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(01/15/08 6:02am)
IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack did something she has never done in her two years as women’s basketball coach. She beat Purdue. \nIt took four tries, but Legette-Jack and the Hoosiers finally bested the Boilermakers, earning a hard-fought 66-54 victory at Mackey Arena Monday night.\nLegette-Jack admitted she wasn’t aware of the intensity of the IU-Purdue rivalry when she became head coach last year, but after three losses to Purdue and now this win, she is well aware.\n“What a great in-state rivalry we’ve created here. I came here and I didn’t recognize what it was all about,” Legette-Jack said after the game. “Whitney (Thomas) and Kim (Roberson) tried to share with me the importance of this game. I saw first-hand last year, and tonight was our first opportunity to go out and be on the positive side.”\nAfter a 55-49 home loss to Purdue on Jan. 3, Legette-Jack questioned her team’s heart. \n“I think we let something slip away. We didn’t match their intensity,” she said. “I wanted to earn their respect by giving them a tough team to play, but we certainly didn’t do that then.”\nToday was a different story. From the start of the game, IU played like a team with revenge on its mind. \n“They came out and they wanted this game,” Purdue coach Sharon Versyp said. “Indiana wanted it for IU, for their coaches and their team.”\nJunior forward Whitney Thomas set the tone early for the Hoosiers by crashing the boards. Thomas had already grabbed seven rebounds before the end of the first half.\nShe continued her relentless work on the glass, finishing with a game-high 18 rebounds to go with her team-high 17 points.\n“Our guards were attacking the basket and that just left it open for the post players,” Thomas said of her rebounding. “If they missed, we were going to be there to follow them.”\nSophomore guard Jamie Braun and junior guard Kim Roberson joined Thomas in double-figures, scoring 14 and 11 points, respectively. Freshman guard Ebony Jackson added eight points off the bench. \nThe formula for success was toughness and teamwork, something Legette-Jack hopes will become a staple of IU women’s basketball.\n“We may not ever have a go-to player, but we have a team that has heart,” she said. “When you sign up for Indiana women’s basketball, you’re signing up for the opportunity that on any given day you can be the star of our team. We have a bunch of role players right now that are saying it’s about the Indiana pride and we all stick together.”
(12/03/07 5:12am)
Missed free-throws will drive any basketball coach crazy. \nAfter the IU women’s basketball team’s 85-78 loss to No. 21 Florida State on Friday night in Assembly Hall, IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said missed foul shots made the difference in the game. \nIU shot 10-of-18 from the foul line while Florida State shot 24-of-39. But of all things that could trouble Legette-Jack, she said free-throw shooting is a minor problem.\n“This is a team that is competing with the Top 20, and the problem is our free throws,” she said. “That just wakes me up every morning, because we can fix that. We can’t fix heart, desire or competitiveness. We can’t do all those things, but we can certainly fix a free throw.”\nThe heart and desire that Legette-Jack spoke of was on display, as the Hoosiers fought a tough Seminole team all the way to the final buzzer. \nIU led the game, part of the inaugural Big Ten/ACC Women’s Basketball Challenge, by as many as nine points in the first half before a Florida State three-pointer at the buzzer cut the halftime lead to 41-37. The Seminoles took the lead for good at 54-53 with 12:02 remaining in the second half.\nFreshman forward Jori Davis made a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left in the game to cut the Florida State lead to 80-78, but Nashville, Ind., native Mara Freshour made two free throws to seal the game for the Seminoles. \n“I think what you witnessed today is the way Indiana women’s basketball is going to be for a very long time,” Legette-Jack said. “We went out, we played hard, we competed, we didn’t back down, we didn’t look at our mistakes and drop our head.”\nFreshman guard Haylie Linn scored a career-high 16 points for IU, and sophomore guard Jamie Braun recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. \n“My teammates and coaches keep encouraging me to shoot the ball,” said Linn, who was 5-of-5 from three-point range. “I had some open looks and was fortunate for them to go in.” \nPlaying in front of friends and family, Freshour scored a game-high 21 points for the Seminoles in her return to the Hoosier state. \n“I just had to shake that nervousness and butterflies out of the way,” Freshour said. “Once we really got going, it helped and I was able to push back the fact that all of my family was here and all the other people.”\nThis young Hoosier squad, now 4-3, hasn’t backed down from any challenges and opposing coaches are taking notice. \n“They’re playing tough teams, and I think that speaks well for what Felisha is doing with the program,” Florida State coach Sue Semrau said. “She wants to play teams that have established themselves. She did that with three games in three days in the Virgin Islands. I think what she’s doing is preparing herself for conference.”\nLegette-Jack agreed that her team should grow as conference play approaches. \n“I think we are going to be good late,” she said. \nBut after a moment’s thought, she corrected herself. \n“No, I think we are going to be better late,” she said. “We’re already pretty darn good.”
