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(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Team captains are key to the success of any athletic team. The Hoosier field hockey team is no exception.\n"As a group, regardless of the condition we are put in (the team captains) have a positive attitude and help bring up the rest of the team even if we are frustrated," freshman forward Ryan Woolsey said.\nThe field hockey captains were selected by their teammates at the beginning of the season. Senior back Akila Jones, senior forward Brooke Magers and junior midfielder Erica Nilsson were selected by their peers to lead the team. \nAll the captains said they are willing to accept the responsibility and pressure that comes with the title.\n"I think regardless of being a captain, I would have the same mentality towards the team," Nilsson said. "I am a big talker on the field, and with my energy on the field I just try to lift the players up when they are low."\n"I don't really feel any pressure," Magers said. "I think the only pressure that I put on myself is that I want it to be a much more winning season this year. I definitely want to have all the new players taste more success than we did last year."\nJones said she expects nothing less out of herself than she would ever expect out of her teammates.\n"I totally put higher expectations on myself, because I expect nothing but 110 percent from my players and I can only ask them to do what I do," Jones said. "If I want our team to play to the level that I know they can play, and even higher than that, then I have to set team standards."\nIn their second year as a varsity sport, the captains said they understand the difficulty of keeping the program up and trying to improve.\n"I think being a second-year program, it's not at easy as a winning program to come in here," Nilsson said. "It's easier to get down after a game where we don't get the outcome we would want. I think it's a matter of attitude and it's our job to instill that positive attitude on the players."\n While the captains are essential to the team seeking success on the field, freshman midfielder Kimberly Nash said she considers the trio to be good leaders off the field as well.\n "They are very good role models for the team and have encouraging attitudes," Nash said. "You can go to them with problems other than field hockey and rely on them to be there for you no matter what."\nAlthough the captains' leadership, energy and encouragement have helped the Hoosiers improve, they have yet to taste success this season. \nJones said she is sure that trend will end soon, as long as the Hoosiers put forth maximum effort.\n"We are so excited from what we did last Friday and we are really excited for this weekend. We know that we are so right there and just need that extra inch," Jones said. "As long as we take one day at a time, focus mentally and know that we can do it we will be right there where we want to be"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
When junior goalie Molly Pulkrabek came to IU she expected to be in the net for the Hoosiers.\nPulkrabek lettered three times in soccer at Barrington High School in Illinois and came to IU to play for the women's soccer team. She played her freshman year, but in 2000 decided to defend a different net when the field hockey team turned from a club squad to a varsity sport.\n"The techniques and concepts (of field hockey) are all the same from soccer," Pulkrabek said. "I just had to get used to the rules and the attire we use in field hockey. I was still adjusting last year, but this year I think I understand all the rules, and that is helping me play better."\nPulkrabek's statistics have improved this year, recording 14 saves on 17 shots. She also has a less than two goals-against average, down from 5.31 in her first season.\n"I worked really hard during the off-season and really tried to improve," Pulkrabek said. "Because I was the only goalie here during the off-season I really got to play a lot and was able to improve."\nIn a Sept. 7 game against Stanford, she had 10 saves in the second half and two 15-minute, overtime sessions.\nAlthough the Hoosiers fell to Stanford in a shootout, Pulkrabek's performance earned her personal recognition as Big Ten co-Defensive Player of the Week. The award was the first of its kind given to an Indiana field hockey player. Pulkrabek was told of the award at practice where she admits she was somewhat surprised.\n"I was pleasantly surprised," she said. "I was actually very happy, but I didn't know what to say."\nCoach Amy Robertson and Pulkrabek noted that the award was good for the program, but its greater importance is in the confidence it gives Pulkrabek.\n"It was great to be recognized and acknowledged within the conference, but outside awards really can't boost our play," Robertson said. "Most important is that Molly now has the confidence that she can play like that again."\nPulkrabek agreed.\n"It's a step forward for the whole team, because other teams will see that we can play well and will not just brush us off," Pulkrabek said. "But it's all about confidence. As long as I stay intense and focus, I hope to play with the same capabilities."\nWhile Pulkrabek's play has improved, freshman transfer Katie Kanara has also played well for the Hoosiers in net. Both Kanara and Pulkrabek admit that while they each want to start, they know they have to push each other and work together to help the team improve.\n"We both want to start, it's real competitive," Kanara said. "However, we also look to each other for various things and try to improve."\nPulkrabek said teamwork is the key.\n"We understand the we are on the same team and have to work together," Pulkrabek said. "It's really good to have the competition to work harder and to get stronger"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
After gaining a 3-1 first half advantage, it looked as though the IU field hockey team was on its way to winning its first game of the year. But when Ball State forward Heather Weinhold scored with just 16 seconds left in the half, the Hoosiers appeared to be deflated and searching for an emotional boost.\nIU freshman goalie Katie Kanara said the team got their motivation from head coach Amy Robertson's halftime speech.\n "She reminded us that she is sick of it and we're sick of people not thinking we are anybody," Kanara said. "She said to not be surprised with ourselves because we knew that we could play this well."\nHoosier freshman midfielder Kim Nash responded to Robertson's words. Nash netted her second goal of the match just 6:24 into the second half to give the Hoosiers a 4-2 advantage. Fellow freshman midfielder Kayla Bashore assisted on Nash's goal.\n Nash thought the goal boosted the team's confidence.\n"Our bodies were full of adrenaline," she said.\nBall State forward Allison Haynes scored her second goal nine minutes later, but the Cardinals couldn't get the ball past Kanara in the final 19 minutes of the game. Kanara recorded a career high 14 saves in the match. The Hoosiers held off a late barrage of attacks to earn their first victory of the year, 4-3. The win was IU's first Division I win in school history since the sport returned to varsity status last year.\nThe win moves IU to 1-6 on the year and drops Ball State to 4-3. The Cardinals were ranked No. 26 by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association coming into the game.\n Robertson thought the Hoosiers caught Ball State off guard.\n "I think this was the right time for us to play them," Robertson said. "They just beat Miami (OH) 7-0 and coming to play us, seeing that we had lost to Miami 2-1, I think they might have underestimated us. I think they might have been a little shocked when we took it down to there end early and then we never gave up defensively."\n Robertson also admitted that she was a bit surprised, but needed to convince the players that they were good enough to win.\n "I was really proud of the team and the way they handled the pressure," she said. "I felt kind of mentally exhausted (after the game). I had to sit there for a while and go, 'Oh my God, we won.' I told the team, don't be surprised when you win, don't feel bad about it because you earned it and you deserve it."\n Nash's first half goal came 8:13 into the match with an assist from freshman forward Ryan Woolsey. The goal came off the Hoosiers lone penalty corner in the first half. The Cardinals promptly responded as Haynes scored her first goal of the match five minutes later. Hoosier sophomore forward Jaime O'Pray found the back of the net 22:21 into the half and Woolsey added the Hoosiers final goal of the half at the 24:52 mark.\n Woolsey admitted she was a little hesitant before her ball went in the back of the net.\n "I was really excited, because it's always exciting to score," she said. "But I was a little apprehensive because I wasn't supposed to take that shot because it wasn't a high percentage shot. I was so relieved and excited when I saw it go in."\n The victory was extra special for assistant coach Gina Lucido who played her college field hockey at Ball State.\n "I am absolutely elated," Lucido said. "It really never crossed my mind, because I am here looking to build this program and all the goals we have. But I'm an IU girl now. I guess it was a little bittersweet because she (Ball State head coach Jen Halliday) is such a good friend and I respect her talent, but this was a great way for us to get our first win."\n After the game, the team was excited and relieved to earn this season's first victory. Woolsey summed up the team's emotions best.\n "It's awesome to finally win," she said.\n Lucido hopes the team's energy carries on to IU's match-up Sunday in Muncie, Ind. against Central Michigan.\n "We are going to take our momentum and continue it on an upward swing," Lucido said. "As a coaching staff we knew this was coming and that we could win and were capable of winning a lot of games, but know the girls put their money where their mouth is and they did it. Now we just need to keep doing it"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
