak.\nShe now owns the Division I record and is tied with Valerie Kepner of Baldwin-Wallace College, who set the record for all NCAA Divisions in 1988-89. \nValentin is no stranger to accurate free-throw shooting. In her freshman season, she connected on 25-straight free throws through 13 games. As a sophomore, she began a streak of 48 consecutive free throws made that carried over into her junior year, spanning from Jan. 2 to Nov. 27, 2004. \nCurrently, Valentin's season average of .951 (78-of-82) ranks second in both the nation and the Big Ten. \nShe also holds the school and Big Ten record for career free-throw percentage (.892).\n"I've always shot free throws well," she said. "Last year, I only shot 84 (84-of-103, .816), which wasn't very good. I made it a point that I wanted to shoot better than that. (IU) coach (Sharon Versyp) has us shoot free throws. That's her big emphasis, that if you can't hit free throws, you can't win games."\nSenior forward Jenny DeMuth has bought into her teammate's philosophy. Throughout her career, DeMuth has been doing her best to help the Hoosiers win by -- among other things -- making free throws.\nDeMuth preceded Valentin in making IU free throw history Jan. 9 against Minnesota by surpassing Denise Jackson's record of 443 free throws made in a career. With 451 free throws made, DeMuth sits alone atop the record books.\nThe forward has made free-throw shooting a priority in her game. After going 3-of-9 (.333) from the line against Purdue on Jan. 5, DeMuth made a goal to not miss another free throw for the rest of the season. In the next game, against Minnesota, she connected on all 10 of her free throws, en route to breaking Jackson's record. \nBut DeMuth claims personal records take a backseat to the team's success. \n"Honestly, I've never really thought about it," she said. "I didn't even know that I was close to the record until someone said something the other day. I think it's great to have, but I'm just focused on the team and winning."\nBoth Valentin and DeMuth have been doing their part to lead the team to victory. Valentin leads the team in points per game and total assists, with 17.1 and 57, respectively. DeMuth is second in points per game with 14.1, while her season-total 125 rebounds leads the team. In addition, the duo's accurate free-throw shooting provides Versyp with two team leaders who feel comfortable in clutch situations.\n"Its important to our team's success that they have the ball in their hands," Versyp said. "They want that pressure. With both of them contributing so well, that's just a big key to our success right now. They just have to continue to do that for their teammates and inspire their teammates to do the same."\nSo far, accurate free-throw shooting has been contagious. Through 16 games, the team has gone 250-of-335 (.755) from the line, ranking second in the Big Ten and 21st in the nation. Additionally, the Hoosiers have a .798 average (146-of-183) in their nine victories.
(01/12/06 5:26am)
In only their fifth game of Big Ten play, the IU women's basketball team can match last year's season total for wins in the conference.\nThe Hoosiers (8-7, 2-2 Big Ten) recorded three wins in the Big Ten last season. Two of those wins came against Northwestern (4-10, 0-4 Big Ten), who welcomes IU to Evanston, Ill. Thursday night.\nThe Hoosiers are coming off two close losses to opponents ranked in the Top 25, including No. 12 Purdue and No. 17 Minnesota. Both losses came by a combined total of 10 points.\n"A win would be huge, especially coming off of two home losses," senior guard Cyndi Valentin said. "We really need a victory to get us back on track. We have to come out hard and play together. Against Minnesota we came out flat and that really hurt us."\nAgainst Minnesota Monday, the Hoosiers struggled in the first half and fell behind early. Despite a strong second half, the slow start put the Hoosiers in a hole they couldn't climb out of.\nWhile Northwestern is winless in the Big Ten, senior forward Jenny DeMuth knows the team's intensity level will need to be high tomorrow for the Hoosiers to be successful. Playing hard and bringing a lot of energy to the entire game will be the keys to victory, she said. \n"I think tomorrow is a great opportunity for us," DeMuth said. "I think we're ready to go in there and play hard. We will approach it like we did Minnesota and Purdue. You can't take Northwestern lightly."