(11/26/07 3:21am)
The IU women’s basketball team spent Thanksgiving break in the Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam Tournament. The Hoosiers lost two out of three games on the trip, bringing their record to 4-2. \nIU opened the tournament Thursday with a 55-53 loss to Wake Forest. After jumping out to a 33-22 halftime lead, the Hoosiers were unable to hold off the Demon Deacons’ second-half charge. Wake Forest used two separate 9-0 runs to take a 38-36 advantage with 13:30 left in the game. \nAfter trailing by two points, a late layup by junior guard Kim Roberson tied the game at 53-53. Wake Forest’s Corinne Groves followed with two free throws, giving the Demon Deacons the lead for good with 17 seconds remaining. \nSophomore guard Jamie Braun led IU with 17 points, including three 3-pointers. Roberson tied an IU single-game record by recording nine steals. \nAfter the close defeat, the Hoosiers bounced back with a 64-54 win over Wichita State on Friday. Three players scored in double figures for IU. Braun led the way again with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field. Senior guard Nikki Smith added 16 points, including four 3-pointers. Junior forward Whitney Thomas stuffed the scoresheet with 10 points, a career-high seven steals, five rebounds and four assists. \nThe score was tied 29-29 at the half, and Wichita State led 38-33 with 14:03 left in the game. IU responded with an 11-3 run, giving the Hoosiers a 44-41 lead with 10:24 remaining. The Hoosiers held the lead for the rest of the game. \nOn Saturday, IU fell to No. 10 Texas A&M 60-48. The Aggies led 25-22 at halftime and fought off a comeback effort by IU in the second half to earn the double-digit victory.\nBraun scored 14 points and earned Paradise Jam All-Star honors. Thomas had another good all-around performance with 12 points, five rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Junior forward Amber Jackson scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds.\nThe team will return to action Friday at Assembly Hall when it faces Florida State in the Big Ten/ACC challenge.
(11/19/07 4:52am)
The IU women’s basketball team found itself down by as many as 16 points on Nov. 17 at Ball State, but clawed its way back for a 76-71 win.\n“It’s always good to get a road victory,” sophomore guard Jamie Braun said. “It gives us confidence for the future, and any win against a team like this is a good victory.”\nBall State led 33-17 at the 6:35 mark in the first half, but IU responded with a 19-5 run to cut the lead to 38-36 \nat halftime. \n“We were playing offense like they had six players on the court,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “We did a much better job of attacking in the second half.”\nDespite a quick start in the second half by IU, the Cardinals led 49-45 with 12:44 to play. But the Hoosiers responded with a 24-8 run to lead 69-59 with 1:24 left in the game and held on for the 76-71 victory.\n“They made their run in the beginning, but we handled it well,” senior guard Nikki Smith said. “We kept our poise and played our game. \nBraun led IU with 24 points and six assists. \n“I just tried to attack the basket and find my teammates,” Braun said. “I was trying to set the tempo for the team.”\nJunior guard Kim Roberson added 15 points and senior guard Nikki Smith scored 14. \nLegette-Jack said she was pleased with the team’s first road win of the season. \n“It was a lot of firsts for us,” she said. “Sometimes you take it for granted to go on the road, but we have eight newcomers and two new coaches on our staff. The travel is different and you get out of your normal routine. We were able to get a win against a very tough team.”\nThe Hoosiers defended and rebounded well, forcing Ball State into 19 turnovers and out-rebounding the \nCardinals 32-28.\nJulie DeMuth, the sister of former IU player Jenny DeMuth, led Ball State in scoring with 24 points. \nThe Hoosiers, now 3-0, will travel to the Virgin Islands for three games over Thanksgiving, Nov. 22-24. They will take on Wake Forest, Wichita State and Texas A&M. \n“It will be new for everyone,” Smith said. “It’s a chance to play against different teams and some good competition. It will be good to be in the Virgin Islands for Thanksgiving and it should be a really fun experience.”\nLegette-Jack said the competition in the Virgin Islands should be tough.\n“Everybody there is going to be good,” she said. “We’re going to be the underdogs, because we’re the team without the history. But right now, we’ll just enjoy this win against Ball State, and then we’ll prepare for the game against Wake Forest on (Nov. 22).”