The 43-year-old diving team has made a name for itself nationally with numerous victories and a reputation of excellence. And only two coaches have been behind every success.\nFrom 1959-1989, coach Hobie Billingsley anchored the IU squad to 15 NCAA Championships and 19 Big Ten Championships. Billingsley also racked up nine U.S. National Diving Coach of the Year awards.\nCoach Jeff Huber took over for Billingsley in 1990 and has kept the success and accolades rolling in. During the last four years, Huber's teams have won eight consecutive (four indoor, four outdoor) U.S. Diving Combined Team National Championships. Huber was recently named the 2001 U.S. Diving National Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive year.\nBut Huber gave credit to his athletes, saying the 2001 award was the most rewarding because his group of divers was outstanding. \n"It was great," Huber said of the award. "Of course, it is based on what your athletes do, so I was just really pleased. It is probably the best of the four, this group was just terrific. They really came together this summer as a team and trained hard."\nHuber has helped to guide junior Sara Reiling to All-American status and was a U.S. Olympic coach in 2000 after Reiling made the Olympic team.\nReiling credited Huber with her success, but said she doesn't feel any pressure to perform for Huber or in the shadows of IU's historic diving program.\n"He's taken me a long way," Reiling said of Huber. "I was a little rough on the edges when I first got here. He has been able to set (me) back and make me look at what I have been doing. I was real choppy when I got back in the water last spring, and I cannot believe how far I have come in the last two months."\n"I don't feel that it is my duty that I have to put pressure on. I am doing what I like to do and he is coaching and it is a great relationship as far as friends go."\nSenior Erin Quinn is another of Huber's All-Americans. Last year, Quinn garnered the Athlete Performance Award for Outstanding Diving at the U.S. Outdoor Nationals and the Women's All-Around Award after placing no lower than fourth in each of the four events she competed in.\nQuinn said Huber pushed her to reach milestones she had never before envisioned.\n"I don't think I ever dreamed of getting to the point in my career that I am at," Quinn said. "I guess I owe it all to him, I don't know how else I would have gotten there."\nAfter placing third in synchronized platform at the U.S. Outdoor Nationals and eighth on platform at the same competition, sophomore Cassandra Cardinell is looking to have a successful second year as a Hoosier. Huber believes Cardinell's success over the summer has made her realize her limitless capabilities.\n"I think making finals at outdoors on tower allowed her to see what she is capable of doing," Huber said. "She has come back and really raised the level of expectations on herself."\nAt the Northwestern dual meet earlier this year, Cardinell set a new school record for dual meet one meter competition. Cardinell also believes she is now realizing her abilities and said that diving for Huber and the IU program does bring a good amount of pressure, but she welcomes the challenge.\n"It makes me realize that I am able to do it, I never realized how high my goals should be, but now I have more perspective on it," Cardinell said. "There is a good deal of pressure, but I think the pressure makes me dive better. If I didn't have someone there constantly pushing me and reminding me how good we are and (how) good this team has been that we created a legacy, I don't think I would be as good as I am"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Coming off their first dual meet tie since the 1990-1991 season, the women's swimming and diving team is looking to continue its improvement in today's match-up against Iowa at the Counsilman/Billingsley Aquatic Center at 5 p.m. The Hoosiers are ranked No. 17 by the College Swim Coaches Association of America and bring a 1-0-1 overall record into the meet with an 0-0-1 record in Big Ten duals. Iowa comes to Bloomington with an 0-1 record in both overall and Big Ten competition.\n"The way we plan out our season, we like to at least make an attempt to get a little bit better each meet," said head swimming coach Dorsey Tierney.\nTierney said she especially wants to see the Hoosiers focus on team chemistry and have their leaders establish themselves in the meet against the Hawkeyes.\n"From a team standpoint, we still need to gel a little bit better," she said. "We still have quite a bit of development as far as team chemistry is concerned. We also need to have the leaders step forward on a more consistent and numerous basis."\nSeniors Susan Woessner, Erin Rice and juniors Megan Ryther, Anne Williams and Tina Gretlund were mentioned by Tierney as upperclassmen who she expects take on leadership roles with the squad this year. Tierney also noted that junior Brooke Taflinger and freshman Erin Smith have gained the respect of their teammates through their work ethic and have established themselves as swimmers the team can count on.\nTaflinger has already posted times in IU's all-time top ten in the 200- yard freestyle, 500-free, 200-individual medley and the 400-IM. But the sophomore native of Kokomo said she is still doing lots of training and targeting areas that have been problems in the past.\n"Look back on our events, we each can pick out something that we did wrong," Taflinger said. "We have to pick on the little things and get those right. We have to keep our mindset focused on what we have to do and stay positive."\nWith similar goals in mind, the diving team heads into the Iowa meet looking for improvement from it's showing at the Northwestern dual tie.\n"We are pretty much training right through meets with two-a-days all week and then competing on Friday evening," head diving coach Dr. Jeff Huber said. "We want to see improvement from the last meet and from what I have seen in practice, I think we will look better."\nJunior Sara Reiling will be back on the boards in competition for the Hoosiers for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. Reiling redshirted last season while competing in the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney. In her first meet back, Reiling is looking to try some new dives in her routine, but her real concentration is on the championship season in February and March.\n "I'm working on my dives," Reiling said. "I'm using it as a meet to throw my new dives in and see how they go. But I am looking more to February and March."\n Huber is just looking for Reiling to do the things they have worked on in practice and to see that she can do them in live competition.\n "Even though she hasn't competed yet, she has been training and we have been working on some things in practice," Huber said. "I would like to see those show up in the meet and not disappear just because it is competition"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
The IU women's divers successfully returned to competition in the Indiana Winter Invitational and Dive-Off after five days of intensive training over the semester break. The Hoosiers played host to Iowa State and Purdue for three days of diving to start off the spring championship season.\nIn the three-meter events on Friday, IU junior Sara Reiling and Boilermaker senior Kara Hajek-Gustafson battled it out throughout the day. Hajek-Gustafson edged out Reiling by three points with a total of 518.40 in the collegiate event. Reiling's second place finish led a string of Hoosiers who placed second through seventh. Senior Erin Quinn finished third with a total of 493.90, while juniors Jennifer Sonneborn and Crystal Gregory rounded out the top five.\nHajek-Gustafson also defeated Reiling in the three-meter open event. Reiling posted a total of 471.70, but Hajek-Gustafson topped her with a score of 482.65. Gregory improved to place third with a total of 456.90. Quinn and Sonneborn rounded out the top five.\nReiling wasn't worried about the performances of Hajek-Gustafson after the first day, but rather was trying to focus on her own dives and fine points she could improve upon.\n"I wasn't really focusing on the other competitors," Reiling said. "I am still working on specific things with Jeff (coach Huber). We are working on a lot of the little details that kind of get overlooked."\nQuinn and Reiling raised the level of their performance for the one-meter collegiate and open events and the three-meter dive-off Saturday. In the finals of the collegiate event, Quinn nipped Reiling by just one-half of a point with a total of 310.45. The score set a personal best for Quinn and broke Reiling's one-meter school record of 305.475, which had been set in November. Gregory completed the 1-2-3 sweep for the Hoosiers, with a total of 283.95.