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(02/09/10 5:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With an NCAA Championship and an Olympic roster spot already scratched off her list, Christina Loukas was still pining for a USA Diving National Championship.Now, the IU graduate can tick that box, too.Loukas, who won the Olympic trials in 2008 and was named 2009 NCAA Diver of the Year, won two events at the 2010 USA Diving Winter National Championships in Columbus, Ohio Sunday. Loukas teamed up with fellow Olympian Kelci Bryant to win the three-meter synchronized springboard event and also placed first in the three-meter springboard.In a non-Olympic year, Loukas’ win means qualification for the FINA World Cup in Changzhou, China, the premier diving event this year. And she won’t be the only IU diver there.Senior Amy Korthauer placed second in the platform competition, securing a trip to China.“I’m really proud of her for diving so well under pressure,” Loukas said. “To see Amy get second was awesome, because now we get to go to the World Cup together.”Korthauer came to IU as a walk-on for the diving team and now will be competing at an international level for the first time.“I think other people were kind of surprised. Like ‘Who is this kid and where did she come from?’” IU diving coach Jeff Huber said. “It’s really rewarding to take a kid from ground zero all the way to being one of the top divers in the world.”Loukas wasn’t guaranteed a win, though, as she said she believes there were potentially eight other divers who could have ousted her for the top spot.“Going into the meet I knew I had to get top two to make the team so I was really nervous,” she said. “I have gotten second so many times and I have been so close to winning, that to actually win the title is really exciting.”Loukas clinched the championship on her final dive. She trailed the leader by 2.35 points going into the last round but scored 78 points to take the lead.Huber is not sure if Loukas ever got quite the break she wanted or needed after the 2008 Olympics, so another stretch of competitions will take determination and focus.“I think she struggled a little bit in her training but you just get back on track,” Huber said. “I am proud of not only how she dove but how she continues to represent herself and Indiana University.”
(02/03/10 1:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Junior Heidi Mahnken slowly and carefully balanced along the end of the 10-meter platform before reaching down to move her body into a full handstand and sailing downward into the water.Her dive is just one of the many in the days leading into the USA Diving Winter Nationals.Three IU divers are pre-qualified for the event being held Thursday through Monday in Columbus, Ohio. Mahnken and senior Amy Korthauer will dive in the 10-meter platform competition, while senior Brittney Feldman will compete in the 1- and 3-meter springboard and the 3-meter synchronized competition.This particular meet was moved from April to February this year and has forced Hoosier divers to alter their practice schedules to be in the best place the championship season, IU coach Jeff Huber said.“Its kind of a juggling act for me to try and have them ready to dive in this meet and peek towards conference championships and of course the NCAA,” he said.The Hoosiers will have their work cut out for them as the team competes against the top divers from around the country, but Korthauer believes she has prepared herself for the task.“There is a lot of stuff that goes on at home, like watching your video and visualizing your dives,” she said. “That way when you get up there and it is actually the meet, you don’t freak out, and you know exactly what you’re doing.”Mahnken has been working to perfect her favorite dive, a back-handstand twister, and is excited to perform her new inward dive at Nationals.Using this dive, along with three other selections, Mahnken hopes to qualify for finals by being in one of the top-12 spots. Now, mental preparation is just as important as physical.“I just try not to get nervous,” Mahnken said. “I try to stay loose and have fun and trying not to freak myself out about my dives.”All the divers competing have been to this competition before, so Huber hopes the pressure will not affect them.“I really preach focusing on performances and doing the things you want to do,” he said. “If you go out and have a good performance you’re going to be happy no matter where you finish.”
(01/22/10 5:45am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The No. 12 IU women’s swimming and diving team will battle another ranked opponent in No. 22 Purdue on Saturday at Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center. The Hoosiers’ match with the Boilermakers is one of only two remaining dual meets before the Big Ten and NCAA championships. Although IU coach Ray Looze would like to see a win against the Purdue, he and his team are looking further down the road. “We are focused on the end of the season,” he said. “NCAA is the most important, but we are trying to defend a Big Ten title.”IU will take this meet as an opportunity to try out different combinations in certain races. This will give the Hoosiers the chance to make sure they have the best fit going into the postseason. Saturday’s meet looks to be a competitive and spirited rivalry matchup. Looze pointed out that Purdue has a much better facility than IU, so the team has no excuses. The Hoosiers have struggled in sprinting and sprint relays, and Looze said he knows they need improvement. “We have sprinters, but they have just been working on other things,” he said. “We emphasized the medley relay and now are trying to emphasize the free relay.”