(11/15/07 5:00am)
Nothing makes me happier than seeing Jack Thompson fail. The self-righteous litigator who makes his living by making it difficult for game developers to release their M-rated titles intact has rarely crusaded so hard against a game as with "Manhunt 2." Yet despite it still being unavailable in Europe, it's finally on shelves across this country.\nSo what's the big deal? Being the sequel to one of the most violent and controversial games ever made, a pack of watchdogs was bound to pounce on Rockstar's follow-up. The kills this time around are, for the most part, far more prolonged and brutal than in the first game. There's even the addition of gun kills, which push the limits further than what I figured the developers would. Still, it's cathartic stuff after hiding in the shadows and being stealthy for long periods of time. This time out, Rockstar has avoided the dreaded "Adults Only" rating by washing out the color during the kills, but it's still pretty evident what's going on when you're wielding a power saw and tracing it up some poor shmuck's spinal column.\nThe same cannot be said for the Wii version, however, which has its kills blurred to an even further degree. My advice to fans of the first game is to avoid the Wii version (even though the use of the WiiMote during kills is unique) and play the PS2 version, which stays truer to Rockstar's original artistic vision.\nThe only thing worth complaining about here, for those not offended by the gore level or minor control glitches in tight spots, is the game's muddy story line. The first game put its players in the shoes of a prisoner forced to star in a series of snuff films and whose primary motivation was to kill the director of said films. "Manhunt 2" puts you in the shoes of Daniel Lamb, an escaped mental patient who seems to be just as confused as we are about his motivations for murder. The plot really takes a backseat to the game play, and while some will balk at the haplessness of some of the game's A.I., there's no denying the adrenaline rush it gives.\nSo Moral Majority beware: "Manhunt 2" is finally on shelves and your savior Mr. Thompson has once again failed to deliver you from evil.
(11/15/07 12:03am)
The tattoo rests on the upper part of her right arm. The Chinese letters combine to spell out “passion.” \nIf junior Amber Jackson is ever dogging it in practice or lagging a step behind in a game, she need not wait for words of encouragement from her coaches or teammates. A simple look at the tattoo should give her all the motivation she needs. \nAfter transferring from San Jose State, Jackson hopes the tattoo will personify her play on the court for her new team. \n“Passion,” she said. “That’s what I hope to bring to the team.”\nIt won’t just be passion, however, that Jackson adds to this Hoosier team. She has plenty of skill and should be a force underneath the basket. \nIn her sophomore season at San Jose State, Jackson led the Western Athletic Conference in scoring and rebounding, averaging 17.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, and was a first team all-WAC performer.\n“She’s a really dangerous player down low,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “If you double down on her she’ll find the open teammate, but you can’t have one player on her or she’ll beat you with a hook shot or a reverse pivot.”\nOn a team with little depth at the forward position, Jackson is welcoming the role of playing in the paint.\n“I can bring that ability to rebound and post up hard,” she said. “I just give us another big body down low.”\nOther players on the team are already noticing the benefits of Jackson’s presence inside.\n“In high school I didn’t have post players, so it’s really cool that someone is actually catching my passes now,” freshman guard Whitney Lindsay said of Jackson. “I never got to experience that before.”\nAfter deciding to transfer, Jackson said she looked at a few schools, but none of them matched what IU had to offer. \n“I was really impressed with the history and energy,” she said of the IU program. “There is a great outlook on the future. The girls were all great and it was the right fit academically.”\nThe transition to the Big Ten could be tough on Jackson, but Legette-Jack said she believes Jackson will be ready. \n“She comes from a mid-major conference where she was second in the nation in shooting percentage,” Legette-Jack said. “It won’t be easy, but I don’t think she’ll be nervous about it. I think she can take that next step.”
(11/15/07 12:00am)
On a young and relatively inexperienced IU women’s basketball team, senior guard Nikki Smith stands out in more ways than one. \nNot only is she the team’s leading returning scorer at 12 points per game, but she is also the lone senior. \nAs IU’s most experienced player, Smith is in a natural leadership position and is ready to embrace her new role.\n“I think I’ve really learned from watching the seniors in the past years,” she said. “I know that every practice could be my last. I don’t have another go around. I’m just trying to help out our freshmen as much as I can.”\nWith eight newcomers, including seven freshmen on this year’s team, Smith is the grizzled veteran. Playing for three different coaches over the course of her IU career, she has been through a lot, and she hopes the freshmen can lean on her experience. \n“I hope I can be someone who my teammates respect,” she said. “I’ve been through the drill before and I want the freshmen to be able to count on me for advice.”\nSmith knows how tough adjusting to the college game can be for a freshman. \n“I’ve always been the lone ranger in my class,” she said. “As a freshman, that made it really tough for me at times.”\nWith so many new faces, this year figures to be very different for Smith and the Hoosiers.\n“It’s so different so far,” she said. “Last year we only had seven players at times. This year we have so many different options and new people. Sometimes practices have been slow and deliberate, but it’s been really competitive.”\nWhile Smith has been busy adjusting to the new team, IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack has noticed a change in Smith’s demeanor on the court. \n“She is definitely a leader, and I think she is having fun with it,” Legette-Jack said. “She is just having a good time out there, and like most seniors, she is showing a real sense of urgency.”\nSmith said she hopes to continue to develop her individual game this season, but her past play on the court has already made an impression on her coaches.\n“She is a really hard-nosed player, and she is willing to do whatever it takes to win,” said Sharon Versyp, Smith’s former coach at IU and current Purdue coach. “She works very hard to be the best shooter she can be. She is just a great kid.” \nAfter the dedication Smith has shown the IU program, Legette-Jack said she hopes Smith is rewarded in her final season.\n“We really need to get her into the NCAA tournament,” Legette-Jack said. “She stuck around for three coaches and really stayed committed. I really want her to be a part of the big dance.”
