456 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(11/06/13 3:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Three Indiana women’s soccer players earned accolades with the Big Ten individual player awards on Tuesday.Senior midfielder Lisa Nouanesengsy was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten team as voted by conference coaches. It is the second consecutive year Indiana has had a player named All-Big Ten after forward Orianica Velasquez earned second team honors in 2012.Nouanesengsy leads IU in goals (10) and points (23) this season in helping lead the Hoosiers to a No. 4 seed in this week’s Big Ten Conference Tournament in Champaign, Ill. For her career, she is sixth on the all-time school record list in goals (23) and points (54).Joining Nouanesengsy was freshman midfielder Veronica Ellis, who was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team.Ellis has played in all 11 Big Ten Conference games and has recorded two goals in those games. Both of her goals proved game winners, including an overtime goal against Michigan State on Oct. 20.Also earning recognition was junior midfielder Rebecca Dreher who was named Indiana’s representative with the Sportsmanship award.— Sam Beishuizen
(11/04/13 3:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A 3-1 loss to Nebraska in Lincoln on Friday assured IU of the No. 4 seed in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday in Champaign, Ill.IU will play tournament host Illinois at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.The Hoosiers (13-5-1, 6-5) and Nebraska (15-3-1, 10-1) both registered 10 shots, but the Cornhuskers were able to finish on their chances more often.“Overall, we played well,” IU Coach Amy Berbary said. “Again, the story of our season, we didn’t finish on the chances we were given, and when you play good teams, the further in the season you go, you’re going to get fewer chances.“Today we just came up short,” Berbary said.After the first 30 minutes of the game were spent mostly in the midfield, Nebraska broke through with a goal when junior Mayme Conroy scored to the far post from just inside the 18-yard box.Despite a number of scoring chances from junior Kayleigh Stegierwalt, IU was unable to register a goal and went into the half down 1-0.“Coming into halftime, we told ourselves we did a good job, and we just need to keep it up,” senior midfielder Lisa Nouanesengsy said. “We just needed to get an early goal in the second half.”Coming out of the locker room in the second half, IU earned that chance to score an equalizer after senior forward Rebecca Candler was taken down in the box to earn a penalty kick.Nouanesengsy remained a perfect 3-for-3 on penalty kicks in her career after beating the Cornhusker’s goalie to tie the game at 1-1. It was her 10th goal of the season, giving her the most by an IU player since Kristin Arnold also scored 10 in 2007.“Once we got that goal, we were in it again,” Nouanesengsy said. “That helped us build some momentum.”But the Hoosiers were unable to find the back of the net again as inclement weather picked up in the second half.IU was forced to play against the wind as the rain picked up. Nebraska responded to the weather better and was able to tally another goal in the 67th minute and a third in the 85th minute to close out the game and win the Big Ten regular season outright.“It kind of took us out of our game a little bit,” Berbary said. “We were forced to do some things that we’re not comfortable with. We were forced to play some balls in behind a little more. It kind of played into (Nebraska’s) style a little bit. It really put us at a disadvantage.”Wednesday’s trip to the Big Ten Tournament will be the Hoosiers first since 2007, where they lost to Ohio State in overtime in the first round.“I’m really excited,” Nouanesengsy said. “I think this team deserves to be in the Big Ten Tournament. We worked so hard this year that we are all just excited to get in, and hopefully we can do well.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @Sam_Beishuizen.
(11/01/13 4:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After punching its ticket to the Big Ten Tournament, IU travels to Lincoln, Neb., for a matchup against conference-leading Nebraska at 4:30 p.m. Friday.The Hoosiers (13-4-1, 6-4) can finish, at worst, the fourth seed in the conference regardless of Friday’s results. The combination of a win against Nebraska (14-3-1, 9-1) and Ohio State beating Michigan would give IU the No. 3 seed.Nebraska has a regular season championship on the line. The Cornhuskers currently sit in first place, and they can clinch the Big Ten regular season championship with a win against IU.With seeding implications and a championship on the line, junior forward Monica Melink said she is expecting an exciting game.“We know that they are going to be tough,” Melink said. “Really, we have the confidence right now. We know that we could win against any Big Ten team.”Melink said Nebraska’s ranking as the best team in the conference will not change the way IU will play.The game will serve as the final tune-up before the conference tournament.“It is going to be a big game just because they are currently first in the Big Ten right now,” sophomore defender Caitlin O’Connor said. "We’ll come out doing everything we can do to win.”Nebraska enters the game on a five-game winning streak that includes a 3-2 double overtime win against Penn State on Sunday.The Cornhuskers have been one of the best defensive teams in the Big Ten all season by allowing only .89 goals per game. Offensively, Nebraska capitalizes on making runs after turnovers.“They pride themselves on defending,” IU Coach Amy Berbary said. “They have quite a few players forward in their attack, and they are good in transition.”Berbary said part of IU’s success will be based on how well the team keeps the ball away from Nebraska’s offensive playmakers.“It is going to be important for us to stick to our possession style and try to keep the ball and not turn it into a transition game,” Berbary said. “We need to keep the ball away from their dynamic players.”A win against Nebraska on Friday would put the Hoosiers on a four-game winning streak heading into the Big Ten Tournament.Melink said she believes that would be a good boost of confidence going into the postseason, especially if the Hoosiers come out and play a complete game.“(A win) would motivate us even more,” Melink said. “We know we have the talent. It would just give us even more confidence going into the next game.“Something we have struggled with is playing a full 90-minute game, and winning against Nebraska would really help us with that.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @Sam_Beishuizen.