(01/11/10 4:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The No. 12 IU women’s swimming and diving team opened 2010 “right” with a 130-113 win against No. 16 Michigan.“I was really impressed with how the divers performed,” IU coach Ray Looze said. Sophomore diver Gabby Agostino earned first-place finishes and season-best scores in both the one-meter and three-meter springboard competitions. Senior Amy Korthauer finished the sweep with a first-place victory on the platform. After suffering some injuries early in the season, the team was at full strength against Michigan and proved why it is one of the best in the Big Ten. Three-time Big Ten swimmer of the week this season, senior Kate Fesenko, remained perfect with another victory in the 200-backstroke. The Hoosiers also saw strong performances from senior Amilee Smith, who won the 200-breaststroke after just picking up a fourth-place finish in the 1,650-freestyle. Sophomore Nikki White had an excellent performance with a first-place finish in the 500-freestyle and a second place in the 200-free. “We have been in really hard training right now,” White said. “I think everyone is looking forward to Big Ten (competition) and we have a good chance of winning Big Ten’s as well.”Although the women’s team is still lacking in depth, Looze said he has a positive outlook for the season. “We really have to maximize everyone’s ability to the fullest,” he said. “If we do that, we have done everything we can to have the most successful season possible.”Men's team fallsAfter suffering a loss to No. 7 Michigan, the No. 20 IU men’s swimming and diving team understands it still has a long way to go to become great. “It was a humbling meet,” Looze said, when referring to the 158-82 loss by the Hoosiers.IU started 2010 against what Looze said he thinks is the best Michigan team he has seen in his time with the Hoosiers.Although the swimmers had a tough meet, the men’s divers excelled against Michigan. The divers swept all three events against the Wolverines, as senior David Piercy finished first in the one-meter and three-meter springboard.Meanwhile, freshman Casey Johnson took the platform title. The men’s swim team, though, struggled. Its only victory this weekend came in the 100-freestyle from junior Ante Zoricic. Looze said he knows this was a difficult meet for his swimmers. “In races right now, our guys are getting behind right off the bat,” he said. “We are going to continue to work on those things in practice.”The Hoosiers also had second-place finishes from junior Titus Knight in the 200-free, sophomore Tyler Shedron in the 200-fly senior Aaron Opell in the 200-breaststroke, and the 400-freestyle relay team. “We were aware of what we were facing,” Looze said. “The guys are holding their heads high and we are going to keep hammering away.”
(12/10/09 5:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When junior Cassidy Kahn stands on the diving board waiting to fling her body through the air and into the pool, she carries a heavier heart than that of the typical diver.“It just feels incredible,” she said. “I just think, ‘Oh my God, I’m doing this. I’m back.’”Her emotions are those of a survivor. Two years ago, Kahn was a healthy freshman athlete excited to start her collegiatediving career. All of that changed when a few rashes appeared on her legs. It was just a few days before Kahn realized she had more than a simple rash. She became increasingly ill and was taken to a hospital where she was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, a rare flesh-eating bacteria with a high death rate, even with aggressive treatment and powerful antibiotics. “I don’t remember all of it, but the doctor came in and told me they needed to take me to surgery,” Kahn said. “He asked what religion I was, and when I said Jewish, he told me they should probably bring a rabbi in.”It hit Kahn so quickly, she was not always sure what was going on. She was going through these first surgeries without her parents, who were home in New York. The many surgeries Kahn had to go through to rid her body of the infection left her crippled. She was told she would never dive again.A resilient teenager, Kahn was not ready to let her dream of being a collegiate diver fade away.“When everyone kept saying it was out of the question and that it was insane, that just made me be like, ‘No, I’m going to prove you wrong,’” she said. “I didn’t know if I was going to get back to where I was, but it was always in me that I wanted to try.”When her body was finally cleared of the illness, she began the long road of rehabilitation. First, it was getting her to sit up. Next, she was walking five steps at a time – a huge accomplishment for someone with her condition. Once she was strong enough to get through normal living, it was physical therapy six days a week to build up strength. Fighting BackFinally, she was cleared to return to Bloomington and rejoin IU’s diving team. IU diving coach Jeff Huber was glad to have Kahn back and practicing.