(11/14/07 12:24am)
We had some technical difficulties, but for now everything is up and running. I'll be here to give you live updates periodically throughout the game. A few notes to start the game: Kim Roberson is in street clothes and Zach found out that she is day-to-day. Jori Davis was in the starting lineup in her place.
(11/13/07 5:17am)
After a comeback win against Albany on Friday, the IU women’s basketball team will take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 7 p.m. today in Assembly Hall. \nDespite trailing by nine points at halftime, the Hoosiers fought back to win the home opener against Albany 67-59. \nIU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said the young team will benefit from watching film of the first game and learning from its mistakes. \n“It’s good to play games so that you can assess it and keep getting better,” she said. “This is a team that is going to be OK early, but is just going to get better down the stretch, because there is so much basketball that we have to learn.”\nOne item of concern for Legette-Jack is boxing out on defense. Going back to the final exhibition game against the Showtime Skins, IU has been out-rebounded by two smaller opponents. \n“We can rebound the basketball and get a false sense that we are pretty good, but if we don’t box out we’re going to really be in trouble,” Legette-Jack said. “Our defense is pretty darn good, but because we don’t box out, everyone is getting second and third chances on us.”\nIU is a relatively small team and will have to rely on boxing out to finish defensive possessions. \n“I think that since we haven’t played against tall teams so far, we think that we can out-jump people,” senior guard Nikki Smith said. “It is definitely going to be a struggle for us to make sure we box out because there is no way that a small team should out-rebound us.”\nAgainst Albany, IU struggled shooting from the field, going 22-59, including 0-14 from the 3-point line. Despite the struggles, the Hoosiers are confident that there won’t be a repeat performance against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.\n“Our shooting will improve,” junior forward Amber Jackson said. “All our shooters are in the gym early every day shooting and getting better.”\nLegette-Jack said IU needs to continue to take the open shots and not worry about the poor shooting performance against Albany. \n“We have to just go out there and shoot the ball,” she said. “I care that we shoot it. I can’t promise you we’re going to make it, but I care if we shoot it.”\nAlbany used an aggressive full court press and quick guards to fluster IU on the offensive and defensive end. Legette-Jack said she expects more of the same from Arkansas-Pine Bluff today.\n“They are a feisty, small team that goes 112 miles an hour the entire game,” she said. “If we take them for granted, that speed is going to hurt us.”
(11/10/07 12:10am)
It's time to tip off the regular season here at Assembly Hall as IU takes on the Albany Great Danes. Looks like the IU girls are sporting a bit of a new look tonight, with high white socks extended up near the knees. It's a good look for them.
There's a pretty good crowd on hand for a Friday night to see the home opener. I'll be providing some live updates periodically throughout the game.
(11/09/07 5:27am)
In the short exhibition season, the IU women’s basketball team proved it can score points.\nAs the Hoosiers open the regular season at 7 p.m. Friday at Assembly Hall against the University at Albany, they hope their defense will follow suit.\n“As you can see, we can score the ball,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said after an exhibition win against the Showtime Skins. “But we need to improve our defense.”\nSophomore point guard Jamie Braun paced a balanced offensive attack for the Hoosiers in the exhibition games scoring 17 and 18 points, respectively in the two contests. Senior Nikki Smith, juniors Whitney Thomas and Amber Jackson and freshman Ebony Jackson all scored in double figures in one of the games. \n“We have a lot of scorers on our team,” Braun said. “That definitely isn’t something that we lack.”\nAfter the game against the Showime Skins, Legette-Jack said the main priority before the Albany game would be defense and boxing out. \n“Everything revolves around our defensive purpose, and I think defense begins and ends with a box out,” she said. \nLast year the Hoosiers played a matchup zone defensively for most of the year. This year it is taking a bit of time to bring eight newcomers up to speed. \n“Our returners are comfortable because we ran it all last year,” Thomas said. “We just have a lot of newcomers and it’s just a really complex defense. We’re in that process of learning it and then getting comfortable with each other doing it.”\nLegette-Jack knows that there will be some growing pains, but she says eventually the team should get used to the zone. \n“It’s uncomfortable to talk and it’s uncomfortable to say next pass, because right now everyone is trying to figure out where they need to be in our matchup,” she said. “Once we get more comfortable with our role in the defense we’ll be a little bit more excited to help others.”\nThe Hoosiers believe that a defense-first mentality will help the offense continue to work. \n“It all starts with our defense.” Thomas said. “We work so hard on our defense and that creates our offense for us.”\nIn a short week of practice following a Tuesday game, the Hoosiers took time to scout their opponent, but the focus remains on their own play.\n“We watched some film, but it’s really focusing on ourselves first,” Thomas said. “We’ll look at them right before and see what they do and see some of their tendencies.”\nAfter two competitive exhibition games, Legette-Jack says the Hoosiers will be ready for their home opener.\n“Absolutely we’ll be ready,” she said. “In the sense that we don’t have a choice.”