\nIU head coach Sharon Versyp definitely is not taking Northwestern lightly. Because the Wildcats are winless in the Big Ten and have dropped their last five games, Versyp is more anxious than confident. She knows Northwestern will be hungry for a win. \nBut rather than focusing on the opponent's record, Versyp is more concerned with making sure her team is at the top of its game. She said that will require playing strong team defense, pulling down rebounds and running in transition. \n"Our focus right now is just to get better every day and to improve ourselves," Versyp said. "We don't talk about winning and losing quite a bit. Sometimes you can't control all factors, but we just want to get better every day"
(01/10/06 5:58am)
Hanging high above Branch McCracken court, IU coach Sharon Versyp appeared on the scoreboard and proclaimed the keys to victory prior to Monday night's match-up with No. 17 Minnesota (10-3, 3-0 Big Ten). Number one on the list was dominating the boards.\nThat did not happen. \nMinnesota finished with six more rebounds than IU (8-7, 2-2 Big Ten), 13 offensive rebounds and a 69-64 victory.\nDespite hitting two consecutive three pointers to give themselves an early lead, the Hoosiers struggled in the first half. A 14-4 run put the Gophers up 24-18 with under six minutes to go in the opening period. A barrage of 3-pointers by Minnesota gave them a 12 point lead -- their largest of the game -- with 1:27 remaining in the half. \n"Our first half is what was the deciding factor," Versyp said. "They dominated the boards in the first half. We didn't play hard. They outplayed us in the first and we just didn't get the job done. I thought the second half we did well."\nThe Hoosiers started the second half on a 7-0 run and tied the game at 33. During the next three minutes the lead changed hands six times. The sixth was the final change of the game, as junior forward Jaime Broback started a 13-3 Minnesota run that would give the Gophers the lead for good. Broback finished with a game- and season-high 26 points.\n"I think this is a game I needed to step up," she said. "I think my main thing this game was just bringing confidence and playing hard for however long I was in the game. This is a great game to come off of with two big home games coming up for us."\nBroback did not do it alone for the Gophers. Sophomore guard Brittney Davis recorded a career-high 19 points and the bench contributed 33 points. The Hoosiers provided a balanced attack as well with four players scoring in double digits. However, the bench only accounted for seven points.\n"We need (the bench) to step up," Versyp said. "We're not to the point in our program where we are nine to 10 players deep like Minnesota. That takes time, we're young and it takes time to develop. We gotta do the little things and score some points here and there."\nAfter winning both of last season's match-ups with IU by a combined 31 points, Minnesota head coach Pam Borton was impressed by the Hoosiers' performance.\nHaving (senior guard Jenny) DeMuth back (from a torn ACL) is huge," Borton said. "Adding her gives them two difference makers on the floor that can score at will, with (senior guard Cyndi) Valentin and DeMuth. I think the difference for us tonight was on the boards. They had four players in double figures and we turned the ball over 11 times. You have to wonder how they didn't win the game. I think the difference was probably on the boards"
(12/05/05 4:10pm)
The IU women's basketball team fell just short of accomplishing something it had not done since the 2000-01 season this weekend. After beating Belmont Tuesday and Southern Illinois Friday, the Hoosiers (3-4) were poised to win three straight road games for the first time in five seasons.\nOn Sunday, Louisville refused to cooperate, beating the Hoosiers 72-67 at Freedom Hall. \nIU set up the potential milestone by defeating Southern Illinois 64-59 Friday night in Carbondale, Ill.\nSenior forward Jenny DeMuth and senior guard Cyndi Valentin led the Hoosiers with 13 and 19 points, respectively, in the IU win. DeMuth also grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. \nDespite controlling much of the game, IU could never completely put the Salukis away. The Hoosiers led by double digits several times, but a determined Southern Illinois squad repeatedly fought back.