“It was frustrating because once she got to IU, I never got to see her do a dive,” he said.Now that she is back and diving, Huber said he has never had a kid work any harder, but there is more to her than her hard work. “She’s a resilient kid and very humble,” he said. “She never missed a chance after practice to (say) thank you for coaching her.”Kahn’s resistance to give in kept her motivated when she simply had to sit on the side and watch her teammates. “I was at nationals with the team in August. I was sitting there and I was just frustrated,” she said. “I remember almost panicking. I was like, ‘Competition is in three months, and I have to get back.’”Kahn’s ordeal has touched members of her team as well.Junior Christina Kouklakis said that Kahn’s struggle to survive and determination to dive again has changed the way she thinks about problems in her career. “There are times we all complain,” Kouklakis said. “You just look at her and think things could be worse. I need to think in a different way to get through a meet or practice.”‘The Greatest Feeling’Nearly two years have passed since her first surgery, and Kahn finally got the chance to start the collegiate diving career she dreamed of at the Hoosierland Invitational this November. She finished eighth in the platform diving competition, and the surreal moment still resonates with her. As she sits and describes her first dive in front of a crowd, her body turns to face the diving boards. The scar running down her leg from her surgery is visible, but it is hard to notice because her eyes are what draw the attention.When the words come out, she cannot help but continue to gaze at the diving board with a light in her eyes, as if she is reliving the moment over again.“I couldn’t have anticipated the feeling,” she said. “I actually did it. It was the greatest feeling I think I ever had. I am doing what I love.”
(12/04/09 3:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU’s No. 13 women’s swimming and diving team and No. 8 men’s swimming and diving team both have busy weekends ahead of them.In their final meets before the new year and the start of the Big Ten season, members of the team will be split, competing in three different meets.This weekend presents a rare occasion where the team will have to separate, IU coach Ray Looze said.Five of the top women swimmers and four of the top male swimmers have been in Federal Way, Wash., since Thursday and will stay there through Saturday to compete in the U.S. Short Course Nationals.The American swimmers will look for the opportunity to make the team for April’s Short Course World Tournament in Dubai.Sophomore breaststroker Allysa Vavra is one of the swimmers competing at nationals. She said she hopes to do well personally, but knows that the team’s presence at the meet makes a big impact.“It attracts people to IU’s swimming program,” she said. “People will want to come here because our program is successful in NCAAs and on a national standpoint.”After the first round of preliminary races Thursday, swimmers Kate Fesenko, Aaron Opell and Vavra qualified for finals in the 200-meter individual medley. Nikki White, Titus Knight, Tyler Shedron and Jimmy Barbiere will compete in finals for the 500-meter freestyle.The divers will be in Columbus, Ohio, for the Ohio State Invite. The remaining swimmers will travel to participate in a dual meet against Kentucky.“We are taking a short-term hit for long-term success,” Looze said. “The presence at nationals is important from a recruiting standpoint.”With the top swimmers from the men’s and women’s side not available against Kentucky, IU becomes the underdog.“People that don’t normally travel will get the opportunity,” Looze said. “Hopefully we will develop some depth.”The swimmers competing in Kentucky will have to work to overcome their inexperience to earn a victory. Sophomore freestyle swimmer Marguax Farrell knows the team will need to depend on swimmers who don’t normally get the opportunity to be on the top relays.“We have to take initiative upon ourselves and not expect others to do it for us,” she said.
(11/20/09 4:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Tailgating and hockey may not be two things that normally coincide, but Friday night, IU hockey fans will be in luck.No. 23 IU (4-14) will put on a variety of events this weekend to celebrate the return of former players.The Hoosiers will take on a D-II opponent, Wright State.It will be a two-game series with the first game being played Friday at 9:15 p.m. and the second being played Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Both will take place at Frank Southern Arena.This weekend will have added incentives for the crowd.Friday’s tailgate theme will help to celebrate all the Big Ten Championships IU won over the last year.IU diving coach Jeff Huber will drop the puck, and free hot dogs will be given to the first 200 fans.Saturday will be the annual alumni game with IU alums pitted against one another.The atmosphere this weekend will not deter the Hoosiers from getting two much-needed victories, sophomore Kevin Memolo said.He said he is looking forward to using the alumni crowd as motivation for a win.“It will be nice to see them back in Bloomington and let them see how our team has progressed,” he said.IU and Wright State have met on numerous other occasions, and each game has proved to be a physical battle.IU coach Tom Orr said it will be a close and hard-fought game.“They play aggressive, intense hockey,” he said. “If we don’t work our best they are going to give us a great game.”The physicality of the game led to several fights in the teams’ last matchup.“They definitely like to hit,” Memolo said. “We have to make sure we assert ourselves physically.”This will be IU’s last home game before next semester and another opportunity to better their record.“It’s our last chance at home to impress our fans this year,” Orr said.