(11/07/07 4:41am)
The IU women’s basketball team concluded its exhibition schedule Tuesday night at Assembly Hall with an 80-37 win over the Showtime Skins, a touring team from Australia. \nIU opened the game on a 19-0 run and never slowed down, jumping to a 53-13 lead at halftime. \n“It’s exciting to see that we came out so focused,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “I thought our first half was fantastic. We came out there and didn’t care who was playing against us. We went out there and decided that we were going to make \na statement.”\nAfter an impressive first half, Legette-Jack said the Hoosiers struggled to maintain the same intensity in the second half.\n“The second half, I think that we looked at the score and played to (their) level,” she said. “We tried to stay focused on just playing basketball, but it was really difficult to see that score and keep our focus intense.”\nSophomore guard Jamie Braun led IU in scoring with 18 points. Junior forward Amber Jackson added 14 points, and freshman forward Ebony Jackson tallied 11. \nFor Amber Jackson, a transfer from San Jose State, it was a relief to have the nerves of her first game at IU \nbehind her.\n“After the first game, I made it a point to not put so much pressure on myself,” she said. “Last game was my first game, and I was, in a sense, very nervous. Tonight I felt relaxed and felt like myself.”\nThe IU defense harassed the Skins for most of the game, forcing 29 turnovers. Ebony Jackson, freshman guard Whitney Lindsay, senior guard Nikki Smith and junior guard/forward Kim Roberson each recorded three \nsteals apiece. \n“On defense, that’s where I’m comfortable,” Lindsay said. “I know that I play with a lot of intensity, and I think that really helped our team tonight.”\nDespite the defensive statistics, Legette-Jack saw plenty of room for improvement on the defensive end. \n“Our defense has to define us,” she said. “Tonight, their shots weren’t falling. I don’t think that we did a good enough job to stop them from actually scoring, but we’ll get better.”\nAnother cause for concern for Legette-Jack was team rebounding. \n“Having this team that wasn’t really tall and wasn’t really strong out-rebound us is really going to be something that we look at tomorrow in film and certainly is going to be something we work on tomorrow in practice,” she said. \nWith a short week of practice before Friday’s regular season opener against Albany, Legette-Jack said the emphasis in practice will be on defense and boxing out.\nFor the players, the Albany game shouldn’t be much different from the two exhibition games.\n“We’re going to go in and work hard and keep the level of intensity up,” Amber Jackson said. “We have to play unselfish basketball, everyone work hard and do what they’re supposed to do.”
(11/07/07 1:04am)
I'm here at Assembly Hall for a matchup between the Lady Hoosiers and the Showtime Skins, a touring team from Australia. I'm feeling a little lost and confused without my partner in crime Zach (he's in the newsroom doing his editing thing). I'll be alright though. The first half just concluded and it was pretty lopsided in the Hoosiers' favor. The score is 53-13.