\nIU head coach Sharon Versyp said she was proud of the way her team withstood the comeback attempts.\n"I am really proud of this crew," Versyp said. "We did what we needed to do to win. We are starting to recognize some really good things on the court and really executed plays coming out of the timeouts. I am glad we had a close game." \nAgainst Louisville, the Hoosiers had another close game. While IU led for much of the first half, neither team dominated. The largest lead of the half was a six-point IU advantage, and the teams entered halftime with Louisville leading by three.\nLouisville led throughout the second half, but the Hoosiers stayed close until just under the eight-minute mark when the Cardinals went on a 17-6 run that lasted seven minutes. IU made four three-pointers in the final minute to narrow the gap, but it was not enough to overcome the Cardinals.\nValentin, who led all scorers with a season-high 26 points, attributed the loss to fatigue and sloppy play. The Hoosiers turned the ball over 19 times leading to 23 Louisville points.\n"The difference in the game was the turnovers we made in the second half," Valentin said. "We got fatigued down the stretch, but I thought we played really aggressive today."\nLouisville head coach Tom Collen credited his team's strong second half for beating what he considered to be a formidable IU team.\n"One positive was we got ourselves into a game that was very competitive deep into the second half," Collen said at a press conference. "We had enough confidence and poise to step up and make enough plays to pull away and beat a pretty formidable opponent. I think Indiana will do well in the Big Ten this year."\nDespite the loss to Louisville, Versyp was pleased with the way the team performed and is confident about the team's potential for the remainder of the season.\n"It was still a win for us," she said. "We had a couple relapses but we fought back. Not many teams can do what we've done in the last few days. We're beginning to show signs of a really good team. I couldn't be more proud of them"
(11/21/05 4:46pm)
For 20 minutes, the unranked IU and No. 6-ranked Baylor women's basketball teams appeared to be equals. Unfortunately for the Hoosiers (0-1), they had to play a second half where the defending national champions pulled away for a 74-62 victory Saturday at Assembly Hall. \nIn the first half, the lead changed four times. Sophomore guard Nikki Smith contributed to the lead changes when she hit two key three-pointers to tie or give IU the lead. \nThe Hoosiers shot 55 percent from behind the arc in the first half, but struggled in the second half, making only 11 percent of their three-point attempts. Senior guard Cyndi Valentin led the Hoosiers in the first half with 13 points, including a driving lay-up to tie the game at 40 just before the halftime buzzer.\n"We really competed tonight," Valentin said. "We gave them our best shot, but they are a really tough team. They played hard."\nLeading the Bears was All-American senior forward Sophia Young, who finished with 19 points and 16 rebounds. Young said that the close first half did not concern her team.\n"We weren't worried," Young said. "(Baylor coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson) just told us to rebound and hustle for loose balls. Because of our experience, we weren't worried."\nAfter the break, IU scored the first basket of the second half, but it would be its last lead of the game. Baylor responded with a 25-5 point run, giving the Bears a 16-point lead -- their largest of the game.\nIU came no closer than 10 points the rest of the game. With most of the starters limited because of foul trouble, IU struggled against Baylor's zone defense. The Hoosiers managed to hit only 21 percent of their shots in the second half.\nFirst year IU coach Sharon Versyp, who made her regular season debut at the game, said the second-half troubles were the key to the game.\n"They are a great second-half team," she said. "Our defense was pretty good, but our shooting is what hurt us. We had wide-open looks with our best shooters shooting and couldn't knock them down."\nDespite the loss, Versyp said she was pleased with the effort her team gave throughout the game, refusing to quit against the defending national champions.