(11/20/09 4:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU’s swimming and diving team has one last opportunity to compete together before the new year.The Hoosiers will compete in this weekend’s Hoosierland Invitational along with Cincinnati and Notre Dame.The Invitational will be an unscored meet that gives the opportunity for past swimmers that are pursuing Olympic or other competitive aspirations to compete in an intense environment.Coach Ray Looze sees other positive benefits for his team’s participation.The meet will have both preliminaries and finals that will help to serve as a dry-run for the Big Ten and NCAA meet, he said.The main goal will be to make sure the team is in a good place going into next semester’s competition.“What’s really important is having everyone clicking and contributing when they can,” Looze said. “People that have not been counted on will have to step up.”Both the No. 9 women’s and the No. 18 men’s teams have had a good start to the season. The men (1-1) have had junior Titus Knight named Big Ten Swimmer of the Week twice along with senior Kate Fesenko of the women’s team (2-0).This week some members of the team have had a resting period where they do not swim as much yardage as they would during a normal week.Sophomore breaststroker Allysa Vavra said she wants to do well as she prepares for Nationals next week.“I’m just hoping to get some personal bests,” she said.Vavra anticipates seeing how the rest will help increase her teammates’ times.“I’m excited to see what the people who are resting will do,” she said. “When they get a little bit of rest, they end up swimming really fast.”
(11/18/09 3:13pm)
Internationals swimmers explain what it's like to be a fish out of water in the American scene.
(11/11/09 4:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Two seems to be a lucky number when it comes to IU’s swimming and diving teams.In the first two weeks of the season, the Hoosiers had two swimmers named Big Ten Swimmer of the week – twice.Junior freestyler Titus Knight received the honor two times for the men’s team and senior backstroker Kate Fesenko accomplished the same feat on the women’s side.Knight’s most recent meet took place in his hometown of Austin, Texas, where the swimming and diving team (1-1) fell to Texas 149-179.Knight still had a stellar performance in a crowd that included his family and friends.He remained undefeated in his main event, the 200-meter freestyle, with a time of 1:37.91. He took second in the 100-meter freestyle and the 500-meter freestyle.Knight also contributed in a 200-meter freestyle relay victory.With the Hoosiers off until Nov. 20, Knight has time to think about what being undefeated might mean.“I just try to swim as hard as I can and as fast as I can every single race,” he said. “Being undefeated has no real impact on me.”The positive early start has Knight anticipating what he could do before the season ends. “It makes me real excited about what I’m capable of doing,” he said.Fesenko can relate to Knight’s excitement about early season successes.She, too, had an excellent meet in Austin, where the women’s swimming and diving team (2-1) competed in a dual meet. They beat Michigan 251-174 but lost to Texas 222-162.She has the fastest time in the NCAA in the 100- and 200-meter backstroke. In Austin, she finished with a time of 53.30 in the 100 back and 1:55.56 in the 200 back.Even though the backstroke might be her strength, the versatile swimmer also placed second in the 200-meter individual medley and the 100-meter butterfly.In her relay competitions, she helped her team to second place in the 200- and 400-meter free relays and a third-place finish in the 200-meter free relay.Although it might seem like a lot of events, Fesenko said she enjoys contributing to the team in many different ways.“I feel the most pressure in my main events,” she said. “The rest is just mostly fun for me.”Early success will not keep Fesenko from her season goal.“The main focus for me is to go to the NCAA tournament and to help my team win another Big Ten title,” she said.Described by assistant head coach Pam Swander as mentally tough, Fesenko also brings a unique leadership ability to the team. She gets that from competing in World Championships with Ukraine.“What Kate brings is her experience,” Swander said. “The knowledge of the sport that she shares with the women’s team is invaluable.”