(11/01/13 4:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A quick Twitter search on IU women’s soccer will uncover an unfamiliar phrase that has become the trademark of the program.“#12ISEABOVE.”Players and coaches have been tweeting “#12ISEABOVE” since the initial Big Ten preseason coaches’ poll listed the Hoosiers as 12th in conference — dead last.When the poll came out, IU Coach Amy Berbary printed it out, headed directly to the locker room and posted the 12th-place ranking on the wall.“That’s what our conference thought of us,” Berbary said. “It was nothing where we were spiteful; it was the absolute truth. We had to band together as 30 players and four coaches to rise above 12th place.”That was when the hashtag started.The “12” doubles as the letter “R” in the phrase “rise above.” The number represents IU’s initial Big Ten ranking and what the team plans to do in response to it.“We are just going to rise above people’s expectations,” sophomore defender Caitlin O’Connor said. “We weren’t going to get down because we were ranked 12th. We were just full-on going to give everything we had and go in a good direction.”Since the implementation of the hashtag, everyone on the team has embraced both the phrase and being the underdogs in the conference.“I think it was a big motivation because we never really had a single phrase that we could relate to,” junior forward Monica Melink said. “Obviously the 12 is representing where we stand in the Big Ten. That has really motivated us to take every opportunity we can and realize that this is where we were in preseason. We need to use this as a motivation to rise above.”Melink said the entire team has embraced the initial ranking and the “#12ISEABOVE” mindset.“It’s awesome,” Melink said. “You have to fully appreciate that everybody on this team is here for a reason, and we all strive for the same goals and that’s to go as far as we can.”Entering the final week of the regular season, IU has shattered those preseason expectations.IU is fighting to earn the third seed in next week’s Big Ten tournament. At the very worst, the team will finish fourth in the conference standings.The one time 12th-ranked Hoosiers have been anything but last place in the conference.“Everything has just kind of clicked this year,” senior goalie Shannon Flower said.Berbary said part of the success has come from setting clear, concise goals. The first was to make the Big Ten tournament.“Now they have a sense of something to work for,” Berbary said. “I think that’s what was missing.” Berbary said the team thrives on goals. “They kind of just all bought in, and now we are where we are,” she said.After IU accomplished its immediate goal of making the Big Ten tournament, Berbary has broken up the rest of the year into three parts.“First, we have a one-game season against Nebraska,” Berbary said. “The next is a three-game season for a diamond ring. The next is the NCAA Tournament. Six games for a national championship.”Despite the success the Hoosiers have had, Berbary is not letting her players forget the meaning and the motivation that “#12ISEABOVE” has provided her team throughout the year.“#12ISEABOVE” has been the rallying call for the team all year, and that is not expected to change.“I still talk about it,” Berbary said. “I don’t care that we’re fourth. Everybody thought that we were going to be last.”Berbary said she is never going to discount IU’s ranking in the preseason coaches’ poll. “I remind them of that all the time no matter how well we do so I can just light a little bit of a fire underneath us to prove to everybody that we are for real,” she said.O’Connor said she is definitely excited about the postseason run, but for now they are sticking to the “one game at a time” mentality Berbary has instilled in them all season.“We are definitely excited that the hard work has gotten us into the tournament,” O’Connor said. “But the banquet is where we are going to sit around and talk about what we accomplish. For now, we are taking it one game at a time.”Beyond that, the Hoosiers have their eyes set on the NCAA tournament and they will continue to try to “#12ISEABOVE.”“We accomplished our immediate goal,” Berbary said. “The pressure now is trying to get to the big dance.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @Sam_Beishuizen.
(10/28/13 3:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU’s storyline in Sunday’s final home game at Jerry Yeagley Field against Wisconsin was simple — win and the Hoosiers clinch a berth in the Big Ten Tournament.In a game where defense was dominant, the IU offense would finally break through.Junior forward Monica Melink crossed a ball into the box during the 78th minute to find junior midfielder Abby Smith, who sent a diving header to the back of the net.“Monica did a great job getting endline, and the cross she sent was amazing,” Smith said. “I think she looked at me and picked me out, and I just ran and tried to get something on it. I dove and got all I could.”The goal would prove to be the lone goal of the game in a 1-0 Hoosier win. The three points they got for the win guarantees IU (13-4-1, 6-4) will finish at least fourth in the Big Ten standings.The win punches IU’s ticket to the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2007.The postseason-clinching win left Smith’s emotions soaring after the game after missing out on the tournament last season because of a tie-breaker.“It’s amazing,” Smith said. “Even missing it by that much last year to already know that we are at this point with a game left is unbelievable.”For the eight seniors on the team, it will be their first taste of the postseason.“That’s exactly what we’ve been working for,” senior goalie Shannon Flower said. “The seniors, we’ve never been to the Big Ten Tournament. We’ve never had any postseason, so today, on top of it being our last game at home, we had a lot to play for.”The Badger offense tested Flower throughout the game, forcing her to make five saves in the second half.Wisconsin forward Marissa Kresege gave Flower her biggest test in the 73rd minute of the game.Senior defender Lara Ross was forced to the ground, giving Kresege a one-on-one chance against Flower, who made a diving save.“I saw (Kresege) get through, and I sprinted back to my line and got ready to see what she was going to do,” Flower said. “She took a big touch, and I saw a little bit of panic on her face, so I just came out like a Kamikaze and tried to get my body on it.”After the Hoosiers scored, the Badgers (9-6-2, 4-5-1) started a stretch of quality shots on goal that the defense would send away.IU Coach Amy Berbary said once IU had the lead, it was not going to give it up.“You could just see the look in their eyes that they weren’t going to let this one get away from us today,” Berbary said. “We were good defensively all over the field.”The win means the Hoosiers are now only fighting for seeding with one game left next weekend against first place Nebraska (14-3-1, 9-1).“Obviously, the goal is to take it one game at a time,” Berbary said. “We’ve accomplished our immediate goal, which was to get to the Big Ten Tournament for the first time in five years. Now we can focus on the next game.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @Sam_Beishuizen.