(11/04/07 12:02am)
Zach and I are hanging out here at Assembly Hall for some women's hoops action. It's IU against the Hoosier Lady Stars. The Lady Stars roster is made up of former players from Ball State, Louisville, Butler, Indiana State among others. The score at halftime is 47-24. Here are some observations and stats from the 1st half:
(11/02/07 3:38pm)
Much has changed in the last three years of IU field hockey. Games have moved from Mellencamp Pavilion to the new IU Field Hockey Field, players have come and gone and lineups \nhave been altered. \nBut if one thing has remained constant, it has been the presence of senior goalkeeper Haley Exner in net.\nExner, who has started all but one game over the last three years and earned All-Big Ten honors the past two seasons, will make her final home start Sunday when IU (7-9, 0-5) plays Northwestern on Senior Day. \nDuring her career, Exner played a crucial role in the growth of Hoosier field hockey, and her skill and leadership in goal have made her the face of a young program now established as a national power. \nExner grew up in San Diego, Cal., where field hockey was just becoming popular. Originally a basketball and softball player, Exner backed into a field hockey career her freshman year at Scripps Ranch High School. She had friends who played and thought she would give it a shot. After playing as a defender for the first two weeks, Exner’s coach tried her in goal. A week later, Exner was the starting goalie. \n“I’ve been a goalie ever since,” Exner said. “I’ve grown to like it, and I think it has become a part \nof me.”\nExner made a smooth transition to goalie and was one of the best goalkeepers in the country by the end of her high school career. \nWhile Exner was setting records in goal for Scripps Ranch, IU was experiencing the growing pains of a new program. After former IU Director of Athletics Clarence Doninger reinstated field hockey as a varsity sport in 2000, the Hoosiers had only one win in each of their first two seasons. The program showed signs of improvement, however, in 2003 when the Hoosiers went 8-10. \nWhen Exner chose to play at IU, she said her decision had little to do with the history of the program. IU was a team that needed a goalie, and the coaches, players and school were all the right fit. \n Exner waited her turn to start as she backed up \nKatie Kanara her freshman season. She saw action in only two games, and the Hoosiers recorded their first winning season with a 12-8 record. \nAs a sophomore, Exner was thrown into the mix as the starting goalie on a veteran team.\n“It was intimidating to start in a leadership position as a sophomore,” Exner said. “But the players listened to me and respected me, and I learned \na lot.”\nDuring that year, Exner’s play in goal took IU to new heights, earning the team a 17-5 record and its first ever trip to the NCAA tournament. \nIU coach Amy Robertson remembers games that year where Exner simply took over. \n“Against Ohio State two years ago, they just couldn’t score against her,” Robertson said. “She was making saves that no goalkeeper should’ve made. Against North Carolina in the NCAA tournament she made save after save against current members of our national team. A lot of the most memorable moments in IU field hockey have come because of Haley’s play in net.” \nExner’s career statistics speak for themselves: a 37-19 record, 315 saves and \neight shutouts. \nPerhaps what is most striking about Exner, though, is her intense passion on the field mixed with her gentle kindness off it.\n“Haley is a fierce competitor, but she is also the nicest person you’ll meet,” Robertson said. “She’s caring and thoughtful, but she’ll do whatever it takes to win.”\nIt is this contrast that has made Exner a natural leader among her teammates. Playing a position that demands leadership, Exner embodies every characteristic a goalie should possess, including the ability to direct a defense, her \nteammates said.\n“She is a fantastic communicator, and I’ve never seen someone organize a defense like she does,” backup goalkeeper Jobi Manson said. “It’s just instinctual for her.” \nThis season represents a new challenge for Exner because the young Hoosier squad has struggled at times. In a season characterized by near misses and heartbreaking defeats, Exner is the first to admit that it has \nbeen tough.\nIU carries an 0-5 Big Ten record into its game against Northwestern, but has yet to lose by more than two goals. Two of the losses have been overtime defeats to top-five opponents Michigan and Iowa. \n“It’s frustrating,” she said. “It has been challenging for me as a goalie and a leader. There has been a lot of adversity, but it is my job to make sure we \nstay positive.”\nAs a veteran leader, Exner knows that the most important part of the season is still ahead. A run in the Big Ten tournament can erase the sour taste of the close defeats. \nAnd if the Hoosiers are to make noise in the postseason, it will all start between the posts.
(11/02/07 4:25am)
The IU field hockey team saw the season come to a sobering end Thursday afternoon with a loss in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. \nThe Hoosiers suffered their worst loss of the season in an 8-2 defeat to Iowa in Columbus, Ohio. \n“This was a really hard way to go out,” said IU coach Amy Robertson. “But I’m proud of the way we continued to develop as a team throughout the year.”\nIowa forced the action all game long, firing 20 shots to IU’s four and earning a 7-3 advantage in penalty corners. \n“They did a good job of beating our press,” Robertson said. “Our press has been our bread and butter all year, but they took good risks and were able to find the openings. We aren’t used to seeing teams do that to us, and it put us in some pretty tough situations.”\nAfter Iowa scored a fifth-minute goal, Hoosier senior forward Kate O’Connell tied the game at one with a goal off a reverse shot. \n“There was a scuffle for the ball about ten yards out,” O’Connell said. “I was able to find the ball and get off a reverse shot. I didn’t even really see it go in.”\nIowa quickly responded with three unanswered goals before O’Connell scored another goal off a penalty corner to make the score 4-2. \n“After that goal, we had a lot of momentum,” O’Connell said. “We kind of let it slip by us though.”\nIowa responded again, this time scoring four more goals to win the game 8-2. \n“They just kept coming at us,” Robertson said. “They are one of the best outletting teams in the country. I think they outworked us a little bit and just played an unbelievable game.”\nFor the Hoosiers’ six seniors, the loss was a tough way to finish their careers.\n“I’m just trying not to focus on this one game,” said senior midfielder Meredith Brown after the loss. “It’s been kind of a rough season, but I think I’ve learned a lot and grown from it. I’ve had a ton of great memories over my career, and I’m just going to try to remember those memories and not this loss.”\nLike Brown, O’Connell said she will also not let this loss define her career.\n“It’s been a great experience for me, and I’ve had a lot of fun,” O’Connell said. “I think all the seniors will be able to look back on some really positive memories.”\nThe loss brings IU’s final record to 8-10 overall and marks the end of an up-and-down season.\n“It’s been a challenge this year,” Robertson said. “It’s been an ongoing journey to find answers to some problems we had as a team, and I think we were able to fix some of those things. It’s disappointing now, but I really enjoyed watching the way our team grew throughout the year. That’s what I’ll remember most about this season.”