(11/06/09 5:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU’s rivalry with Kentucky will be in full swing at 9:15 p.m. Friday – this time, on the ice in the Frank Southern Ice Arena.
The No. 26 Hoosiers (3-11) will play a D-II Kentucky squad in the first
game of a home series. The second game will be played at midnight on
Saturday in Kentucky.
Friday’s game has been traditionally one of the biggest draws of the season, and no member on IU’s team has ever lost this game.
“Since I have been here we have never lost to them,” senior center Adam
Logue said. “It’s my favorite game of the year. I love this game more
than any other game.”
The atmosphere should help the Hoosiers pick up a much needed win.
IU has yet to get a win against D-I opponents, but have still received
enough votes to be ranked in the top-30 because of the high level of
hockey they are playing.
IU coach Tom Orr describes the team as being on the hottest losing
streak in the country, but with the Hoosiers being favored Friday night
Orr is ready to take on Kentucky with full force.
“I think we have been an underdog in almost every game,” he said. “I look forward to beating Kentucky.”
In a game that almost always goes down to the wire, Orr hopes to get another big draw Friday night.
“When we played against them last year, ESPN Magazine described it as being one of the most exciting and out-of-control games.”
Despite the emotions involved, the Hoosiers need to make sure they still play the D-I level of hockey they have been.
“We really can’t play down to their level,” Logue said. “If we play
like we played against Division I teams, we will have no problem.”
(11/04/09 4:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It took three days on a lake and 13 fish for members of the IU bass fishing club to land the big one – a $50,000 prize.On the final foggy day of the College Fishing Central Regional Championship, IU’s bass fishing team took home the first place title.The regional took place at Kentucky Lake, near Murray, Ky. The area is known to be one of the top fisheries in the nation.It consisted of three full days of fishing for large mouth, small mouth and spotted bass. Each day, the teams were allowed to choose their six largest fish to be used in the weigh in.IU’s championship boat was comprised of senior Jesse Schultz and sophomore Dustin Vaal. At the end of day three, they totaled 29 pounds, 14 ounces from 13 fish. The club defeated runner-up Eastern Kentucky by more than four pounds. Other final competition included Ohio State, Southern Illinois and Murray State.IU was one of only two schools that qualified two boats for the regional.The other boat’s members were sophomore Steven Bressler and senior Tyler Zschiedrich. They finished 14th during the weekend.The tournament did not start the way Vaal and Schultz would have liked. At the end of the first day they were in 15th place. In order to qualify for the final day, they would have to be in the top five.“We thought that we could make it into the top five, but after the first day we were almost in last place and we just didn’t know,” Vaal said.On day two, the Hoosier boat found a new spot that gave them just what they needed.“We went to a different spot on the lake over by one of the bridges,” Vaal said. “We went back to that same spot on the final day.”The Hoosiers went into their last day of fishing in third place. The third day consisted of only the top-five teams. Schultz and Vaal knew their big competition was the members of Eastern Kentucky.“If you know anything about college bass fishing, you know the two names from Eastern Kentucky,” Schultz said. “We were going up against those guys all day, and we knew that we had to catch a lot of fish.”By 9:30 a.m. Schultz and Vaal had already reached the limit of fish allowed, but they were worried because they hadn’t caught a big fish that they thought was essential to winning.When the teams came in for the final weigh in, IU was in first place with only EKU left to weigh its catches. Both IU members were sitting at center stage in the “hot seat” as EKU walked up to weigh in its fish.“It was really intense,” Zschiedrich said. “We knew (EKU) had done really well, that all they had to do was catch a few fish because (Schultz and Vaal) had so much ground to make up.” But EKU only caught one fish that day.“It was an unbelievable tournament,” Schultz said. “It was just a wonderful feeling to be up there on stage with hundreds of people in the crowd.”The entire tournament was filmed and will be featured on The Versus Network on Nov. 29.The $50,000 prize includes a $25,000 Ranger fishing boat wrapped in cream and crimson and a $25,000 cash prize sent to the University.With the top-five finish Schultz and Vaal qualified for the National Tournament, set to take place in the spring in Tennessee. The tournament will feature a prize of $100,000.“Dustin and I have both been fishing all our lives,” Schultz said. “Your prize package is usually somewhere around $2,000. Only the professionals get to fish for $50,000 prizes.”