(10/28/13 3:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Black Key Bulls senior Jacob Miller and Chi Omega senior Aryn Doll swept the Little 500 fall cycling series as the 64th year of the Little 500 kicked off this weekend. The fall series consisted of individual time trials Friday, sprint races down Kirkwood Avenue on Saturday and cyclocross throughout the tailgate fields Sunday.After a one-year hiatus, the individual time trials made its return to Bill Armstrong Stadium.Miller took the top spot on the men’s side with a time of 2:35.28 on what Miller described as a rough, slow track.Miller’s time was just over a second quicker than second place finisher junior Nick Torrance of Sigma Phi Epslilon, who was in the same group as Miller.“Based on the conditions, you can only go so fast, so I guess I was happy with it because I was first,” Miller said. “I knew that it was a fast heat when I saw Torrance in front of me. I saw that I was gaining on him so I felt like I must have been going pretty fast.”Doll (2:50) and Teter senior Emma Caughlin (2:51.14) proved to be the class of the women’s field, finishing nearly six seconds ahead of the third place rider.“I was surprised there was such a big separation between Aryn and I and the rest of the field,” Caughlin said. “It was nice to have her as a competitor because we were in the same heat, which made it fun.”The individual time trial times set the field for a double elimination sprint competition down Kirkwood Avenue on Saturday.The section of the street between North Lincoln Street and the Sample Gates at North Indiana Avenue was closed down as the riders sprinted down a 200-meter drag strip.Miller and Doll would once again prove to be the dominant riders, taking home the titles.Doll went undefeated en route to winning her second consecutive event.“I kept telling myself, one more and I’m done,” Doll said. “I felt really strong. It being on Kirkwood now makes it more real being in the heart of IU.”The men’s final featured No. 1 seed Miller and Phi Kappa Sigma senior Robert Frangi.Frangi had defeated Miller in the opening round, but Miller would not let that happen again as he went on to post his best run of the day.“I think I was more focused because it was just me and (Frangi),” Miller said. “As you progress through the heats, you kind of progress and work on the technique of what you need to do.”Miller completed his weekend sweep with senior teammate Jimmy Rosati, completing 15 laps.Doll completed her weekend sweep with senior teammate Lily Stephens by edging out Caughlin and her senior teammate Ashton DeHahn by 2.111 seconds.Although the fall series was competitive and held some implications on next year’s Little 500 qualifying, Doll said the atmosphere surrounding the events was upbeat.“The events are about having fun and seeing what you can do as a rider,” Doll said. “I had fun with it, but I also pushed myself to the limits. It’s a blast.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @Sam_Beishuizen.
(10/25/13 4:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Golden Boot will stay in Bloomington.After a slow first half, IU (12-4-1, 5-4) scored a pair of unanswered goals in the second half to defeat Purdue 2-1 on Thursday night in West Lafayette.It was the first time in program history IU has beaten Purdue (8-8-1, 3-6) on the road.“It feels so nice,” senior forward Rebecca Candler said. “After winning it last year, we knew how important it was to keep it in Bloomington.”IU is now 3-12-3 against Purdue.Purdue’s offense was dominant throughout the first half, outshooting IU 13-7 and getting the first score off a Jordan Frick goal in the 31st minute.Senior goalie Shannon Flower recorded 10 saves, tying a career high.“We had a few breakdowns in the back,” Flower said. “Every game somebody has to step up and take the leadership, and today was just my day.” IU Coach Amy Berbary credited Flower with keeping the Hoosiers in the game. “We don’t get out of that first half without her in goal,” Berbary said. “Time and time again, Shannon has come up big for us, and tonight wasn’t any different. She is our anchor back there.” Flower’s performance in the first half kept the Hoosiers within striking distance while the offense tried to make adjustments at halftime.“We didn’t change much tactically, we just needed to change our mindset,” Berbary said. “We needed to go harder, and we needed more effort from our team. We just need to play with more heart.” In the second half, the Hoosiers were the ones controlling the tempo.After a pair of back-to-back saves by the Purdue goalie, junior Abby Smith assisted Candler for Candler’s fourth goal in the season. “It was a great finish,” Berbary said. “She finally broke through. It was a textbook finish to the far post.” The goal gave the IU offense the confidence it needed to get through the rest of the game.“We needed a score just to know that we could get back into the game,” Candler said. “It was huge for momentum. It made a huge difference the way we played the rest of the game.” After a number of other chances around the net, the Hoosiers would strike again.Junior forward Monica Melink found space and ran toward the goal where Candler found her for the finish to go up 2-1. “Monica made an excellent run at the goal,” Candler said. “She did a great job of getting in front of the goalie. She pulled in front of the defender and we had a great connection.” The win puts the Hoosiers in the upper half of the Big Ten standings with only two games left to play. IU will play Wisconsin (9-5-2, 4-4-1) at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Jerry Yeagley Field with the chance to gain more points and assure themselves a higher seed for the Big Ten Tournament. “This just helps us get in a better position and we continue to create our own destiny,” Berbary said. “We don’t have to rely on other teams doing things for us. That’s what we’ve been doing all year. We enjoy this tonight and we get back to work tomorrow.” Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @Sam_Beishuizen.
(10/24/13 3:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There will be more than just three points in the Big Ten on the line when the IU women’s soccer team (11-4-1, 4-4) travels to the Boilermaker Soccer Complex for a match against Purdue (8-7-1, 3-5) tonight.The teams will play for the Golden Boot traveling trophy, which was implemented in 2002 as an added piece to the in-state rivalry.Purdue leads the all-time series against IU (12-2-3).Last season, the Hoosiers won the trophy for the first time since its inception.This year, they are looking to keep it in Bloomington.“We want it,” junior midfielder Jordan Woolums said. “There’s always a bit of pride involved against a rival team. We never want to lose, but we never want to lose to them.”IU Coach Amy Berbary said she thinks the extra incentives of playing an in-state rival for a trophy will create an exciting atmosphere.“I think the emotions will be flying,” Berbary said. “I don’t think it matters if we were good this season or if Purdue has been good this season. The added emotion of an in-state rival is just going to be huge.”The Boilermakers are currently riding a three-game losing streak, but have been significantly tougher to beat at home, where they have a record of 6-3-1.Purdue has been somewhat inconsistent in conference so far this season.The Boilermakers have picked up wins against Big Ten rivals Minnesota and Ohio State but have lost to Michigan State.“We don’t really know what to expect,” Woolums said. “We don’t really know how they are going to come out. They have beaten a lot of higher teams but then had some losses. We just have to expect the unexpected.”Unlike some of the more recent teams IU has played, the Boilermakers do not have one stand-out offensive weapon.“We’ve played teams that have one player that we really need to account for, but they have quite a few,” Berbary said. “We just need to play good team defense and have some good individual defending and go from there.”A win against Purdue tonight would ensure IU will finish ahead of the Boilermakers in the Big Ten standings, putting the Hoosiers one step closer to getting into the Big Ten Tournament.“A win would be huge,” Berbary said. “It would get us one step closer to our immediate goal of getting into the Big Ten Tournament, not to mention implications further down.“Things have been on our side, but right now we are in a position where we are still creating our destiny, and that is a good spot for us to be.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @Sam_Beishuizen.