\nThe open event saw Quinn and Reiling duel for first and second again, with Reiling getting the better of Quinn. Reiling posted a score of 279.70 to defeat Quinn, who scored a total of 258.05. Hajek-Gustafson finished third, the only non-Hoosier in the top seven finishers. Sonneborn and sophomore Cassandra Cardinell rounded out the top five.\nReiling also fared well in the elimination format of the three-meter dive-off. She was able to avenge Friday's defeats to the Boilermakers' Hajek-Gustafson, with a total of 495.70. The score set a new U.S. Diving sanctioned pool record at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center. Hajek-Gustafson posted a 490.25 to finish second, while the Hoosiers once again took six of the top seven places.\nSunday's platform event was a chance for several Hoosiers to get on the tower in true competition rather than just practice. Each IU diver performed her dives from the 10-meter platform, while the Boilermakers and Cyclones completed most of their dives on the seven- and five-meter towers.\nHuber believed the Hoosiers' willingness to go all the way up to the 10-meter was a credit to the toughness of the team. He said the tower is the team's premier event and that the tower is important for the NCAA Championships.\n"The women's team is extremely tough," Huber said. "I don't think there is a team that is mentally or physically tougher than they are. They are up on the platform because they want to be. We have a goal to be good on the tower."\nThe Hoosiers showed their depth on the platform by placing first through fourth. Reiling led the Hoosiers with a score of 486.10 to set a new U.S. Diving Pool record. Junior Mamie Goodson placed second with a total of 410.45. Gregory and junior Lori Matthys placed third and fourth. Cardinell posted a total of 461.60 while diving in exhibition.\n Gregory was up on the platform for the first time in competition; she thought the weekend gave the team good experience going into the spring season.\n "It felt all right (to be up on the platform)," she said. "Obviously, it is not going to feel great because it is only your first time. This weekend was not necessarily about doing well, but to allow us to get our dives off in competition."\n Huber was pleased with the team's overall performance and thinks the team's improvement is ahead of last year's pace.\n"We did some great stuff," he said. "Overall it was a good weekend. I am never satisfied, and all of us can look better, but compared to this time last year we look a lot better."\nThe Hoosiers compete against Ohio State 1 p.m. Jan 12 at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Heading into their team's dual meet against Ohio State, IU women's swimming head coach Dorsey Tierney was looking for depth within her squad. In order to establish depth, Tierney changed the lineup of events in which many of the swimmers competed.\n"It made everyone a little more excited since they weren't necessarily swimming in their best events, to show that they could step up and be more versatile," freshman Erin Smith said of Tierney's lineup adjustments.\nThe Hoosier swimmers responded positively to their coach's decisions and defeated the Buckeyes 171-69. The victory moves the No. 20 Hoosiers to 3-0-1 and 2-0-1 in Big Ten duals. Ohio State falls to 2-6 and 0-3.\nSenior Susan Woessner and juniors Megan Geers, Tina Gretlund and Anne Williams opened the meet with a season-best time of 3:48.82 in the 400-yard medley relay, and the Hoosiers never looked back. IU was victorious in 10 of the meet's 11 swimming events, only losing the 400-yard freestyle relay. The Hoosiers did have the fastest two times in the 400-yard free relay, but all of IU's teams were swimming in exhibition in that event.\n Smith and Williams led the Hoosiers with two individual victories each. Smith's wins came in the 200-yard freestyle, with a time of 1:52.38, and the 200-yard butterfly, where she swam a personal best 2:03.03. \n Williams' victories came in the 50-yard free and 100-yard free. Her time of 51.69 in the 100-free is a team season best and a boost for Williams, Tierney said.\n"(Williams) had never been under 52 seconds un-rested before," Tierney said. "We were able to get her there, and that is a huge confidence builder for her."\nGretlund was victorious in the 200-yard individual medley, with a time of 2:05.72. She also swam in the 200-yard backstroke, an event she normally doesn't compete in, and placed second behind junior teammate Colleen McCracken. Sophomore Brooke Taflinger won the 1650-yard freestyle, an event not typical for her, with a time of 17:02.03.\nTierney was especially pleased with the races of Gretlund, Taflinger, juniors Kristy Martin and Maggie Helmers and sophomore Erin Gorlesky, all who are strong in the 400-yard IM. What impressed Tierney, though, were their swims at the 200-yard length in the individual strokes. The versatility of those swimmers, along with the overall team output in the first meet after winter break, has Tierney pleased as the Hoosiers prepare for the championship meets later in the spring.\n"It was very nice to see some people in different events," Tierney said. "This is by far the best we have been after Christmas training. It really helps being at home and not having to travel."\nWhile the IU swimmers dominated the pool, the Hoosier divers displayed their abilities on the springboards. The divers followed suit from the swimmers to sweep both the one- and three-meter events.\nJunior Sara Reiling won the three-meter competition with a total score of 320.40, while senior Erin Quinn finished second, posting a score of 313.80. Junior Crystal Gregory gave the Hoosiers three out of the top four finishers, with a score of 269.03, and a fourth-place finish.\nQuinn came back to win the one-meter event by putting up a score of 297.38. Sophomore Cassandra Cardinell finished with a score of 280.20, good enough for second place. Junior Jennifer Sonneborn rounded out a one-two-three finish for the Hoosiers by posting a 270.03 score.\nQuinn, who missed training from August through November of last year with an injury and student teaching, is returning to top form for the Hoosiers. She said although her individual performance isn't where it was last year, the team is steadily getting better.\n"Today went pretty well considering everyone is pretty tired from training," Quinn said. "I am a little bit behind (where I was last year). Hopefully in the next month, I will get back to where I was, but as a team we are doing really well."\nHead diving coach Jeff Huber said he has had to work with Quinn to keep from trying too hard in her comeback.\n"(Quinn) has been frustrated with where her diving has been," Huber said. "I keep reminding her to take it easy, because if she tries to force it, she will come back slower. This is the best she has looked on both boards so far, but it is certainly not where she wants to be."\nThe Hoosiers will return to action in the Counsilman/Billingsley Aquatics Center Jan. 19 at 1 p.m. against Big Ten and in-state rival No. 21 Purdue.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
The IU women's basketball game had all the makings for a down-to-the-wire finish. IU hosted in-state rival No. 11 Purdue Thursday night in a back and forth battle.\nWith the Hoosiers trailing 53-57 and 33 seconds on the clock, IU head coach Kathi Bennett called a timeout to diagram a play. The play set up senior forward Erin McGinnis for a three-point shot that would have brought the Hoosiers within one. But Purdue guard Kelly Komara spoiled the play when she blocked McGinnis' shot with 27 seconds left.\nThe ball eventually ended up in the hands of Boilermaker guard Erika Valek who was fouled and sank two free throws for the win.\nPurdue (14-3, 5-2 Big Ten) added two more free throws to make the final score 61-53 in favor of the Boilermakers. The loss was IU's fourth consecutive defeat. IU (8-9, 2-4 Big Ten) is 0-4 against top-25 opponents this year.\nKomara thought the win came from the Boilermakers heart and pride want to win.\n"It's all about pride," Komara said. "We beat Notre Dame, so we had to beat IU to be considered the best team in Indiana. We took it upon ourselves to come out and really play with our hearts. A game like this isn't about stats or the crowd, it's about playing with heart and I think both teams really did that today."\nBut while the Boilermakers were earning state bragging rights, the Hoosiers were trying to figure out what it is going to take to win.\nBennett said the Hoosiers need to learn how to pull out close games.\n"We believe in what we are doing," she said. "I feel that defensively we are playing very good basketball, and we are getting pretty decent looks (at the basket)."\nBut although IU has fallen into a slump, Bennett and her team doesn't believe they will be unable to come back from the recent setbacks.\n"I think we are knocking on the door and we are competing hard," Bennett said. "I think we are close, but we have to keep that belief."\nThe first half was nip-and-tuck as both teams grabbed for every ball and strained to score, because neither team had more than a six-point lead. \nThe second half registered more excitement in the scoring column.\nPurdue led 25-22 at the half and scored the first eight points at the start of the second to build the biggest lead of the game at 33-22. Valek had four of the points on a jumper and two free throws, while Mary Jo Noon and Laura Meadows each had two points in the run.