(11/02/07 4:20am)
Coming off a 19-win season and a third-round appearance in the women’s postseason NIT, the IU women’s basketball team will return to the court for its first exhibition game of the season against the Hoosier Lady Stars on Saturday at Assembly Hall. \nThe IU women’s basketball team will take on a look distinctly different from last year’s team. \nOnly four players from last year’s team are returning – senior Nikki Smith, juniors Kim Roberson and Whitney Thomas and sophomore Jamie Braun. The Hoosiers welcome junior Amber Jackson, a transfer from San Jose State. \n“We’ve been working a lot on the little things,” IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “We’re focusing on talking on defense, boxing out and things like that. There are some things you can’t always control, like whether the shots go in, but we want to be on top of the things that we can control.”\nThis Hoosier squad is young and still looking for its identity, but Legette-Jack said good defense should be a trademark all season. \n“I think our identity will have to come from our defense,” she said. “We will defend our opponents and challenge on every possession.”\nWith a team that will rely on contributions from six freshmen, much of practice has been devoted to bringing the freshmen up to speed. \n“As a coach, the freshmen never come along fast enough,” Legette-Jack said. “They’re working hard, though, and every day they are getting better.”\nThe game against the Hoosier Lady Stars will be the first chance for the freshmen to represent IU on the court. \n“I don’t really know what to expect,” freshman center Georgia Follmer said. “It will be a new experience, and I’m incredibly excited. It’s my first college game and it’s a chance to show that I deserve to be out there.”\nWhile the game won’t count toward IU’s regular-season record, it is a chance for the Hoosiers to evaluate where they are as a team.\n“We’re looking to improve every practice and every game,” junior guard Kim Roberson said. “This is a chance for us to fine-tune for the regular season and get out all the kinks now.”\nFor a team that has been practicing for the last three weeks, the game will also be a welcome break from preseason routine\n“It will just be nice to get out there and play against someone other than ourselves,” Roberson said.
(11/01/07 1:42pm)
The regular season is in the books for the IU field hockey team. \nWhile an 8-9 overall record and a 1-5 mark in the Big Ten is not what the Hoosiers envisioned, the Big Ten Tournament offers a chance to end the season on a high note. \nNo. 6 seed IU will begin the tournament with a first round matchup against No. 3 seed Iowa today at North Turf Field in Columbus, Ohio. \n“This is a whole new season for us,” junior forward Katie Kiper said. “The records don’t matter except for seeding. It’s going to be a battle and anyone can win.”\nIU will be in for a tough test against the Hawkeyes, last year’s tournament champions. In their game this year, Iowa outlasted the Hoosiers with a 2-1 overtime win. \n“I feel pretty good about how we match up with Iowa,” IU coach Amy Robertson said. “They are a team that really outlets well, but I think we press up field pretty well. Their big strength is their attacking corners. We have one of the best goalkeepers in the country (senior Haley Exner) though, and I think they will have a hard time scoring on our defense.”\nAfter playing Iowa tight in their earlier contest, IU feels confident this time around. \n“They are a tough team and we played them toe-to-toe,” junior back Danitra Castro said. “We definitely feel that we can beat them and I think we are more prepared after the first game.”\nAfter a busy stretch last week, including four games in eight days, the Hoosiers are still trying to regain their fresh legs.\n“I think we’re headed there,” Robertson said. “Our bodies are still in recovery a little bit. I think once the games start we’ll be ready. The fitness aspect of our season is all behind us.”\nThe Hoosiers underwent a rough Big Ten regular season, but their 1-5 conference mark was a bit misleading. They lost three games by one goal, including two in overtime. Their other two losses were by two goals. \n“I think when we look back on the season, we’ll see that we played close and competed with all the teams,” Robertson said. “I think some of our losses were because of inexperience. But I think now we know we can do it.”\nIf nothing else, IU’s struggles in the Big Ten will leave the team hungry for success in the tournament. \n“I think we are unsatisfied with how we finished,” Robertson said. “I think that will fire us up. This is what matters for us, because this is our chance to get into the NCAA tournament.”\nIU has shown marked improvement over the course of the year and hopes it will continue in the tournament.\n“All the teams will be together, and it will be a chance to showcase our progress,” Castro said. “We want to get to the big show.”