\n"We competed," she said. "We played intense for 40 minutes. Being able to score against this team was a big plus and to play so well defensively says a lot."\nCompeting for the Hoosiers for the first time in more than a year was senior guard/forward Jenny DeMuth. After sitting out all of last season with a knee injury, DeMuth said she was happy to be out on the floor again. Though the team lost in her return debut, DeMuth said she felt good about how the Hoosiers played.\n"We came in as the underdog and showed we could compete," she said. "I don't think they expected as much from us." \nIU will be tested again in its next matchup against No. 15 Notre Dame on Wednesday night. Versyp said she is confident her team will continue to improve.\n"We're not far off from being a great team," she said. "We have to keep learning the system and it will come together"
(10/21/05 5:24am)
With three games remaining in the regular season, the IU women's soccer team (6-8-1, 2-5 Big Ten) needs two wins to qualify for the Big Ten tournament.\nTo some, that might cause a sense of panic. But the Hoosiers, who welcome Illinois (8-4-3, 4-2-1 Big Ten) and Iowa (2-10-4, 0-5-2 Big Ten) to Bill Armstrong Stadium this weekend, remain focused and steadfast.\n"Our resolve is strong," IU head coach Mick Lyon said. "We approach this weekend just like we have every game this season. We can only go one game at a time, take care of business in each game as it comes and see what happens from there."\nAs the Hoosiers have found in all of their Big Ten matchups this season, the competition this weekend will be fierce. Illinois comes into Friday's game riding an unbeaten streak against IU in the last five meetings between the two. \nAnd playing a winless Big Ten team like Iowa does not guarantee a victory. The Hoosiers found that out last weekend when they became the first team to lose to Northwestern in Big Ten play. \n"Both games will be tough," senior midfielder Kristen Zmijewski said. "We will have to step up. But the mentality of this team all season has been to rise to the occasion when things get tough."\nZmijewski said the Hoosiers hope to take advantage of playing at home, where they have won four of six games this season.\n"(Playing at home) is definitely an advantage," she said. "We know our field and our strengths and weaknesses on it. Plus not having to travel means we stay in our routine, not to mention having fans in the stands supporting us."\nPlaying at home might be advantageous for the Hoosiers, but freshman midfielder Molly Kruger knows the team's play on the field will need to be flawless.\n"We are all going to have to be on top of our game," she said. "One or two slips could cost us. We need to be mentally and physically prepared and play to our potential."\nSenior goalkeeper Lauren Fabbro also stressed the need for perfection during the home stretch of the season. Fabbro and fellow goalkeeper sophomore Stacey Van Boxmeer have recorded a 1.50-goals-against average this season, while the team is averaging just more than one goal per game. Given those numbers, Fabbro knows her duty to protect the net is of utmost importance.\n"We have to be as close to perfect on both ends of the field," she said. "It will take us working for each other, putting balls in the net and playing tough defense."\nGiven the tough competition and need for perfect play, when asked if the Hoosiers would make it to the Big Ten tournament, Lyon, Zmijewski, Kruger and Fabbro all responded with one word: "Definitely"
(10/14/05 5:20am)
IU coach Mick Lyon likens his team to a train. \nRecently, Lyon said the train has been struggling to keep its wheels on the track. \nThat track runs through Evanston, Ill., and Madison, Wis., this weekend as the Hoosiers (5-7-1, 1-4 Big Ten) take on Northwestern and Wisconsin. \n"We need to find a groove," he said. "Right now we have one foot on the track but the second keeps slipping off. If we can get both feet on, we'll be cruising."\nAt one point this season, the IU Women's Soccer Express was cruising with a three-game winning streak. Then the Hoosiers were thrown off track by then-No. 3 Penn State, causing a two-game losing streak. After rolling over then-No. 22 Michigan for its first win against a ranked opponent this season, IU looked to be back on track but instead slipped into another two-game losing streak. \nThis weekend, Lyon expects the Hoosiers to pick up some steam.