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(08/31/07 4:49am)
If faced with two teams ranked in the top nine in the nation in one weekend, many coaches would be scrambling to prepare their team. IU coach Mike Freitag said when the No. 7 Hoosiers take the pitch this weekend in the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic to face the No. 2-ranked UCLA Bruins and the No. 9-ranked Maryland Terrapins, they will worry more about themselves than the opponent on the field.\n“We prepare like we do for anybody,” Freitag said. “I worry more about my team than I do anyone else before a game.”\nThe Hoosiers will take on Maryland at 7:30 p.m. Friday and UCLA at 2 p.m. Sunday.\nIn their last meeting with Maryland in 2005, the Hoosiers were down 3-0 at halftime, but showed serious resilience, scoring three second-half goals to earn a hard-fought tie. Though second-half heroics might make for good drama, sophomore defender Kevin Alston said it is important for IU to establish themselves early.\n“It’s very important that we get off to a good start,” Alston said. “Coming back three points to tie it up in a game happens really rarely, so hopefully we get off to a great start and don’t put ourselves in a hole where we’ll have to come back.”\nAlston also said it was vital for IU to focus on both teams, keeping an eye on the task at hand against Maryland instead of casting a wary eye toward UCLA.\n“I think it’s important for our team to focus on both teams equally,” Alston said. “They’re both good teams, and with the game of soccer, anybody can win at any time so you can’t really look over anything at all, and you have to prepare the same for both.” \nIU’s only competitive action this fall prior to this weekend’s season opener came in a 1-0 exhibition win over New Mexico on Aug. 25 in Fort Wayne. Junior midfielder John Mellencamp said it was good to use that exhibition match as preparation for this weekend.\n“We had a tough preseason,” Mellencamp said, “but we healed up and got some fire going, and I’m glad we were able to put that one away.”\nThe Hoosiers’ game against UCLA will be broadcast on the recently launched Big Ten Network. The IU Athletics Department is conducting a campaign to “Fill the Bill,” encouraging fans to pack the stands at Bill Armstrong Stadium to witness the two highly ranked teams Sunday afternoon. Freitag said his team usually has an enthusiastic following, and he expects a good turnout.\n“We’ve had great fan support over the years, and I wouldn’t expect anything different this year,” Freitag said. “And especially this year, because on campus I see a lot of students that have soccer jerseys on. They played the game, and I think they’ll enjoy a great soccer weekend if they come out.”
(08/30/07 4:00am)
Kanye West vs. 50 Cent: Both rappers will release new albums Sept. 11. Fiddy said if Kanye outsells him, he will quit the rap game, and Kanye challenged 50 to a live, presidental-style debate.
(08/29/07 4:10am)
In 2006, the IU men’s soccer team earned its 12th Big Ten regular season championship and its 11th Big Ten tournament championship.\nThis year, the Hoosiers will have a different look as a team, but they will still be in search of the same achievements after signing a freshman class rated No. 2 in the nation by College Soccer News. This class includes four high school All-Americans and last year’s top scorer in the state. \nThe four All-Americans are Andy Adlard, Michael Roach, Max Weston and Alec Purdie. Purdie will be sitting out because of an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained this summer. The heralded class is rounded out by Indianapolis natives Rich Balchan, Tyler McCarroll and Michael Munroe – the younger brother of the Hoosiers’ goalkeeper, senior Chris Munroe. \nIU men’s soccer coach Mike Freitag said he was pleased with his team’s recruiting class. \n “I’m very happy with the freshmen at this time,” Freitag said. “They’ve all come in during this preseason period, they’ve shown why we recruited them. They’re all going to contribute to this program, some sooner than others, but we’re pleased that they’re here.”\nIU has been known for its talent and competition on the pitch for many years, and as a result, the squad has an established player in nearly every starting position. However, Adlard has impressed so much that he has been able to crack the Hoosier line-up early, as he will be one of this year’s starting forwards. \nAdlard’s parents, Stephen and Shelly Adlard, are both former athletes. Stephen played soccer professionally as a goalkeeper for various English teams in different international competitions, while his mother holds the all-time women’s basketball scoring record at the University of Evansville. \nAdlard said his parents were instrumental in his development.\n“They’ve been a great impact on me, and my dad’s coached me since I could walk,” Adlard said. “My mom is really athletic, and my dad would give my mom all the credit, but my dad was a pro goalkeeper, so he gave me a lot of tricks of the trade of scoring.”\nFreitag said he was impressed with Andy’s performance so far.\n“Andy is a kid who doesn’t play like a freshman,” Freitag said. “He’s a coach’s kid, and he has a great soccer mind.” \nFreitag also said Roach and Balchan will help the team immediately by giving the squad good minutes off the bench. \nRoach said IU has been a bit of a transition for him, but that he enjoys the opportunities playing for a top college program offer. \n“I definitely have had to adjust, because when you come here, everyone’s the best player from where they’ve come from, and all the guys had all the honors that I have coming in,” Roach said. “And it’s just a great opportunity to play with people just like myself.”\nThis recruiting class ranks second only to Duke in College Soccer News’ top 40 freshman classes. Roach said he was honored that his class is held in such high regard. \n“It’s a very big honor,” Roach said. “But we still have a lot to prove, so we’ll see how we are this year.”