(10/24/13 3:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A familiar name showed up in the box score in IU’s 3-2 overtime win against Michigan State on Sunday.Senior forward Rebecca Candler with the assist.Freshman midfielder Veronica Ellis got the headline for the winning goal. Candler got the less attractive assist.“I’m not going after the sexiest stat,” Candler said. “I like to be a playmaker on the field however I can contribute. I like to win games.”Candler said she has never shied away from setting her teammates up for success. She embraces it.“We have people that can score goals,” Candler said. “If I can help them achieve that, then I’m happy with doing that.”Her willingness to create opportunities for her teammates has been a luxury IU Coach Amy Berbary has tried to instill into her entire offense.“We talk to our attacking players in general about instead of getting goals and assists, we talk about points,” Berbary said. “If they walk out of a game with points, they are doing their part in helping this team win, and Candler is one of the best at that.”Last season, Candler set a school record for assists in a season with 10.She also has the school record for assists against Big Ten opponents, with 10 in her career.On top of these records, Candler is only six assists away from matching IU’s all-time career assist record of 24, set by IU alumna Wendy Dillinger.“She has come up big for our team,” junior midfielder Jordan Woolums said. “She has been consistently one of the best players on the field in every game.“She’s on everyone’s scouting report, so for her to overcome that knowing that she is going to get double- or triple-teamed and still produce points is great.”Woolums pointed out one major asset Candler has that has made her the offensive weapon she is.“Her scissors move,” Woolums said. “She is the one that really coined that move on the team. A lot of times the defense just doesn’t know what to do with her because she is unstoppable.”Candler’s ability to break down defenders with the scissors move creates the space she has needed to get her teammates in positions to score.“It is something I learned when I was really young, and I think that it is one of those things that works for me,” Candler said.She backs her defender up, crosses them over with the scissor dribble and then lets her athletic ability do the rest.“After you beat them you can just get your body around them,” Candler said. “Being taller and bigger than a lot of the defenders really helps me after I get by them.”Along with her ability as an offensive weapon, Berbary said Candler’s locker room leadership and humbleness have been key in her success.“She’s not technically a captain and doesn’t wear the arm band, but she sure is a captain in my eyes,” Berbary said. “She does all the right things on and off the field. She is a very humble, unselfish person.“You’d never know the stats she has come up with if somebody didn’t tell you.”With only three more regular season games left, Candler’s time to catch Dillinger’s record is running out.A hip injury that troubled her during her first two seasons set her back, giving her less time to perform at a high level to get the assists she would need to break Dillinger’s mark at 24 assists.“I think that taking two years to getting close to breaking a record is pretty substantial, and I’m proud of that,” Candler said. “No matter if I break the record or not, I think I’ve done a lot in two years that I’m proud of.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @Sam_Beishuizen.
(10/21/13 2:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As overtime kicked off on Sunday in East Lansing, Mich., the IU women’s soccer team was on the verge of coming out of the weekend without any points in the Big Ten standings.The Hoosiers (11-4-1, 4-4) had already lost 1-0 against Michigan on Friday night in Ann Arbor, Mich., and a late Michigan State goal forced an overtime period where one final goal would decide the game.For the second time this season, freshman midfielder Veronica Ellis would emerge as the hero late in the game when she scored her second game-winning goal of the year to give IU a 3-2 overtime win against Michigan State.With only two minutes remaining in the first overtime period, Ellis played a give-and-go pass to senior forward Rebecca Candler.Candler found space and returned a cross to Ellis, who then sent the ball to the back of the nylon.”Anything I can do to help the team is awesome,” Ellis said. “Everybody played great to keep us in the game and send it to overtime. I knew that I had to put the game away.”IU Coach Amy Berbary said Ellis sent her touch on the ball to the back of the net with the confidence of an upperclassman despite seeing limited minutes off the bench.“(Ellis) has time and time again stepped into the game for us and played like an upperclassman,” Berbary said. “Her composure in the box on that last goal, to take that touch and to beat the goalkeeper, is something you really can’t teach.”The goal put away a Spartan team that had found a way to claw themselves back after falling behind twice in the game.After senior midfielder Lisa Nouanesengsy gave the Hoosiers the lead in the 35th minute, the Spartans took the next possession and scored within 20 seconds to tie the game again.Sophomore forward Kayleigh Steigerwalt regained the lead for the Hoosiers in the 49th minute, but once again the Spartans matched that goal in the 82nd minute to force overtime, where Ellis put Michigan State away with the game-winning goal.The win gave IU three much needed points in conference after losing to Michigan 1-0 on Friday.IU held the No. 12 Wolverines close throughout the entire game until the 75th minute, when freshman defender Marissa Borschke was forced to the ground, allowing Michigan forward Nkem Ezurike to get free and score what would prove to be the winning goal.“We couldn’t find that one goal, and they got through on us just one time and that was enough,” Ellis said.Despite the loss, Berbary said she was pleased with the way her team played against the talented Wolverines.“We played for a full 90 minutes,” Berbary said. “It wasn’t like we sat back. We had plenty of chances to get the ball in the back of the net, but Michigan is by far one of the best teams we’ve seen so far.”After the weekend split, the Hoosiers remain above the cut off for the Big Ten Tournament with only three games left.“We are still in the mix,” Berbary said. “We talked and said look, if we take out the winning and we just try to do everything individually a little bit better and focus on the things we have to do to be successful, the wins will come. I think we took that in.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @Sam_Beishuizen.