\nPurdue coach Kristy Curry thought the start of the second half was key to the Boilermakers win.\n"I thought the first six minutes of the second half was the difference," Curry said. "It gave us the confidence to withstand some things throughout the rest of the second half"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Women's swimming coach Dorsey Tierney didn't expect her Hoosier squad to get off to a great start in its dual competition against in-state rival No. 22 Purdue. So when the No. 19 Hoosiers stole the 200-yard medley relay in the first event of the day, momentum was on IU's side.\nThat momentum translated into a 183.5-114.5 Hoosier victory.\n"Purdue historically has a very good 200-medley relay," Tierney said. "I knew we were going to have to be the best we have been all year to even be competitive with their best relay. We wiped out the deficit with the relay, and I felt that Purdue was going to expect to win that relay and that if we were to sneak in there and get it that the momentum would certainly be in our favor."\nThe Hoosiers' time in the 200-yard medley relay of 1:44.16 edged Purdue by only 12 hundredths of a second and was a new season-best time by more than two and a half seconds. The time was also the fourth fastest in school history.\nIU went on to place 1-2-3 in the next two events, setting the tone for the entire meet. Junior Jenny Bechem led the Hoosier contingent in the 1000-yard freestyle, with a new season-best time of 10:08.15. In the 200-yard freestyle, freshman Erin Smith finished first with a 1:51.82 time.\nThe diving portion of the competition was completed the previous weekend, and IU trailed Purdue coming into the swimming events 20-18. IU thought it was important to get out to a quick start to overcome the deficit.\n"The first relay was big, because they always expect to start off the meet with a win," junior Brooke Taflinger said. "It was great because it showed them that we weren't going to let them have their best race. After that race, we just kept feeding off each other, and everybody swam great."\nIU (4-0-1, 3-0-1 Big Ten) gained a valuable point in the Titan Series with the victory. IU now leads 4-2.5 over the Boilermakers.\nTaflinger helped the Hoosiers' cause, winning the 200-yard breaststroke with a new school-record time of 2:18.99. She also swam to victory in the 400-yard individual medley, with a time of 4:21.81.\nModest about her personal achievement, Taflinger said she was glad she could contribute to the victory.\n"We were so pumped up for this meet and to have a chance to show them that they can't come into our pool and take over," Taflinger said. "I'm just glad that I had the opportunity to swim against them because they have a pretty good breaststroker. It was nice to be able to compete and to help my team out."\nIn what were billed as the marquee match-ups of the event, senior Susan Woessner and Purdue swimmer Lisa Dolansky squared off in both the 100- and 200-yard backstroke events. Dolansky is a two-time Big Ten Swimmer of the Week award winner this year, but Woessner dominated both events.\nWoessner, who had already qualified for the NCAAs in the 100-back, swam a new season-best time in the event with a 54.46. With a minimal margin after the 50-yard mark, Woessner pulled away from Dolansky, who finished with a time of 56.01. The 200-back ran much the same way, with Woessner pulling away in the final 50 yards to claim a victory with a time of 2:00.19 over Dolansky's 2:03.02.\nIn all, the Hoosiers claimed victories in 12 of the 14 swimming events and set six new season-best times.\nSmith also won the 100-yard butterfly with a season-best time of 55.84 and placed second in the 100-yard freestyle, only two hundredths of a second behind teammate Anne Williams. As a freshman, Smith said the meet allowed her to see the excitement behind a big time competition.\n"I wasn't a part of Big Tens last year, where everyone says it was the most amazing meet ever," Smith said. "But I felt like the team came together so much this meet, and it was amazing.\n"I have never really had this experience before where everyone was so pumped to go. I felt like I had to be a part of it and do awesome, too"
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When Susan Woessner came to IU as a freshman in the fall of 1998, the IU swim team was in the process of a makeover. Woessner's freshman year was also the first year for coach Dorsey Tierney at the helm of the Hoosier program.\nBut Woessner and the Hoosiers have come a long way since those early days.\nWoessner, a native of Dayton, Ohio, where she attended Oakwood High School, came to IU as a walk-on and has progressed into an All-American and Big Ten champion. Along with her rise, the IU program has improved from an eighth place finish at the Big Ten Championships her freshman year, to a third place finish in 2001.\nTierney doesn't believe Woessner's contributions to the IU program can be measured by her statistics and achievements.\n"Her influence on this program is really immeasurable," Tierney said. "We didn't expect this much from her. Her leadership is invaluable. She truly puts the team before herself and I say that wholeheartedly in every aspect. She is more in tune with what is going on around her than anyone I have ever coached and you can't put that into value."\nFellow swimmer Anne Williams also recognized Woessner's leadership and hard work as motivation for the rest of the Hoosier squad.\n"The progression of her swimming is a tremendous role model for everybody," Williams said. "Once she knew she could compete, she stepped up her standard of training and her mental attitude. She is an excellent leader and an excellent teammate."\nWoessner wasn't sure she wanted to swim in college, but former IU head coach Nancy Nitardy was willing to let Woessner walk-on. After that, Woessner gives the credit to Tierney and the changes she has made to the program.\n"I thought I would give it a try," Woessner said. "The first year was pretty tough. Dorsey (Tierney) has done a great job of turning this around by changing the attitude of the team."\nThe experience of the Big Ten Championships and the team aspect, Woessner said, have been her favorite IU memories.\n"Every year, Big Ten has gotten more amazing than the last," she said. "To watch us really become a team has been the best part of my experience here."\nWoessner anchored IU's 200-yard freestyle relay Big Ten Championship team in 2001, and holds two individual school records and is part of four relay school records.\nShe also competed in the 2001 World University Games in Beijing, China. Woessner came home with two silver medals and one bronze medal. Her silvers came in the 400-meter medley relay and the 100-meter backstroke where she posted a time of 1:02.48, the 26th fastest time in U.S. history. Woessner's bronze medal came in the 50-meter backstroke.\nTierney says the hardest thing for Woessner to deal with is the winter break because Woessner loves to race and compete.\n"Christmas training is so tough for her, because there isn't a meet for about a month and it drives her nuts," Tierney said. "She is just so excited to be racing again in the second semester."\nWoessner quickly returned to racing form and it showed this past weekend in the Hoosiers dual meet against Purdue. Woessner went head-to-head against the Boilermakers Lisa Dolansky, a two-time Swimmer of the Week award recipient in the Big Ten conference this season.\nWhile their match-ups were expected to be the premier events of the meet, Woessner dominated both the 100 and 200-yard backstroke. She defeated Dolansky by over a second and a half in the 100-yard competition and by nearly three seconds in the 200-yard event.\nCompetition is what brings out Woessner's full potential, Tierney said.\n"Given the fact that she was against one of the best backstrokers in the country (in Dolansky), I figured she needed that and it brought out her best," Tierney said. "She brings out her best when she is up against the best"
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In a bid to go unbeaten through the regular season dual meets, the IU women's swimming and diving team fell to Penn State in a double dual meet for the third consecutive year.\nThe No. 18 Nittany Lions (6-3, 3-1 Big Ten) defeated No. 19 IU (5-1-1, 4-1-1) 209-159, while the Hoosiers upended Michigan State (5-5, 1-4) 278-90.\nIn the two-day double dual meet, the Hoosiers started out slow as Penn State swept all five swimming events in Friday evening's session, jumping out to an early lead.\nFreshman Erin Smith said Penn State's performance made the Hoosiers re-focus.\n"It showed us that we weren't unbeatable," Smith said. "We got a wake-up call, and everyone knew they had to be more focused."\nIU responded in Saturday's sessions, claiming five event victories while setting three season bests and a new school record.\nSusan Woessner led the Hoosiers, winning both the 100- and 200-yard backstroke events. Her time of 1:59.01 in the 200-back topped an IU school record which Woessner already held.\n"My 200 time was a lifetime best. It has been my goal to get under two minutes all year," Woessner said. "I knew the (Penn State swimmers) would be good competition. It felt really good and really smooth; it was definitely my best 200 of the year, and I was really excited about that."\nThe Hoosiers were also led by Smith, who won the 100-yard butterfly with a season-best time of 55.60. Smith's victory came over defending Big Ten champion Corrie Clark of Penn State. Clark swam the race in 56.30 to place second.