\n"We have asked certain players to step up," he said. "They have been giving a lot, but we want more. We want everything they have."\nSenior midfielder Kristen Zmijewski is one player who has stepped up all season. She leads the team in goals with four and points with 10. Zmijewski hopes her play will provide the momentum for the team to get rolling again.\n"We need to win some games," she said. "(To do that), we need to play as a team. Everyone needs to take individual responsibility and come together as a team to put up some wins."\nThree wins in five remaining games would put the Hoosiers on track leading into the Big Ten tournament. IU hopes to get two this weekend against Northwestern (7-6-1, 0-5-1 Big Ten) and Wisconsin (6-6-2, 1-4-1 Big Ten), who rank as the last two teams in the conference. However, sophomore forward Kristin Radcliffe said records and rankings mean nothing in Big Ten games.\n"The Big Ten is so up and down," she said. "Any team can win. It doesn't matter who you are playing, every game is big. Both teams come out strong and want to win. We just need to pick it up and work for each other."\nJunior forward Megan Pipkens agrees the team needs to work together. If it does, she believes the Hoosiers will pick up two wins this weekend, giving them momentum to finish the rest of the season strong and roll into the postseason full steam.\n"We need to work harder," Pipkens said. "It will take effort from everyone to play 100 percent individually and as a whole. If we do that, we can definitely get wins"
(10/10/05 5:18am)
IU head coach Mick Lyon said he cannot ask much more from his team.\nPlaying on the road and in the rain, IU (5-7-1, 1-4 Big Ten) out-shot its opponent and scored two goals, but it was not enough for the Hoosiers to overcome Ohio State (5-5-2, 2-3 Big Ten). The Hoosiers lost 3-2 Friday night at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.\nOhio State scored the game's first goal and took a 1-0 advantage into halftime. The Hoosiers started the scoring in the second half when senior midfielder Kristen Zmijewski's shot deflected off a defender's leg and into the goal to tie the game. After the Buckeyes took the lead again, IU scored off of a corner kick to tie the game at 2-2. With 10 minutes remaining in the game, the score was still tied. One minute later, Ohio State scored. This time, IU did not have a response. The final nine minutes ticked away without another goal, giving Ohio State the victory. \nAfter the game Lyon noticed some of his players' faces were wet not just with rain, but tears as well. \n"I really felt for them," he said. "It is disheartening to lose a game that we played so well, but we won't dwell on it. We need to keep working and build upon this game."\nSenior defender Courtney O'Bryan, who scored her first goal of the season Friday, felt the Hoosiers dominated the game and should have come away with a win.\n"We played one of the best games we've played this season," she said. "It is frustrating to know that we go out on the field and are a better team than our opposition and still come away with a loss."\nZmijewski, the team's captain, has been a leader for the Hoosiers all season and leads the team in goals with four and points with 10. And Friday, she did everything she could to try and lead IU to a victory, scoring one goal and setting up O'Bryan for another. But for Zmijewski, playing a good game is not enough; she wants to win.\n"It was really upsetting," she said. "We came out with so much intensity and played so well. To have so many opportunities and in the end fall short, it really kills you."\nWith a 1-4 conference record, the Hoosiers are in eighth place in the Big Ten. Only the top eight teams make it to the Big Ten tournament, and if the season ended today, the Hoosiers would have to face the top-seeded team in the tournament. With five Big Ten games remaining for the Hoosiers, O'Bryan said they have a good chance to improve their conference standing. \n"The next five games are definitely winnable games," she said. "We don't want to be the eighth seed and have to play the top team. We need to get results out of the next five games."\nThe Hoosiers will be on the road again next weekend, traveling to Northwestern and Wisconsin. Both the Wildcats and Badgers are winless in Big Ten play.