(10/30/09 4:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a season of struggles, the men’s club soccer team has come together, and it may be just in time.The reigning national champions had to fight for their spot in the regional tournament, and now the team is looking to put together the perfect set of games.IU (7-3-2) has the benefit of hosting the regional tournament that gets underway Saturday at Karst Park near 10th and the Bypass.To qualify for the national tournament, the Hoosiers will need to make it to the championship game on Sunday.IU has two games slated for Saturday. The first is at 2 p.m. against Miami (Ohio), and the second is 6 p.m. against Wisconsin-Milwaukee.Senior goalkeeper Steven Smith explained that there is a good amount of history between the Hoosiers and Wisconsin-Milwaukee.“We played them every year in the regional tournament over the past four years,” he said. “We’ve been the team to end their season each time.”Sophomore midfielder Brad Callahan knows that in order for IU to make it to Phoenix and be in the national championship game, team members will need to rely on one another.“We are a great team when we play together and do what we practice,” he said. “I think we definitely can win, and if we play like we know how, we will win.”The Hoosiers realize that it will be a tough tournament and that no one is going to let them walk back to the national championship.“We have done it before, and we just have to focus and believe we can do it again this year,” Smith said.
(10/30/09 4:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It will be a battle of school colors this weekend at The Frank Southern Center as the men’s hockey team plays yet another top-25 team.No. 22 IU (3-9) takes on No. 7 Oklahoma (3-3-1). Both teams will wear the cream and crimson.IU had another set of close games last weekend at No. 6 Central Oklahoma, but has yet to get the big win they are looking for against a D-I opponent.Senior defenseman Tyler Bohman said he knows the team has been putting in a lot of work to finally get past the hump against top-tier teams.“This week, we are having some really intense practices,” he said. “They are all with the goal of looking to beat a top-10 team in the nation.”Oklahoma brings size and speed into Bloomington this weekend that should lead to a lot of aggressive and exciting play from both teams.The hockey program has put together a special Halloween atmosphere for all those that attend this weekend. Friday’s game begins at 9:15 p.m. and will be college night with a discounted admission to all students that wear costumes. Saturday’s start time is 2:30 p.m. and will offer free admission to children 12 and under.Coach Tom Orr thinks that this is the Hoosiers’ chance to finally get their big win against a D-I program.“The pattern continues of us playing the very best of the best,” he said. “We are hoping to finally get a win over them.”
(10/30/09 4:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU’s men’s club rugby team has momentum coming into its final regular season home game against Michigan.The Hoosiers (6-2) upset No. 13 Ohio State, one of the nation’s most dominant rugby programs, last weekend 13-10.The back-and-forth match was a must-win for the Hoosiers, who are looking for a bid to the Midwest Championships on Nov. 14 and 15.Now, IU prepares for its last game against Michigan at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Evan Williams Club Sports Field near the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation.IU is highly favored coming into this game, with its only two loses this season at the hands of Notre Dame.Michigan comes into the match without a single win against a Midwest team.Club President Dave Harbeck said he knows Michigan’s record will not mean anything Saturday.“With rugby, anything can really happen,” he said. “You never really know what team will show up.”Harbeck also mentioned that Michigan has suffered from some disciplinary problems earlier in the year, so it is very possible that by now they could have eligible players to put together a strong squad.There is more on the line than just a win. The Hoosiers hope to gain home field advantage for the 4 Quarterfinal game that a team must win if they hope to compete in the Midwest Championships.Men’s rugby has had a strong season so far, and they are looking to continue the season into November.“We are hoping to pull everything together we have been working on this year and have a big win over Michigan,” Harbeck said.