\nSmith also swam the anchor leg of IU's fastest freestyle relay teams in the three different free relay events. Although Smith is only a freshman, IU head coach Dorsey Tierney believes she is the right person to anchor the Hoosiers' freestyle relays.\n"Erin is a good anchor; she likes it there," Tierney said. "The nice thing about Erin is she doesn't set limits for herself. It doesn't matter who she is swimming against -- she knows what her job is, and she is going to do everything she can to do the job."\nSmith and the Hoosiers took first and second in the 800-yard freestyle relay event. Brooke Taflinger, Tina Gretlund, Erin Gorlesky and Smith won the event with a time of 7:31.99. Sarah Fiden, Jinji Fraser, Meghan Medendorp and Erin Rice teamed to place second with a time of 7:34.00, only three-hundredths of a second ahead of Penn State.\nFiden and Rice also swam to a 1-2 finish in the 1650-yard freestyle.\nTierney was pleased with her team's performance and thought the competition from the Nittany Lions would help the Hoosiers in the long run.\n"We were a little complacent to start, but we responded well," Tierney said. "We certainly can't do that four weeks from now (at Big Ten's); we have to be ready to go. Anytime you can compete against the best and you rise to that challenge, you gain more confidence and it becomes more of a habit."\nWhile the Hoosier swimmers faced tough competition from the Nittany Lions, the Spartans provided IU's opposition in diving.\nSpartan Carly Weiden swept both the one- and three-meter events with scores of 312.35 and 303.95, respectively.\nHoosier Sara Reiling posted a score of 311.90 in the one-meter competition, falling to Weiden by only .45 points. Reiling's score was good enough to break her own school record on the one-meter in dual meet competition.\nErin Quinn had a score of 279.20 on the three-meter for IU to take second. Quinn believes the Hoosiers' tough dives will help them in the end once they become accustomed to throwing their lists in competition.\n"I think the dives we are throwing are good, because in the long run they are going to be the most beneficial," Quinn said. "They are just going to take us some time to get used to doing them in meets. I think we've got my list set, and I'm starting to feel really good about it."\nIU head diving coach Jeff Huber said the meet allowed the Hoosiers to get off many new dives as they prepare for the spring championship meets.\nThe Hoosiers return to competition Feb. 2, when they travel to Lexington, Ky., for a dual meet against Kentucky at 11 a.m.
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Sarah Fiden splashed onto the scene for IU swimming last year as a freshman. \nIn her first year as a Hoosier, Fiden set three individual school records in the 500-yard freestyle, 1000-yard freestyle and the mile. She was also a part of the Hoosiers school record setting 800-yard freestyle relay team. Fiden also received IU's Freshman of the Year award.\nFiden came to IU from Kettering Fairmont High School in Kettering, Ohio, where she was a three-time All-American and posted five school records. She also won the mile race at the YMCA Nationals with her club team from the South Kettering YMCA where she was coached by Gary Galbreath.\nNow, with a year under her belt at IU, Fiden is eyeing a Big Ten championship in the mile (1650-yard) freestyle. She has even greater aspirations by the time she is through with her collegiate career.\n"Within the next four weeks, I am looking at a Big Ten championship as a whole and individually," Fiden said. "By my senior year, we have talked about (me being an) NCAA champion. I see that as being far out, but it is possible if I put my mind to it and put the training in I need to."\nFiden holds IU's fastest times of the season in the 200-yard freestyle, 500-yard free and mile freestyle. Her time in the mile (16:30.60) is the tenth fastest in the nation and second fastest in the Big Ten conference this season.\nGalbreath said Fiden always liked challenges whether they were mental or physical and credited to her relentless work ethic.\n"Sarah always had a great work ethic," Galbreath said. "She was always determined to do well and if you put a goal in front of her you knew she would accomplish it because she doesn't want to let herself or her team down."\n It's the mental toughness of the mile race that Fiden likes.\n "The distance events are more mental than physical," Fiden said. "The older I got in high school, the 500 started getting easier for me and then I tried the mile my senior year. It is more comfortable for me to go longer distances; the longer I go the better I get. I like the challenge of the mile."\nFiden admits that most high-schoolers want to be sprinters, but she found her niche in the distance events.\nIt's a niche that impresses freshman teammate Erin Smith who said Fiden is a positive influence both in and out of the pool.\n"Sarah amazes me, I don't know how she does it," Smith said of Fiden's mile swims. "Sarah and the distance swimmers show that our team is versatile and can do everything. She makes sure to tell you if you are getting the job done or if you aren't getting the job done. She is very positive and really supportive."\nComing off what IU head coach Dorsey Tierney called a fantastic winter training period, Fiden was looking to go even faster for the Hoosiers. But the sophomore has recently battled an ankle injury that has slowed her progress.\nTierney and Fiden insist the injury has not hampered her improvements too much.\n"Sarah lost a little confidence last week, and I am really pleased with the way she came back this week," Tierney said. "She needed to remind herself that she can swim fast and do things right."\n"I don't think my ankle will set me back at all, it has pretty much only hurt my confidence and I have worked to get that out of my mind," Fiden added.\nAfter her four years at IU, Fiden hopes to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2004. She is a kinesiology major and wants to either coach or teach after her swimming career.
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After an impressive 85-72 victory at Ohio State Thursday, the IU women's basketball team won its second consecutive game Sunday with a 67-55 win over Michigan State.\nAfter a nip-and-tuck first half that saw four ties and neither team have more than a five-point lead, IU (11-11, 5-6 Big Ten) dominated much of the second half to pull away for the victory.\nThe Hoosiers led the Spartans (14-9, 4-8) 29-26 at the half and used a 7-2 run in the first 3:08 of the second half to build a quick eight-point advantage. IU stretched the lead to 16 at the 8:23 mark, which capped off a 10-1 run.\nHoosier head coach Kathi Bennett thought the Hoosiers' early runs in the second half were a key to IU's victory.\n"Anytime you can come out and do that, it gives you confidence, and the other team is scrambling a little bit," Bennett said. "We wanted to play with a little more heart in the second half and to rely on our defense and get some easy scores from our defense."\nThe Hoosiers' stingy defense held Michigan State to one free throw over a 7:01 span, and IU pulled down five more rebounds than the Spartans in the second half.\nMichigan State did dominate on the offensive boards, pulling down 15 for the game and getting 10 second-chance points to IU's three.\nSpartan head coach Joanne McCallie thought her team lacked leadership and said the senior-laden Hoosiers could pose a threat in the Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans start a mere one senior, while IU has four.\n"We struggled with leadership, people believing and motivating," McCallie said. "With (IU's) senior leadership, they are a dangerous team -- no doubt about that. I am not sure they have reached what they can do. They have a nice inside and outside combination."\nThe win was the Hoosiers' third in four games and has IU moving in the right direction following a five-game losing streak.\nSenior center Jill Chapman said the key to IU's turnaround was the team sticking together through its tough stretch of games.\n"Staying together and believing in each other and knowing we could do it was the main thing," Chapman said. "No one quit; we aren't going to quit until the very last game we have."\nThe Spartans played multiple zone defenses against IU, and the Hoosiers' perimeter shooters made Michigan State pay, hitting 8-of-16 three pointers in the game.\nThe Spartans forced the Hoosiers to commit 19 turnovers but couldn't contain the Hoosier shooters, as IU shot 56.8 percent from the field and converted 17-of-22 free throws. Senior forward Erin McGinnis led the Hoosiers with 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists. She knocked down 5 of 8 from the field and 4 of 6 from three-point range.\n"I was taking shots that were more open and in rhythm," McGinnis said of her performance. "A lot of times today, we made the extra pass to an open player and getting people open."\nChapman contributed her Big Ten-leading 12th double-double of the season with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Senior guard Heather Cassady also scored in double figures with 13 points. The other Hoosier starters, senior guard Tara Jones and freshman forward Jenny DeMuth each chipped in with nine points.\nMichigan State also had three scorers in double digits with Kristen Haynie leading the way with 19 points.