(09/26/05 5:11am)
The road has not been kind to the IU women's soccer team. The Hoosiers have lost five of six games away from Bill Armstrong Stadium this season and things didn't get any better during the weekend. \nIU (4-5-1, 0-2 Big Ten) began the Big Ten season with a 2-0 loss at No. 2 Penn State (10-0, 2-0 Big Ten) and a 2-1 overtime defeat at the hands of Minnesota (4-4-2, 1-1 Big Ten).\nBut the Hoosiers are not letting a tough game against the nation's No. 2 team and an overtime loss get them down.\n"We played really well this weekend," said junior forward Megan Pipkens. "Against Penn State we were ready to go from the beginning and caught them on their heels. Today we played even better and had many opportunities to score. We just didn't get the wins."\nFriday, in State College, Pa., IU contained Penn State early before succumbing to defeat. The team then traveled to the Twin Cities where the weary Hoosiers ran out of gas in their overtime thriller Sunday. IU coach Mick Lyon said the high amount of traveling got the best of the team. \n"We were exhausted," Lyon said. "We just caught a string of bad luck this weekend. The goals scored against us should have never gone in."\nDespite the losses, Lyon said the team continued to show promise and is hopeful for the remainder of the season. \n"There were some good performances from a lot of players," he said. "Losing two games is not the end of the world. We are starting to settle into a regular rotation of players. Our defense and goalkeeping have been outstanding. We just have to take advantage of our opportunities and turn them into goals."\nEchoing her coach's sentiments, Pipkens believes that the Hoosiers will still be competitive in the Big Ten.\n"The Big Ten is so up and down," she said. "You have to come out ready for everything, but I think we can do it. I'm comfortable with how we are playing. The effort is there and some day it is going to click. I can feel that we are right there."\nOne bright spot for the Hoosiers was freshman midfielder Molly Kruger. The team leader in shots finally scored the first goal of her collegiate career when she found the back of the net in the 32nd minute against Minnesota. \n"It was a really good feeling," Kruger said. "It was a relief to know that I could score. I've had a lot of shots this season and none have gone in. I just got a really good serve and I put it in the back of the net."\nThe Hoosiers will be back in Bloomington next weekend as Big Ten play continues against Michigan and Michigan State at Armstrong Stadium.
(09/23/05 5:31am)
There have only been three wins in 12 Big Ten road openers in IU women's soccer history; and so far this season, only one win in four road games. To the casual observer, those numbers might not bode well for the Hoosiers, especially as they travel to State College, Pa., to take on the No. 3 team in the nation, Penn State (8-0).\nTo IU head coach Mick Lyon, those numbers mean nothing. \n"I am not big on stats," Lyon said. "I just go by how the team is playing currently."\nThe Hoosiers (4-3-1) are on a three-game winning streak and have scored seven goals during the streak, while holding their opponents to 10 shots in the last two games.\nMore statistics. But Lyon looks beyond the numbers to point out the play behind them.\n"We have worked really hard the last few weeks," he said. "The team is really picking up on the things we have been working on. We have a number of players contributing and a lot of support off the bench. That puts pressure on everyone to play well, because they know that there is someone waiting to take their spot if they don't."\nLyon hopes the team will build its foundation for success on the defensive unit this weekend. He expects the strong play of the defense to support the \noffense. \nIn the team's last game, against Bowling Green State, senior defender Robin Barker carried out those expectations single-handedly, scoring a goal during the Hoosiers' 2-0 win.\n"I played forward my first few years, so it was fun to score again," Barker said. "(On defense) we have great chemistry and communication. We have been playing together for a while so we know where everyone else will be. If any of us gets beat, there will be someone backing us up."\nInstead of backing her \nteammates up, senior midfielder and team captain, Kristen Zmijewski, prefers to lead. So far, she leads the team in goals with three and points with six. Beyond her play on the field, Zmijewski inspires her teammates with her words. As the team gathered after the final practice before traveling to State College, Zmijewski told her teammates they could be successful this weekend as long as they played hard and stayed focused. \n"I am really excited for this weekend," Zmijewski said. "We will be playing two good teams. But we are coming off two good wins. We have to know that we have the personnel to play well and use it to our advantage. In the Big Ten, the level of competition is as high as it gets, so we will have to play that way."\nAfter facing Penn State Friday, the Hoosiers will travel to the Twin Cities to face the University of Minnesota Sunday.