(10/17/13 2:45am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU Coach Amy Berbary had a message for her team in the postgame debrief following a 2-1 loss to Iowa on Saturday.“If you didn’t think next weekend was big, think again,” she said.The Hoosiers (10-3-1, 3-3) are hitting the road for a 7 p.m. Friday game in Ann Arbor, Mich., against Michigan (10-2-1, 4-1-1) before completing the weekend with a noon game in East Lansing, Mich., against Michigan State (7-5-2, 1-5).It will be the first time the Hoosiers have been on the road since losing a pair of games on their last road trip to Ohio State, 1-3, and Penn State, 1-4.“Playing on the road is so hard,” senior goalie Shannon Flower said. “People who haven’t played college athletics don’t understand just how hard it can be to win on the road.“I think it’s going to be a test of mental toughness.”The first test will come against a Michigan team that is on a three-game winning streak that has helped the Wolverines move up to 10th in the RPI rankings.Despite being the underdogs, senior midfielder Lisa Nouanesengsy believes the game will be a competitive matchup.“They’re a good team, but I don’t think they are way better than us or anything,” Nouanesengsy said. “The Big Ten has been pretty even this year. As long as we come out focused and get the small details correct, it will be a good game for us.”One of the keys for the Hoosiers will be improving upon their recent slow starts. They have allowed a goal during the opening 15 minutes of four of their last five games.The Michigan defense has been the best in the Big Ten this season, allowing only 0.63 goals per game, which means allowing another early goal could create a deficit too hard to overcome.“They pride themselves in defending,” Berbary said.Sunday, the Hoosiers will play a Michigan State team that has struggled of late, losing their last four games.Flower said she is not overlooking the Spartans despite their recent struggles.“Every team in the Big Ten is talented and can beat anybody else,” Flower said. “Even though they are at the end (of the standings), we know they can play.”Michigan State is near the bottom of every offensive category in the Big Ten. Despite that, one of the Spartans’ strengths this season has been capitalizing on corner kicks and making the most of the shots they manage to get off.“They are very good on set pieces,” Berbary said. “They can be very dangerous. We just need to make sure we stay very tight defensively and make sure we don’t allow shots in shooting range.”With only a few weeks left in the regular season, Berbary said this weekend could be a difference maker on getting into the postseason.“This weekend not only has Big Ten implications, but NCAA implications,” Berbary said. “We have our smaller goal of getting to the Big Ten Tournament, but beyond that, it’s crucial towards getting to the national tournament.”Follow reporter SamBeishuizen on Twitter @sam_beishuizen.
(10/14/13 3:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU Coach Amy Berbary called it a broken record.Falling behind early in the game and an inability to capitalize on scoring chances have been reoccurring problems for the IU women’s soccer team this season.On Saturday at Bill Armstrong Stadium, Iowa was able to expose those tendencies en route to handing the Hoosiers (10-3-1, 3-3) their first home loss of the season, 2-1.“We knew this was going to be a tough, hard, physical game,” Berbary said. “One of our keys to the game was to match their physicality early, and we didn’t. We went 30 minutes being uncomfortable and not playing Indiana soccer.”IU fell behind early when Iowa’s Cloe Lacasse got behind the Hoosier defense to score on a cross in the box.It was the fourth time in the last five games that the Hoosiers let in a goal within the first 11 minutes.“I felt like in the locker room before the game we were pumped and ready to go,” junior midfielder Abby Smith said. “I guess it was just one mental slip.”The Hoosiers closed the first half with a stretch, during which they controlled the ball in the scoring third of the field for over three minutes.The Hoosiers were getting crosses in the box, but the Hawkeye defense managed to clear away every threat.“We just couldn’t find the right touch or the right shot to get it in,” senior midfielder Lisa Nouanesengsy said. “We could have done a lot better than we did in the last three minutes.”Coming out of the locker room in the second half, Iowa struck again.After earning a penalty in the box, forward Melanie Pickert scored on a penalty kick to bring the lead to 2-0.Smith said that after the penalty kick, the Hoosiers continued to attack and change the momentum of the game.“It is hard going down two goals, but some people say that’s the most dangerous score in the game,” she said. “One goal puts us back in and makes us want to get another one.”In the 75th minute, the Hoosiers would find that goal Smith said they needed.Smith found Nouanesengsy at the top of the box, and Nouanesengsy sent the ball in to cut Iowa’s lead to one.“When I got that goal, it was just huge momentum,” Nouanesengy said. “From their second goal to my goal was huge. I just wish I would have scored earlier.”The Hoosiers were not able to find the back of the net again.For now, Berbary said all they can do is move forward.“We push through,” Berbary said. “We need to push forward to this week and try to get a couple this weekend.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @sam_beishuizen.
(10/11/13 3:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With the top eight Big Ten teams being separated by only six points halfway through the season, any given game could mean the difference between making the season-ending tournaments and having to watch it from home.IU women’s soccer enters Saturday’s 6 p.m. game against Iowa at Bill Armstrong Stadium coming off a pair of wins that featured some of the most physical play all season.The weather was cold and raining, players were colliding, and nearly every player spent time on the ground after contact.With only the Iowa game to prepare for this week, IU Coach Amy Berbary made a change in her practice schedule.“We took two days — Monday and Tuesday — off just to kind of get everybody reenergized again,” Berbary said. “It was helpful, I think, to just get the kids’ bodies back and just mentally take a break.”After the days off to rest, junior midfielder Abby Smith is preparing for another weekend battle.“I think we are doing a good job this week of recuperating from the past weekend,” she said. Iowa enters the game coming off a 1-0 double overtime win against Michigan State.The Hawkeyes enter the weekend only three points behind the Hoosiers in the conference standings.A win Saturday would give them the edge in a head-to-head tie breaker if IU and Iowa ended the season with the same amount of points, just as they did last season.Junior midfielder Bekawh White said she has not forgotten when that exact scenario last season kept the Hoosiers out of the final tournament spot when it was held in Bloomington.“I think that is motivation,” White said. “It really makes us focus on each game. Last year was pretty bitter, too, not getting in when it was here.”The Hoosiers offense has had spurts where they have struggled to score when given the opportunity off set pieces or in front of the net.White said a number of players have been attending optional shooting drills an hour before practice to help capitalize on those scoring chances.“We just need to keep training the same way because we’ve been creating good opportunities,” White said. “If we set ourselves up well, she’s not going to stop it.”The past few games have been intense as the chances to score points have begun to dwindle down.This weekend, Berbary is expecting more of the same.“I think it’s going to be physical. I think it is going to be a transition game,” Berbary said. “It is going to be 100 miles an hour. The bottom line is who can be calm enough and execute in and around the box is going to be who comes away with a win.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @sam_beishuizen.