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After their best-ever Big Ten conference finish in Ann Arbor, Mich., last weekend, the IU women's swimming team looks to qualify more swimmers for the NCAA Championships this weekend at the Indiana Open.\nSunday's event is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center. The Hoosiers play host to other competitors in the last-chance meet for swimmers to post qualifying times for the NCAA Championships. The NCAAs will be held March 21-23 in Austin, Texas.\nHoosier swimming head coach Dorsey Tierney looks for at least one of the Hoosier relay squads to post solid NCAA qualifying time.\n"We have a couple of relays in the last couple of spots (to make NCAAs) and there are still a few conference meets this weekend," Tierney said. "I think our 400-yard free relay is really prepared to go fast."\nTierney also hopes for faster times out of senior Erin Rice in the 1650-yard freestyle and freshman Erin Smith in the 100-yard butterfly. Tierney believes both swimmers are on the bubble of making the NCAAs and can do so with fast times this weekend.\nThe Hoosiers have five automatic qualifiers for the NCAA Championships. Their deepest event is the 400-yard individual medley, where they went 1-2-3 at the Big Ten Championships. Both sophomore Brooke Taflinger and junior Tina Gretlund have already qualified in the event. Junior Kristy Martin, in the 200-yard butterfly, and sophomore Sarah Fiden, in the 1650-yard free, also have qualified.\nSenior captain Susan Woessner qualified in two events: the 100- and 200-yard backstroke. Woessner was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Year at last weekend's conference meet but said she is most pleased with the progress the Hoosiers have made since her freshman year.\n"Right now we have five qualified; we have the opportunity to have 10, and that would be great," Woessner said. "My first year we had two, so to have 10 it would be a great improvement. We are looking to get our 400-free relay in, which would give us three more, and to just get as many swimmers as possible to NCAAs."\nKey to the Hoosiers' second place finish at the Big Ten Championships was sophomore Meghan Medendorp who had a break-out weekend, including a third-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle. Medendorp's time of 50.60 in the event was a season-best time and more than two seconds faster than her previous fastest time. Her previous best was the 14th fastest on the team. \nTierney believes Medendorp is another swimmer right on the bubble of qualifying for NCAAs. The quickness of her races at Big Tens surprised even Medendorp, who looks to continue her improvements this weekend.\n"I was surprised at my times when I finished at the wall and looked up," she said. "I fed off of a lot of other swimmers (at Big Tens). I didn't really think about my races, I just thought 'Swim fast and go all out.' This weekend I hope to drop a couple more tenths in the 100-free and to give it all on the 400-free relay."\nTierney admits it took the team a couple of days to overcome the heartbreaking conclusion of the Big Ten Championships, but she is pleased with how her squad has changed its focus to the tasks ahead of them.\n"There is no question that emotionally and physically this is the most exhausted I have seen this group in my three years here," Tierney said. "But they have done an outstanding job of re-focusing and we have set some goals for ourselves this weekend and they know what we need to do.\n"This is a very strong group, and I am pleased with how they have re-focused"
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The IU softball team got what it wanted over spring break: A chance to play. Prior to heading to the Hedrick's Hallowell Chevrolet Classic at Fresno State March 7, the Hoosiers had played only five of their 13 scheduled games because inclement weather.\nBut the Hoosiers got in all of their scheduled games during break, as they went 5-7 in 12 games, to improve their overall record to 6-10-1.\n"It has been good for us offensively to play the 12 games we have been able to play," coach Diane Stephenson said of the Hoosiers gaining game experience. "That has definitely helped us offensively, but defensively we need to get a lot sharper and take care of the ball."\nIU struggled to a 1-5 record at the Hedrick's Hallowell Chevrolet Classic after losing two games by a 2-1 score to Cal-Poly and San Diego State March 7. The Hoosiers dropped two more to Tennessee Tech and Baylor by margins of 10-3 and 6-2, respectively, March 8. IU defeated Boston 5-4 then fell to host, No. 10 Fresno State 9-0 March 9.\nThe Hoosiers returned to action with a doubleheader at Bradley March 13. IU posted a pair of victories by scores of 8-5 and 3-0. Freshman pitcher Katie Witham picked up her first career victory and shutout in the second game, allowing just six hits and striking out two batters.\nIn the Hoosiers Invitational, IU played host to Northern Illinois and Ball State March 16 and 17. In their first game, the Hoosiers were a half inning away from their third straight victory as they led Ball State 3-1. But the Cardinals scored five runs in the top half of the seventh to defeat IU 6-3.\nIn their second game Saturday, the Hoosiers had an eight-run fifth inning to post a 12-4 victory over Northern Illinois. Junior Stormy Hanson hit her second home run in as many games. She also collected a single, had three runs batted in and scored two runs to lead the offense. Sophomore Abby Stark had three doubles, with three RBI and two runs scored.\nSwinging a hot bat, Hanson improved her average from .312 to .455 and picked up eight RBIs over the 12 games.\n"I am seeing the ball really well, and I am real confident in my swing," Hanson said of her streak. "I am getting good pitches in the one spot (in the batting order), and I am happy to be helping our team out."\nYesterday, the Hoosiers took on Northern Illinois again but fell behind 9-0 going into the bottom of the fourth inning. IU scored three runs in the fourth and fifth and two more in the seventh, but it wasn't enough, as the Huskies prevailed 10-8. The Huskies touched IU sophomore pitcher Heather Stillians for seven runs in three innings, including three home runs.\nStillians returned to the mound in the Hoosiers afternoon battle with Ball State. In seven strong innings, Stillians allowed just four hits and two earned runs while collecting three strikeouts. Stillians also contributed three hits in the game.\nStillians said she wanted to rebound from her disappointing morning performance in the Ball State contest.\n"It helps a lot to know that I can be able to bounce back," she said. "It is a big part of your mental game to be able to come back from getting hit around. I wanted the ball (against Ball State) and that's a good thing, because I wanted to redeem myself."\nThe Hoosier bats took care of the rest, including a five-run sixth inning to get an 8-3 victory. Stark, freshman Ashley Griffiths and senior Brooke Monroe each chipped in with two RBI. Monroe had two hits in the game, one was her third home run of the season.\nIU returns to action Wednesday when it travels to Evansville for a doubleheader at 4 p.m.