(09/16/05 5:19am)
IU coach Mick Lyon demands perfection. He also wants his team to have a winning record before the Big Ten season starts. \nLyon hopes both will happen this weekend as the IU women's soccer team (2-3-1) welcomes Butler and Bowling Green State to Armstrong Stadium. Winning both games will give the Hoosiers a winning record before Big Ten play begins next weekend. \n"I demand perfection," Lyon said. "Anything less, and I am not going to be happy. Last week, we lost concentration because the game became easy. We have turned up the intensity in practice. We need to play flawless soccer for 90 minutes straight."\nLyon said things got a little sloppy on the field in IU's last outing, after the Hoosiers took a 3-1 lead over Xavier. While playing two more mid-major teams this weekend, Lyon hopes to avoid a repeat performance.\n"The players may look at playing a mid-major and not have the intensity they should have," he said. "However, once the whistle blows, the name of the schools and the record of the teams no longer matter. We have to prove we are the best team from the first whistle to the last. That mentality helps us put pressure on the other team early and keep it on all game. We have to make them play at our level."\nFreshman midfielder Molly Beckwith has provided IU with quality time off the bench. Beckwith is tied for first on the team in points and assists, and tied for second in goals. She hopes her contributions this weekend will lead to two Hoosier victories.\n"I think we are going to have good competition this weekend," she said. "But I think we can win if we play as a team and make good runs on the goal. We have a lot of quickness and will use that to our advantage to outrun the defense."\nSix games into the season, Beckwith is still carrying the ball bag and performing other freshman duties, but she said that during games, age no longer matters, as her play on the field has earned the respect of her teammates.\nMidfielder Molly Kruger is another freshman making a name for herself. Kruger has started all six games so far and is tied with Beckwith for the team lead in assists. Lyon refers to his freshmen as the new blood that will continue the program's growth. Kruger hopes the team will continue to progress this weekend so it can begin the Big Ten season with some momentum. \n"I think if we come out and play our game we will be successful," she said. "Playing well against these teams will give us a lot of confidence going into the Big Ten season (with a three-game winning streak)"
(09/12/05 5:18am)
Scoring goals has been a struggle for the IU women's soccer team so far this season. Sunday, against Xavier, it was not.\nIn its previous five matches, IU (2-3-1) totaled two goals. During the conclusion of the inaugural Hoosier Classic at Armstrong Stadium, the Hoosiers found the back of the net three times for a 3-1 victory. The scoring started when senior midfielder Kristen Zmijewski connected on a shot at the 19:23 mark. The goal was the second of the season for Zmijewski, who recorded the Hoosiers only score in a 2-1 loss to the University of Miami (4-1) in the team's home opener Friday night.\n"I think we'll definitely start scoring a lot more now," Zmijewski said. "Getting on the board Friday and scoring three goals today boosts our confidence. We just have to know that we can put balls in the back of the net and then we'll take the risks and be successful."\nDespite the win, she said the team was not happy with the way it played Sunday.\n"Friday, we came out with a lot of intensity, but didn't win," she said. "Today, we got the win, but we could have played better as a team. We were kind of all over the place. We don't want to be satisfied with how we played today knowing that we can play better." \nIU coach Mick Lyon echoed Zmijewski's sentiments, saying he thought his team was a little sloppy, although he did add he was happy with the team's effort considering the early afternoon game was played in 90- degree weather.\n"I am happy about the result, but I'm not happy about our performance," Lyon said. "There were times when we looked perfect, but a lot of the game was sloppy."\nNevertheless, Lyon is proud of the way the team has handled itself so far this season. He also believes the team is much better than its record reflects.\n"The girls have been disappointed because they believe that we should have won our last four games, instead we went 2-2," he said. "It has been very challenging being on the road the first two weekends and then to have the home opener against an ACC team. But that's the way we want it to make sure that we are ready for the Big Ten season. I think that we'll keep up a high level of play and hopefully put together a lot more wins."\nThe Hoosiers' defense -- which has been recognized as solid this season -- only allowed eight shots all game. Senior goalkeeper Lauren Fabbro, who had five saves and allowed one goal, was not satisfied with the performance.\n"A win always feels good, but there are definitely things we can improve," she said. "Allowing one goal is better than two, but I'd rather not allow any. We need to watch film, look at what we did wrong and keep improving. Hopefully, we can put up some more shutouts and get some more wins." \nThe Hoosiers will be at home again next weekend to take on Butler University and Bowling Green State University, before starting Big Ten play the following week.