(10/23/09 4:00pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When head coach Tom Orr looked at the schedule he made for his hockey team’s first D-I season, he wondered if he made the right decision.“I looked at it and I said, ‘It is one of the more difficult schedules, but it is going to make us better right away and make us rise to it,’” he said.It seems that his choice was right, as IU (3-7) got its first ranking in school history as an American Collegiate Hockey Association D-I program.The strength of the Hoosiers’ schedule was a key component in the ACHA’s computer rankings that placed IU at No. 22.This past weekend the team had a big win against back-to-back D-II Champion Davenport University. After losing the first game 2-10, IU came out and dominated the second game, winning 9-5.Junior forward KC Madock knows the tough competition in the early half of the season helped to prepare the team for the level of play from top-tier teams. As a whole, the Hoosiers had to up their level of play.“The upgraded effort finally manifested itself in a win on Saturday,” he said. “It showed all the work we had put in.”Junior forward Chris Benz led the team in their victory over Davenport with three goals and four assists.Benz saw the tough schedule as an advantage going into the rest of the year. He is optimistic that the team’s current ranking will only get higher.“I think we can beat both teams we are playing the next two weeks,” he said. “That should easily put us in the top 15.”This weekend, the team travels to No. 6 Central Oklahoma in a two-game series that will allow the team to prove it can not only play with the top teams in the country, but beat them.Senior defenseman Casey Christensen points out that to many people the team’s record may not look that impressive, but he knows it will continue winning games. “We’ve already seen some of the best teams in the country,” he said. “If we can play with them, that will give us the confidence to play with anyone.”IU still has several games against ranked opponents that will again give the team the chance to prove it belongs at the D-I level.“The beginning was a learning process,” Benz said. “Now we know what the other teams can do against us, and we have a definite advantage going into the rest of the year from this weekend on.”
(10/23/09 3:59pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>No one ever said that it would be easy to defend a national championship, but the men’s club soccer team could not possibly have thought it would be this hard.IU (5-3-2) started off the season with high aspirations to qualify for nationals and repeat as champions. Now entering the final weekend of regular season play, the team is fighting for the shot to make it into the regional tournament.After a slow start to the season, the Hoosiers have won their last three contests and head to Southern Illinois on Friday and then face Iowa at 12 p.m. Sunday at Karst Park in Bloomington. These two games are must-wins for IU as they look toward the regional tournament Halloween weekend.Senior defender John Rosenberger said he believes the team has finally gotten its act together after a slow start.“The momentum is turning our way,” he said. “Instead of thinking about losing games, we are knowing that we can win and are winning games.”Lack of scoring plagued the Hoosiers in the early part of the season, but members of the team also attributed troubles to the lack of intensity in practices.To turn around the season, players said they knew they had to recommit themselves to practicing the way they wanted to play.Sophomore midfielder Reid Bergstrom said the team has picked up the effort in practice over the last couple weeks and that this has helped account for the team’s recent successes.“We’ve worked harder at practice, and we’ve got on each other about not working hard,” he said. “We need to have the intensity that we haven’t had all season.”Playing as a team will be crucial in these final games as the Hoosiers become aware of the circumstances and importance of this weekend.In order to be invited to play at regionals, IU must be in the top 12 teams in the region. Currently, the team sits just outside the top 10 ranked teams.Senior midfielder Andrew Conley has seen the turnaround the team has recently had and said he hopes that this will lead it into a successful final week.“We have had a pretty good end of the season, so we can bring that into regionals and hopefully uphold ourselves as national champions,” he said.
(10/16/09 3:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU men’s hockey team’s tough schedule does not let up this weekend.Davenport University (5-1), back-to-back American Collegiate Hockey Association D-II national champions, will be looking to continue their hot start to season at the expense of the Hoosiers.The Hoosiers (2-6) lost to Davenport in the national championship two years ago and a strong rivalry still exists between the programs.The two teams square off for a pair of games at Frank Southern Arena in Bloomington. Game one is 9:15 p.m. on Friday and game two is 2:30 p.m. Saturday.Head coach Tom Orr expects another series against a high-level hockey program.“They are a real physical team with a lot of experience,” he said. “It’s the best D-II team around and, again, will be talent Bloomington has never seen.”Davenport is in their transition year from D-II to D-I and will want to prove they belong by defeating the D-I Hoosiers.The Hoosiers need to rebound after four straight loses at the hands on No. 7 Iowa State and No. 2 Illinois.The effort IU put on the ice last weekend kept them in the game against Illinois, but that intensity will need to remain if the Hoosiers want two wins coming out of this weekend.One of the team’s struggles was getting the puck past a tenacious Illini defense. Sophomore left-wing Erik Skjodt knows that to stay competitive against Davenport, the team’s offense must excel.“We need to work on getting the puck down low,” he said. “Making better passes and being smarter with the puck is key.”IU had difficulties executing with power plays and penalty kills against the Illini. Senior right-wing Mike Vaughan said that after a week of practice the Hoosiers hoped to now use these to their benefit.Vaughan saw the effort the team put out against Illinois and hopes that will be matched to take on another big opponent.“We’ve been spending time with the special teams and with Davenport being one of the best teams in the country, we need to take advantage of this,” he said. “We need to keep up with them and their individual talent.”