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Heading into this week's Women's Swimming & Diving NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas, there are six Big Ten squads ranked in the College Swim Coaches Association of America Top 25.\nNo. 13 Penn State leads the Big Ten pack, with the five schools ranked between 16 and 22. Only Virginia (14), North Carolina (15), Pacific (19) and Maryland (20) breaks up the run of Big Ten schools in the middle of the rankings. Michigan, Wisconsin and Northwestern are ranked 16-18, while IU is No. 21 and Purdue is No. 22 to round out the ranked Big Ten squads.\nIt is that equality that created an exciting Big Ten Championships last month.\n"There is definitely quite a bit of parity in our conference, more than there ever has been in the past," IU swimming head coach Dorsey Tierney said. "Depth wise, it is probably the most competitive conference in the country as far as the times that it takes to make the top 16 in each event."\nOnly the Pac-10 can match the number of schools the Big Ten has ranked, led by No. 1 Stanford. All of the Pac-10 teams are ranked in the top 12. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has four teams ranked, three in the top seven led by No. 2 Auburn.\nTierney says the depth within the Big Ten has been building for a couple of years, but that the conference is consolidated in the middle of the Top 25, still trailing many teams from the Pac-10 and SEC that have national dominance.\n"(As a conference) we need to compete at a higher level overall in order to compete with those conferences, in some cases going outside of our conference to face some of those teams," she said.\nTierney also believed the Big Ten has to be able to attract the top swimmers on a national level to get back to being a dominant conference in women's swimming and diving.\nPenn State coach Bill Dorenkott echoed Tierney's beliefs regarding the importance of recruiting.\n"Depth doesn't help you at the NCAA's, talent does," Dorenkott said. "For us to make the move as a conference to the top ten in the country, it is a question of us getting some of the best swimmers in the country and in the world to come to the Big Ten."\nJust two years ago, Northwestern posted it's best ever finish at the NCAA's as they finished sixth. But last year the Wildcats finished 35th at the NCAA Championships.\nNorthwestern coach Jimmy Tierney, brother of IU's Dorsey Tierney, acknowledged the importance of recruiting top talent, but said it only takes a few standouts to help a team become a national contender.\n"To get to the top end you usually have to have a couple of stars," Jimmy Tierney said. "We had that a couple of years, when we had two studs and were sixth in the country because we could support it with relays and a couple other individuals here and there. It can be a small group of athletes that does that."\n Jimmy Tierney believes Wisconsin, conference champion Penn State and IU will lead the conference at this week's NCAA Championships.\n "I think Penn State and Indiana and Wisconsin are capable of being in the top ten if someone really puts it together and top 15 without a doubt," he said. "Those are probably our three best representatives at NCAA's. They all have a little bit more depth than the rest of us and Indiana has the diving support too. I think those three teams have the opportunity to do some pretty good stuff."\nIU and the rest of the conference will return to the pool Thursday for the start of the NCAA Championships at the Jamail Swimming Center in Austin, Texas.
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The IU women's swimming and diving team begins its bid for the school's best ever finish at the NCAA Championships today at the Jamail Swimming Center in Austin, Texas. The Hoosiers best finish came in 1980 when they concluded the meet 11th.\nComing off last year's 13th place finish, swimming coach Dorsey Tierney believes this year's squad of qualifiers for the NCAA meet is deeper.\n"We have twice as many swims going into the meet as we did last year and hopefully that will correlate into four times as many finals swims," Tierney said. "This is a younger group, but with a lot more depth. I am excited about our relay opportunities and am confident in anybody we put up on the relays."\nThe Hoosiers have 11 qualifiers who will compete in a total of 26 individual events and will also be able to race in the relays after automatically qualifying their 400-yard free relay team at the Indiana Open in early March.\nBig Ten Swimmer of the Year senior Susan Woessner believes the Hoosiers depth will help them compete in more events, but also create a better team atmosphere that could also help their performance.\n"The closer you can get to having a full team the better," Woessner said. "Any time you can go with team support you are much better off than being an individual; that has been our strength all season. It is definitely a goal to make the top 10 this year. Taking three tremendous divers who will score and trying to get our relays into the top eight will really help us."\nThe three-day meet format begins today with swimming prelims starting at 11 a.m., diving prelims at 1 p.m. and all event finals beginning at 7 p.m.\nThe Hoosiers will look for strong performances in today's events from sophomore Sarah Fiden and junior Tina Gretlund. Fiden has the 22nd fastest time coming into the meet in the 500-yard freestyle, while Gretlund has the 19th fastest time in the 200-yard individual medley. Junior Kristy Martin and sophomore Brooke Taflinger will also compete in the 200-yard IM.\nWoessner, junior Anne Williams and sophomore Meghan Medendorp will also compete in the 50-yard freestyle today. The 200-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard medley relay will also be competed in during tonight's finals.\nThree Hoosier divers are among the team's eleven qualifiers. Senior Erin Quinn, junior Sara Reiling and sophomore Cassandra Cardinell will look to continue their impressive diving after Quinn and Reiling each won an event at last weekend's NCAA Zone Diving Championships.\nDiving coach Jeff Huber is confident his divers will continue to improve at the NCAA's, as they have done all year.\n"It definitely helps to go with a team, to have more fun and to stay loose," Huber said. "We are proud of the fact that we have a good size team of divers going. It will be a tough meet, but our goal is to dive tough and continue to set personal best records. We are on an upward swing and we tend to do that looking back on past years."\nToday's lone diving competition is the one-meter springboard in which Quinn is the lone Hoosier competitor. Quinn hopes her experience of previous NCAAs and international competitions will help her to dive will in her last collegiate meet.\n"Being a senior it helps, because I have been there a lot and I know what it takes," Quinn said. "I don't want to think of it as my last meet, but I hope to do well as it is my last NCAAs. We just go out there and see what happens."\nIt will take a combination of strong competitions from both swimmers and divers, but as far as the Hoosiers chances of reaching their top 10 goal; Tierney thinks it can be done.\n"Can we build on our 13th place finish last year, I really don't know," Tierney said. "I certainly think so, we are much better this year"
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Heading into the Indiana Invitational this weekend, the IU softball team looks to hone its skills before getting too far into the spring season schedule and into Big Ten play.\nThe Hoosiers gained vital game experience over spring break as they played 12 games in 11 days and moved their record to 6-10-1. IU's three games scheduled for this past Wednesday and Thursday were postponed because of inclement weather.\nIU is slated for action at 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday against Butler and Valparaiso, respectively. The Hoosiers then take on Loyola-Chicago at 11:30 a.m. Sunday. The third- and fourth-place teams from the round-robin tournament play a consolation game Sunday, while the championship game is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon. \nAll games will be played at the IU Softball Field.\nJunior third baseman/catcher Stormy Hanson said facing game situations is a key to the Hoosiers improving and preparing for a tough road ahead in the Big Ten conference.\n"(Playing) will benefit us to see who works together and what works with our defensive players on the field and with our lineup," Hanson said. "It will help us in that way so we all know who can work together and who can get the job done when it is needed."\nThe Hoosiers head into the match-up after a 2-2 finish at the Hoosier Invitational, including an 8-3 win in their last game against Ball State. Butler (6-7) won three of its last four games at the Orlando Rebel Games last weekend. Valparaiso (5-5) enters the Invite after two losses to Nova Southeastern last week. Loyola-Chicago (5-11) comes in having lost five of its last six games at the Missouri Invitational.\n Butler is led by junior pitcher Melissa Benter, who recorded a win over Wagner last weekend and led the team with 13 wins in 2001. Valpo is led by sophomore Stephanie Reinke, who is hitting .324 in the Crusaders' 10 games this season. \n Reinke was also named Mid-Continent Conference Player of the Week earlier this week. Senior pitcher Sarah Smith leads Loyola-Chicago with a 1.93 ERA on the year, a shutout and eight complete games in her nine appearances.\n The Hoosiers will ride the hot bat of Hanson, who has a six-game hitting streak and a .455 season average. IU sophomore pitcher Heather Stillians is hitting .395 and was 3 for 4 in the Hoosiers' win over Ball State. Sophomore outfielder Abby Stark had six hits and eight runs batted in for the Hoosiers in their last three games to improve her average to .362.\nIU coach Diane Stephenson is pleased with the progress of her team's offensive output.\n"Stormy (Hanson) and Abby (Stark) have just been on fire," Stephenson said. "I think that hitting is contagious, and I hope that we can have a lot of solid bats. If we can keep extending our lineup and get one more hitter down at the bottom, I think we'll be in real good shape offensively."\nStillians has also been helping the Hoosiers' cause from the mound. After getting rocked for three home runs in three innings Sunday against Northern Illinois, she came back to get the 8-3 win with seven strong innings over Ball State.\nWith senior starting pitcher Alison Cooke nursing an injury, Stillians has been looked upon to become the Hoosiers' No. 1 starter. The experience is one that has helped Stillians develop her pitching.\n"It has been really good to know what is effective in the game," she said. "Being able to watch a lot of batters you can tell what pitches are going to work, and I can feel now what pitches are going to work for certain batters"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