(10/10/13 3:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Every week the IU women’s soccer coaching staff posts the Big Ten standings in the locker room.Underneath the eighth team there is a highlighted line — the cut off. Any team below that line does not qualify for the Big Ten Tournament at the end of the season.IU hasn’t made the tournament since 2007. The posted standings in the locker room serve as a constant reminder of the team’s goal: putting an end to that postseason drought.“We talked about as a staff that we need to make sure our goals that we have for this program are clear and concise,” IU Coach Amy Berbary said. “That just helps us out by being able to show a measure of our goals.”Junior midfielder Abby Smith thinks the newly added emphasis on the rankings has helped.“It’s huge just being able to see the line,” Smith said. “Above the line, that’s who is getting in. Below the line, you’re not. It’s good to just be able to see where we are each week.”Smith said the rankings act as a motivation tool.“It puts a little extra fight in us to know that we are still in the running to win the Big Ten and stuff like that,” Smith said. “It just gets to a point where we know we have to play every game our hardest to get the result we need.”Among the various rankings the Hoosiers have watched is the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI).RPI measures a team’s performance based on a formula that takes into account its winning percentage, its opponents’ winning percentage and the strength of schedule of those opponents.At first, Berbary said RPI was foreign to her squad.“They didn’t know what is was when I first got here,” Berbary said. “So we did a brief presentation on it. They all pay attention to it and they know it, and I think that helps drive them and has helped our season tremendously.”Now, the Hoosiers (10-2-1, 3-2) know they currently tied for fifth in the Big Ten standings, sit 49th in the RPI and are knocking on the door of securing an at-large bid.When the initial Big Ten rankings came out, IU was ranked last.That was bulletin board material for Berbary.“The second I got the preseason ranking I printed it off, highlighted it and I put it in the locker room,” Berbary said. “We had a meeting and I said, ‘This is where Indiana soccer is. What are you going to do about it?’”IU missed out on the Big Ten Tournament last year after losing the final spot in a tie-breaker to Iowa.This year, junior midfielder Bekah White said the Hoosiers want to pave their own path.“We are really just trying to create our own destiny here and make up our own faith,” White said. “We want to stay above that line and the RPI so we just can’t let it go by chance this year.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @Sam_Beishuizen.
(10/07/13 3:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>During practice this week, IU Coach Amy Berbary said she talked to senior forward Rebecca Candler about how she needs to step up as a leader.In a weekend where IU women’s soccer picked up a pair of Big Ten wins against Northwestern and Illinois, Berbary said Candler and junior midfielder Jordan Woolums came through.“This weekend was huge,” Berbary said. “Any time you get two wins in a weekend and complete the weekend, you’re working really, really hard. It is pretty rare to do. They dug deep and got it done.”The weekend opened Friday with a 2-1 double overtime win against Northwestern.The Hoosiers jumped ahead in the 37th minute when Woolums assisted senior midfielder Lisa Nouanesengsy for Nouanesengsy’s team-leading seventh goal of the year.The Wildcats did not lay down in what proved to be a physical game. They found the back of the net in the 78th minute to tie it and force overtime.After a scoreless first period of overtime and with time running down in the second, Candler created a chance and capitalized with a game-winning goal with two minutes remaining.“It was such a great feeling,” Candler said. “The overtime felt so different from the game. We were playing incredibly hard, and as a team we knew we were young to win but it would take a team effort. I was just glad to put it away.”Berbary has said the Achilles’ heel for the Hoosiers throughout the course of the season has been finishing on their opportunities. Friday, Candler did.“We put ourselves into a position where we had that one chance to get the goal we needed and she was able to put it away for us,” Berbary said.On Sunday, it was Woolums who capitalized on her scoring chances.In what proved to be a cold, rainy day, the Hoosiers found themselves behind early after Illinois junior forward Jannelle Flaws scored on a second chance opportunity in the 4th minute of the game.The Hoosiers tied the game just before halftime when junior forward Kayleigh Steigerwalt crossed a ball right to Woolums’ head for a goal.“Kayleigh couldn’t have put it more perfectly on my head,” Woolums said. “It was all her.”After being tied at half, Berbary told her team it needed to come out strong.“We gave up a terrible goal four minutes in — we came out asleep,” Berbary said. “I just told them Shannon made a mistake but she’s saved us so many times throughout the year that we have to go out there and get a couple for her.”The Hoosiers responded with a pair of goals by Steigerwalt and Woolums within the first eight minutes of the second half.“We got one four minutes in,” Berbary said with a laugh. “I guess they listened.”Illinois added a late goal, but IU held on to secure the victory 3-2.Woolums entered the game having only taken five shots all season. Sunday, her two-goal performance proved to be the difference.She said that although she was not getting many opportunities to score, she knew it was just a matter of time.“They were bound to fall through at some point,” Woolums said. “We’ve been working on it all week, so work pays off. I’m glad it happened today.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @Sam_Beishuizen.