(10/12/09 3:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In a two-game series against No. 2 Illinois, IU saw its best competition this season, and for possibly the rest of the year. The Hoosiers (2-6) lost both games this weekend in contests ending 1-2 Friday and 0-3 Saturday. Illinois has consistently been one of the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s top Division I teams. With this being the Hoosiers’ inaugural season as a D-I program, they were eager to compete with a renowned powerhouse. After almost getting a quick goal in the first 15 seconds on Saturday, IU took the Illini to the boards. The team’s big hits in the first period were consistent for the rest of the game. Junior forward Chris Benz led the Hoosiers in an aggressive attack but couldn’t seem to take advantage of opportunities that presented themselves. “We need to get more traffic in front of the net, and we need more shots on net then we did,” he said. “Our defense did well. It was our offense that was lacking.” Illinois scored its first goal about four minutes into the game, putting the Hoosiers down 0-1. The second period gave the Hoosiers big opportunities with two power plays, but the team could not capitalize against Illinois’ relentless defensive. Illinois scored with 19.1 seconds left in the second period to put them up 0-2 on IU. Junior goalie Danny Ivory gave the Hoosiers the chance they needed to beat one of the top teams in the country. Ivory said he thought the team was looking good when it came to five-on-five exchanges, but the power plays were what killed the team. “It’s clear we’re getting outworked on the power plays,” he said. “It was a pretty good effort, but we just got to start burying pucks.” Illinois scored its final goal with less than 35 seconds remaining in the third period. Although the team did not end the weekend with any victories, club coach Tom Orr took several positives from the games. He said he knows they can learn from the contests. “It’s better to play super-talented teams in the beginning,” Orr said. “Even if we lose, we know it will help us become better.”
(10/12/09 3:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The men’s club volleyball A-team finished as champions this weekend, not losing a single set in the 10th Annual Hoosier Fall Classic.With the strength of the upperclassmen, the expectations were high for the Hoosiers. Saturday, IU said it wanted to make sure its first game set the tone for the rest of their season. The Hoosiers defeated Purdue’s B-team 23-17, 25-23, for their first victory. “It’s like the first game as a more mature team,” senior defensive specialist Jon Grzesik said. “It was nice to get the first game under our belt.” After aced serves and strong spikes, the bench, along with all the players on the court, erupted with cheers and the occasional flexing of the muscles or posing for imaginary pictures. Decisive blocking and setting at the net, along with a fast-paced game helped the Hoosiers to defeat Illinois State’s B-team 25-23, 25-21.Communication was one of the key concepts for IU. When the team wasn’t talking, the energy slowed on the court and it became less productive. This caused errors that cost the Hoosiers points against Illinois State. The team focused on setting in practice and it was one of the key assets in the close win against ISU. Freshman libero Jake Goldberg said the team would be nowhere without their powerful setting. “We definitely have one of the best setters in the country,” he said. “We just have to clean some other things up, but we’re getting there.” This game put two quick wins under IU’s belt and the team was beginning to play with the confidence they were looking for. IU defeated Loyola-Chicago 25-13, 25-18, to finish out pool play at the top of their bracket. In the first game of the gold playoff bracket, the Hoosiers defeated Purdue’s A-team 25-17, 25-23, to set up a game against powerhouse Illinois. No one on the team’s roster had ever beaten Illinois in any match. At the end of last year Illinois was ranked No. 6. IU displayed blocking that Illinois could not combat. The Hoosiers made a run on them keeping up their intensity to defeat the Illini 25-23, 25-17. Senior outside hitter Scott Anerino said that their effort this year and during the last four years has finally paid off. “I haven’t beaten them in my career and neither has anyone on our team,” he said. “Our hard-work paid dividends today.” The Hoosiers moved on to the championship where both teams were competing in their sixth match of the day. The team struggled in the first set, but pulled it together with some big kills and momentum shifts to give them their final victory of the day. Sophomore middle hitter Matt Ahlberg said he hopes the performances of Saturday will bode well for the rest of the season. “It really puts us off to a great start and puts a lot of confidence in us for the rest of our season,” he said.