(10/30/07 2:56am)
CHICAGO – In a women’s basketball season that promises to be wide-open, a few things were clear at Big Ten Media Day on Sunday – a precious few things. \nOhio State is the favorite to defend its Big Ten crown, Wisconsin’s Jolene Anderson is the pick for conference player of the year and after that, nothing is really clear.\nThe Buckeyes are tabbed to win the conference in both the preseason coaches and media polls. They are followed by Wisconsin and Illinois in the coaches poll and Michigan State and Wisconsin in the media poll. IU is picked to finish ninth in both. \n“Rightfully so,” said IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack of her team’s preseason ranking. “We have six freshmen coming in and only three returning starters. It makes sense, but in the end, we are the ones who determine if it makes sense at the end of the year.”\nAfter leading the Big Ten in scoring last year, Anderson is projected as the player of the year by the coaches and the media.\nWhile Ohio State is picked as the clear favorite, most coaches agreed that the race for the conference title is still up for grabs. \n“Anybody has a chance,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said. “There are a lot of teams who can beat anybody in the conference. It could come down to who can stay injury-free throughout the season.”\nThis year marks a changing of the guard in the Big Ten, with four new coaches and an influx of young talent. \n“There are a lot of new faces,” Northwestern coach Beth Combs said. “There are new coaches and new players and a lot of good talent that graduated last year. A lot of teams will rely on newcomers, but we have some of the most heralded recruits in the country coming to play in our conference this year.”\nWith so many contenders in the conference, consistency could be a key in determining who wins the regular season title. \n“Nobody is going to give anyone an easy game,” Legette-Jack said. “Whether it’s the first-place team or the last-place team, it’s going to be intense. If you don’t come to play on any given day, it will be the death of you in this conference.”\nLast year, the Big Ten received only three bids to the NCAA tournament. This year, the coaches feel that number should increase.\n“Last year, we had the number one conference RPI early in the year, but it dropped dramatically by the end,” Jack said. “I think we took the three bids as a sign of disrespect for the conference, but in the end, it is the play of the teams that decide how our conference is viewed.”\nWith Ohio State targeted as the team to beat, Buckeyes coach Jim Foster said they shouldn’t feel pressured to repeat as conference champions. \n“I didn’t read it in the New York Times today,” he said of the predictions. “We’re a young team, but we are talented. We’re going to be a different team from last year.”
(10/25/07 3:51am)
The IU field hockey team will have a rare chance to play under the lights when it heads to Louisville to face the No. 13 Cardinals at 7 p.m. today at Trager Stadium.\nThe Hoosiers (7-8, 0-5) are fresh off a 2-1 overtime win against Stanford on Monday and will try to carry that momentum with them to Louisville. \n“We just have to keep going from last game,” senior goalkeeper Haley Exner said. “We scored two goals last game and we know we have to continue to score to win.”\nAfter a Monday game this week, IU took Tuesday off before getting back on the practice field Wednesday. \n“We’ll be back to practice tomorrow,” IU coach Amy Robertson said Tuesday. “We’ll watch some game film and work on a couple of things that need to be fixed before the next game.” \nIU broke a three-game scoreless streak Monday when it scored two goals against Stanford. The Hoosiers will need another good team effort to get results against Louisville. \n“Louisville is a very strong team,” senior forward Kate O'Connell said. “They are very composed and skillful. We just need to move the ball around and play our game.”\nRobertson said IU will also need to be on top of its mental game because Louisville is not a team that beats itself.\n“They are a very well-coached team,” she said. “They don’t rely too much on any one player. They have a very team-oriented system. They’re really organized on defense and they make good decisions.”\nThe Hoosier defense has been strong all season long and has yet to allow more than two goals in any game. IU will have to continue its strong play to contain the Cardinals’ attack. \n“They are very quick on offense and are very similar to Stanford,” Exner said. “Stanford got off to a fast start against us, and I think Louisville will try to do the same. We have to be ready to play strong in the first half.”\nIU and Louisville have split the last two match-ups in the series, with Louisville winning at home last year 2-0. \n“It’s always an exciting game between Louisville and us,” Robertson said. “There has been a lot of parody in the past and the games have usually been decided by one goal. They’re also kind of our neighbor rival, so I think we’ll be ready.”