(10/04/13 2:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Focus has been a talking point for IU women’s soccer this week in training.The Hoosiers return home to play host to Northwestern at 7 p.m. Friday and Illinois at noon Sunday coming off a pair of conference losses.The team is focused on getting points this weekend in what has been a wide open race in the Big Ten. Teams currently sitting fourth through 11th in the conference standings are separated by only one point after three conference games.Junior defender Rebecca Dreher knows how much impact this weekend could have on the Hoosiers’ hopes of returning to the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2007.“This is a huge opportunity for us,” Dreher said. “All of us understand the importance of this week.”IU Coach Amy Berbary said her team has been focusing on coming out ready to play early and defending well.The Hoosiers gave up seven goals in their last two games after allowing only two goals all season prior to their game against Ohio State.“We’ve been working on our individual defending,” Berbary said. “It’s got to get better. I don’t care who you play, you can’t give up seven goals in a weekend. We’ve got to come out focused and execute our game plan and come out right at the first whistle.”That defense will be tested Friday when Northwestern enters the game looking to record its first conference win.Despite not scoring a point, senior defender Lara Ross said the Hoosiers cannot overlook the Wildcats, who forced overtime against No. 6 Penn State in their conference opener.“We definitely can’t sleep on them,” Ross said. “They have some good players that we need to watch out for. We can’t let their record feed into the way we play.”Berbary described the Wildcats as having talent on all levels of the field, including senior forward Kate Allen, who led the Wildcats in points last year and has recorded nine this season.“They’ve got some good, dynamic players in every line,” Berbary said. “They have a very dynamic forward in Kate Allen. So we’ve just got to deal with every line and make sure we are sticking with the way we play and account for players.”Sunday, the Hoosiers will square off against Illinois, who fell in the Big Ten championship finals last season.The Illini are part of the bottleneck of teams separated by a point between fourth and 11th in the standings and are led offensively by junior forward Jannelle Flaws, who has scored 12 goals this season.Dreher said getting points from Illinois would go a long way on the Hoosiers’ road to get into the top eight to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament.“Taking three points away from them is really important,” Dreher said. “We want to be able to determine our own destiny instead of relying on other teams to beat them. We need to be above them by beating them ourselves.”Ross knows a successful weekend for the Hoosiers would go a long way in getting to the season-ending tournament and is focused on scoring as many points as possible.“The Big Ten is pretty much wide open right now with all the space between, but that’s a good thing,” Ross said. “We pretty much have to get six points this weekend.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @sam_beishuizen.
(10/01/13 4:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU Coach Amy Berbary isn’t afraid to sub.NCAA soccer rules don’t limit the number of substitutions a team can use, unlike many other professional soccer leagues. That means coaches have the option of mixing and matching lineups by calling in substitutions whenever there is a dead ball.Berbary has taken advantage of that rule.She has created a competitive environment where the lineup is always changing. There’s no finite set of starters and backups, but rather a roster where every player is expected to be ready to take the field at any time.Senior midfielder Lisa Nouanesengsy said she believes the constant competition has helped her and the other typical starters.“We are all competing with another, and that’s great for us,” Nouanesengsy said. “Just because you start Sunday’s game doesn’t mean you’re going to start Friday’s.”Senior Lara Ross thinks the ever-changing lineup and opportunities to earn or lose playing time means starters are constantly being tested by the players on the bench.“Nobody gets comfortable with their positions,” Ross said. “We know that it’s a constant fight, and its good competition.”She said competition within the team has been healthy.“We want to push each other,” Ross said. “We want success for our whole team, and that only comes from pushing each other.”Berbary is looking for results. The team score comes ahead of the individual names in the record books.“It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from or what kind of scholarship money that you’re on,” Berbary said. “My job is solely based on winning, and that’s what I do. That’s what I’m here for.”Berbary has given her players a number of opportunities to perform in games and to earn playing time throughout the year. That has resulted in younger players such as sophomores Kayleigh Steigerwalt and Jessie Bujouves emerging as offensive weapons.Bujouves said she was just happy to be in the starting lineup when she made her debut against Eastern Michigan on Sept. 6. She soon found herself being named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after netting a pair of game-winning goals in her first two games as a starter.“I was just grateful that I was able to start,” Bujouves said after the game. “It is great to be able to contribute to the team’s success.”Steigerwalt has recorded three goals and four assists this season after not starting at the beginning of the year.Junior Kate McCusker spent the opening games on the bench but now finds herself playing a large chunk of minutes, including most of the opening three Big Ten games.Berbary said these players earned their way into the starting lineups during practice weeks and then performed in the games when it counted most.In IU’s Big Ten opener against Minnesota, IU was struggling to get the ball in the net.Berbary put in freshman midfielder Veronica Ellis in the 67th minute — she scored what proved to be the game-winning goal two minutes later.Berbary said once the players have proven themselves in practice, they are expected to be used in the games.“V (Ellis) came in as a freshman composed and within two minutes, scores a goal,” Berbary said. “That comes from training, and I’ve told them before that I’m not taking a chance on you in a game until I see it in training.”Ross said everyone on the bench knows they could be used. If the player is on the bench, she could be on the field any given minute.“They have to be ready at any time,” Ross said. “Anybody can come in at any time and make a difference, and we know that. That’s what we work for in practice, is everybody doing their job and making a difference.”The early success has been a team effort throughout the entire roster.The Hoosiers have seen a Big Ten leading 15 different players record a point this season — they are off to their best start in program history.“It has been huge,” Berbary said. “These kids work their way into the lineup when they’ve proven themselves, and finally when they get on the big stage, they’ve been doing something good for us.”The Hoosiers (8-2-1, 1-2-0) are in the beginning stages of Big Ten play and have dropped two games in a row. Berbary said she will continue experimenting with her roster because she believes in doing whatever she needs to do with her lineups to get results.“Obviously we have some kids that are more talented than others, but they still work just as hard and are as important to our roster,” Berbary said. “Having the 30 kids on our roster has really helped us in the long run. Having all these girls helps us win.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @sam_beishuizen.
(09/30/13 3:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU Coach Amy Berbary said she believes good teams create chances. Great teams finish them.Sunday, Penn State finished its chances, and IU did not.After heading into halftime at University Park, Pa., tied, the Hoosiers gave up three unanswered goals in the second half to lose 4-1 to the No. 8 Nittany Lions.“We played well,” Berbary said. “We had our chances, but we couldn’t always take advantage.”Penn State got on the board early with a goal in the sixth minute to take the lead.The Hoosiers scored an equalizer in the 25th minute to regain some momentum when senior forward Rebecca Candler assisted junior midfielder Monica Melink for her second goal of the season.Junior midfielder Abby Smith said the first half created excitement in the locker room, but it did not carry over into the final 45 minutes.“We were really pumped going into the second half,” Smith said. “We kept them 1-1 and had a great goal from Monica. The second half, it kind of got away from us.”The Hoosiers gave up three unanswered goals to the Nittany Lions in the second half despite only being outshot 16-17.Berbary blamed the goal differential on not being able to finish opportunities.“We had plenty of opportunities, but it’s kind of been the story of our season,” Berbary said. “We have created chances, but we really haven’t been able to execute them and put them away.”The Hoosiers had a number of chances to score including a late chance in the first half to take a 2-1 lead off a shot from Candler.Smith said she thinks just slowing down and making better decisions during scoring chances could help the Hoosiers find the back of the net more often.“If we had just taken another breath in the last third of the field and just relaxed and made better choices with our chances we would have been better,” Smith said.Although the score was 4-1, Smith said she is still pleased that the Hoosiers kept up with the No. 8-ranked Penn State.“We played well,” she said. “They are one of the best teams in the country, so the fact that we played well against them makes us feel good, and we can take that into the next game.”Berbary echoed Smith, but pointed out that the only thing that mattered at the end of the day was the record book.“I don’t think the scoreboard was indicative of the play; however, that’s the score and that’s what people look at and that’s what matters,” Berbary said. “I think we can build from this and know that we can play with anyone in the country.”The Hoosiers will return home next weekend to play a pair of Big Ten games against Northwestern and Illinois.Smith will be looking to regain any momentum the Hoosiers lost over the weekend.“(This week) is really important,” Smith said. “We just need a good week of practice. Having two home games will be important for us, and I think we can pick it up.”IU’s two losses in the Big Ten will not help them in the standings, but the team is still focusing on its “one game at a time” mentality into next weekend.“We really need to regroup,” Berbary said. “But Friday night is huge for us, so the most important game is Northwestern right now.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @Sam_Beishuizen.