The IU softball team defeated all three of its opponents in the Indiana Invitational this weekend to give it four straight wins and move its record for the year to 9-10-1.\nIn Saturday action, the Hoosiers took on Valparaiso and Loyola-Chicago. Home runs off the bat of senior Brooke Monroe and junior Stormy Hanson led the Hoosiers over Valpo by a score of 5-4. Monroe hit a three-run homer in the third inning to put IU ahead 3-1 and Hanson extended the lead to 5-1 in the fourth.\nValpo (6-7) threatened with three runs in the top of the seventh, but sophomore pitcher Heather Stillians closed the door to move her record to 5-5 on the year.\n"Stringing a couple of wins together will help us a lot," Monroe said of the Hoosiers' weekend success.\nIn their second game of the day, the Hoosiers faced Loyola ace pitcher senior Sarah Smith. Smith entered the game with a 1.93 earned run average and allowed just four Hoosier hits in six and one-third innings pitched.\nLoyola led 2-0 heading into IU's half of the sixth inning. But in the sixth Smith became wild, walking IU junior Heather Suca and Monroe to start the inning. After a failed sacrifice attempt by freshman Ashley Griffiths, sophomore Abby Stark advanced Suca and Monroe to second and third. Stillians then hit a slow bouncer up the middle. \nSmith deflected the ball to the left of her second baseman, freshman Keilah Williams. Williams, her momentum going to the right, attempted to reach the ball, but it deflected off her glove and went into right center field allowing Suca and Monroe to score.\nAfter a scoreless seventh inning for Loyola (7-12), Hanson came to the plate with one out. With a 1-0 count, Hanson hit a game-winning solo home run to center field to give the Hoosiers a 3-2 win.\nHanson thought the Loyola win was big for IU's confidence.\n"It was huge," Hanson said. "After the first game, even though we won, it was kind of disappointing for them to come back and score those runs. But in the second game, for us to win it and come back in the sixth and the seventh it was tremendous for our team confidence."\nFreshman pitcher Katie Witham kept the game tied in the seventh by getting the third out with a runner on third base. Senior Alison Cooke also returned to the Hoosiers rotation, throwing two innings against Loyola. It was the first action for Cooke since she injured her knee on March 8 against Tennessee Tech.\nDespite the team's comeback victory, coach Diane Stephenson was upset in her team's "non-aggressiveness" on defense against Loyola.\n"I was really disappointed in the way we started the game," Stephenson said. "We came out and in the inning that they scored, we had three balls that we handled non-aggressively. I have been trying to get our team to be more aggressive and to go after the game instead of letting the game come to them. But anytime you can win a one-run ballgame, it is going to help you."\nTo conclude the Invitational, IU hosted Butler yesterday afternoon. The IU offense returned to form as they posted a 7-1 victory over the Bulldogs.\nMonroe had two hits and two runs batted in, while Suca had a hit and three runs scored. Hanson had a double to lead off the game and extend her hitting streak to nine games. She is hitting .446 on the year.\nWitham (4-2) and Cooke combined to hold Butler to one run on six hits as the IU defense didn't commit an error for the first time this season. The Hoosiers committed just two errors on the weekend.\nStephenson was more pleased with the defense after the Butler game and believes it will give the players more confidence defensively.\n"I think that our kids are very good defensively, but I think that they have to keep believing in themselves," she said.\nLoyola was 2-1 in the Invitational, while Valpo was 1-2 and Butler went 0-3.\nIU returns to action Tuesday when they head to Indiana State to make-up a game scheduled for last Wednesday. Game time is set for 5 p.m.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
The IU softball team dropped four games in conference action this past weekend as it played host to No. 13 Michigan and Michigan State. Michigan (27-7, 5-1 Big Ten) swept IU (9-19-1, 0-8) in two games Friday and Saturday. Michigan State (18-21, 3-3) also swept the Hoosiers in their doubleheader Sunday.\nIU played two contrasting games against Michigan. In Friday's game the Hoosiers committed three errors in the first four innings as the Wolverines jumped out to a 8-1 lead and didn't look back, winning the game 9-2.\nSophomore first baseman Heather Stillians and freshman outfielder Ashley Griffiths provided the Hoosier runs, as each hit solo home runs. For Stillians it was her second of the year, while Griffiths' was the first of her Hoosier career.\nIU head coach Diane Stephenson was disappointed in the Hoosiers' performance Friday.\n"It is way beyond mental," Stephenson said of the Hoosiers' errors. "I kind of felt like we were still in the game the whole game, but you aren't going to play a top 10 team in the country and make any errors, let alone the number we had and still be competitive."\nMichigan standout pitcher Marissa Young dominated in both of the Wolverines' victories. Young pitched all seven innings in Friday's match-up, allowing just four hits and striking out a career-high 15 batters in the game.\nSaturday's contest was a more competitive affair. Despite an error and three walks in the Michigan half of the second inning, senior pitcher Alison Cooke fought out of a bases-loaded jam, allowing only one run. IU knotted the game at 1-1 in the second after sophomore outfielder Abby Stark hit a lead-off double and scored on a single by Griffiths.\nCooke settled in after the first, allowing only one Michigan runner to reach base over the next three innings, that runner having reached on an error.\n"After the first I just decided to relax and play my game and not let the strike zone bother me," Cooke said. "I just wanted to go out there and give it all I had and make them earn their runs, not give them any more."\nStark gave the Hoosiers a 3-1 lead after smacking a two-run home run over the left field fence. The home run was Stark's second of the season as she went 3-for-3 in the game, with two RBIs and two runs scored.\nMichigan tied the game 3-3 in the sixth after senior third baseman Stefanie Volpe hit a two-run home run to right-center field. Wolverine junior outfielder Meghan Doe got the first Michigan hit with two outs in the inning and scored on Volpe's game-tying shot. A pair of doubles to start the sixth by Young and junior Melinda Moulden gave the Wolverines a 4-3 lead they wouldn't relinquish.\nYoung relieved freshman Nicole Motycka after Motycka gave up three Hoosier runs in three innings. Young shut down the Hoosier hitters, giving up two hits and striking out 10 batters in four innings.\nDespite the loss, Stark believed the game would give the Hoosiers confidence.\n"This was a good game to come out and be ahead for three innings," Stark said. "To battle strong with them the whole game, I have no regrets about how we played today. This was a very good game and definitely a morale booster for us."\nAgainst Michigan State, the Hoosiers fell behind early in both games and never recovered, losing 8-0 and 11-2. The Spartans put five runs on the board in the second inning of the opener, all off Stillians, who started for IU. Spartan senior pitcher Becky Gray held the Hoosiers to just two hits in four innings.\nIn the second game, Michigan State jumped on the Hoosiers with three runs in the first and didn't look back. Sophomore first baseman Natalie Furrow led the Spartans with two hits, including a three-run home run, and five RBIs. Michigan State scored six runs on three hits in the third to put the game out of reach.\nStephenson thought Michigan State just had a break-out game and dominated the Hoosiers.\n"Michigan State is a team that hadn't really had a stellar season, a lot like us," Stephenson said. "They were just waiting to bust out, and they definitely did. They had 22 hits, and it is kind of hard to do anything about that."\nCooke threw two-thirds of an inning, giving up three runs, of which only one was earned. Freshman hurler Katie Witham relieved Cooke and gave up eight earned runs in three and a third innings of work.\nStillians connected on her second homer of the weekend in the second inning, and junior third baseman Stormy Hanson hit a solo shot in the fifth to account for the Hoosier runs.