(09/27/13 3:46am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In her first season at IU, Coach Amy Berbary has steered the women’s soccer team to its best start in program history.The Hoosiers entered Thursday as the only team in the Big Ten undefeated, but suffered their first setback with a 3-1 loss against Ohio State.“We started very flat,” Berbary said. “I didn’t think we were ready to play, and we looked timid in the first half.”IU had previously only allowed two goals all season but quickly found themselves behind 3-0.The Buckeyes jumped ahead early, converting on a corner kick in the third minute of the game on a ball that went between the legs of two players and rolled right past senior goalie Shannon Flower for the score.Before the game Berbary said the Hoosiers needed to limit mistakes if they wanted to come out with a win.Berbary said that play was exactly the type of mistake the Hoosiers could not afford to allow.“It was key for us to deny them on set pieces and not let the ball drop in our box,” Berbary said. “We let that one roll right by us for the goal.”Ohio State added goals in the 17th and 39th minutes to jump to a 3-0 lead before half.IU came out of halftime with a new energy and controlled the ball for much of the second half. Junior midfielder Abby Smith netted a goal in the 65th minute but by then it was too late to come back from three goals behind.Senior midfielder Lisa Nouanesengsy said the team played with a different mental focus in the final 45 minutes.“We didn’t come out in the first half,” Nouanesengsy said. “We were more focused. We knew that we had nothing to lose so we told each other we just had to give it everything and leave it all on the field.”Even with the loss, IU is still carrying their best record at this point in the season in school history (8-1-1, 1-1-0).Berbary remains optimistic that the loss against Ohio State might eventually end up helping her team in the long run.“We’ve got to learn from it,” Berbary said. “It could be the best thing that ever happened to us. It kind of knocks us down a bit but shows us that we have to play and follow our gameplan.”Nouanesengsy said she is looking at the loss as a learning experience before a Sunday noon match up against No. 8 Penn State.“We just have to look back at this game and learn what went wrong and make sure we are focused from the start,” Nouanesengsy said. “That’s all we can really do is learn from this and take it into Sunday’s game.”Senior defender Lara Ross said she could not even remember the last time IU beat Penn State, but regardless of the outcome there was still a lot of soccer to be played the rest of the conference season.“We are still only halfway,” Ross said. “We still have the rest of the season. We fought really hard to get here, and we can’t let down.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @Sam_Beishuizen.
(09/26/13 4:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Senior midfielder Lisa Nouanesengsy said she believes today’s game against Ohio State is a chance at redemption.Eleven months ago, the Buckeyes ruined the Hoosiers’ chance of earning a Big Ten Tournament bid when they beat the Hoosiers 5-0.The loss was in the season finale — senior night. It ended IU’s season.The combination of wanting to redeem that loss and a team full of Hoosier players that live in Ohio has Nouanesengsy excited to play.“Ohio State is a good team, and we want to redeem ourselves from last year,” Nouanesengsy said. “There are a lot of girls on this team, which gives us more of a motivation to beat Ohio State.”IU (8-0-1, 1-0) takes the field at 3 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio, in the first matchup between the schools since the season-ending loss.The Hoosiers are coming off of a 1-0 Big Ten opening win against Minnesota on Saturday. Senior defender Lara Ross is expecting a different match today.“It is going to be a tough match,” Ross said. “It’s going to come down to physicality, fitness and pretty much who just wants it more.”The Buckeyes (6-1-2) tied the Illini 1-1 with a goal in the 84th minute in their last game.IU Coach Amy Berbary knows the Buckeyes will be coming out looking to get their first conference win.“Ohio State is going to be ready to go,” Berbary said. “They are coming off a come-from-behind win to get a tie. They are going to be hungry to get a win.”The Buckeyes are marshalled by freshman forward Nichelle Prince, who leads the team in goals (5) and assists (4) this season.There has been emphasis on stopping Prince, but Berbary is confident that earlier matchups against other dynamic forwards have prepared her defense.“Most of their offense comes through number seven (Prince),” Berbary said. “We are going to have to keep our eyes on her, but we don’t really need to change much.”Berbary went on to say that limiting mistakes will be key to winning.“Ohio State is good enough to capitalize on our mistakes,” Berbary said. “Some of the other teams have just missed here or there, but Ohio State is not going to miss.”Today’s game combined with another road trip to play Penn State on Sunday have made for what Nouanesengsy believes will be a critical weekend in terms of IU positioning itself in the Big Ten standings.“Today’s game and Sunday’s game are going to be really important for us,” Nouanesengsy said. “They are probably going to be our biggest games all year. This weekend will give us more confidence going into other Big Ten games after we see what we can do against Ohio State and Penn State because they are both great teams.”The Hoosiers may have lost 5-0 to Ohio State last year, but Ross is eying a different outcome.“I feel like we can definitely get redemption,” Ross said. “We just have to be tuned in for 90 minutes. We can’t let up for any amount of time through any part of the field.”Follow reporter Sam Beishuizen on Twitter @Sam_Beishuizen.