(08/27/07 4:39am)
It’s a good thing the IU men’s soccer team has been scrimmaging regularly in preparation for the upcoming season, because its Saturday night contest against the University of New Mexico was the only game experience it will have in preparation for the 2007 season.\nThe No. 7 Hoosiers made the best of it, earning a 1-0 win against the Lobos. In a game that featured a sloppy start, IU managed to go into halftime with a 1-0 lead after junior forward Kevin Noschang scored the game’s only goal. \nIU coach Mike Freitag said he was impressed by Noschang’s goal. \n“He handled his goal very well,” Freitag said. “There weren’t a lot of opportunities to score, but he took advantage of the opportunity, and that’s what we have to do.”\nThough the Hoosiers have had a limited amount of time to play together, junior midfielder John Mellencamp said his team was “meshing well” last week.\n“We’ve been scrimmaging a lot, and we’re starting to understand each other on and off the ball,” Mellencamp said. “The more we play together, the better we get, and we expect good things out of all our \nnew players.”\nNoschang said the field conditions were a challenge, but it felt good to play against some outside competition. \n“The field conditions were a little tough compared to what we’re used to playing on in practice, but we just tried to get quality play on and off the ball,” Noschang said. “The team worked hard, and we were hungry to play someone besides ourselves. We’re ready for Maryland.”\nIU will have the entire week to prepare for the Adidas/IU Credit Union Classic in which they will face the No. 9 Terrapins on Friday night and No. 1 UCLA on Sunday. Both matches will take place at Bill Armstrong Stadium.\nLast year, the Hoosiers got off to a slow start, with a 3-3-1 record to begin the season. After those first seven games, however, IU ripped through their opposition, going 12-1-2 to finish the season. This year’s team has many different faces, including seven freshmen who comprise the No. 2 recruiting class in the nation. The threat of a slow start still looms, however, due to the Hoosiers’ tough schedule. Three of IU’s first six games are against opponents ranked in the preseason \ntop 25. \nFreitag said the challenging opening schedule will be a welcome test for his team.\n“We play a lot of quality teams to open the season, and the season is a long haul. You take some bumps,” Freitag said. “I liked what we were doing (against New Mexico), and I think we’re prepared to play, but we schedule hard to figure out where we stand early.”
(04/26/07 4:00am)
The IU softball team competed against Kentucky in a game that they desperately needed to start their seven-game road trip.\nThe Hoosiers gained their much-needed game in the first of their doubleheader as they defeated the Wildcats 5-4, but fell 5-4 in the second.\nSenior Rachel Terry hit a clutch home-run and recorded two hits along with three other performers on her team. The Hoosiers regained their winning form in this contest.\nBefore the first game coach Stacy Phillips said that her team was capable of the type of performance they put out Wednesday.\n“The interesting thing is,” Phillips said. “What the other teams are doing we’re capable of it too, but we need to get the confidence back to do that.”\nThough the Hoosiers did perform well they began a little sluggish, as they were down 2-0, to the Wildcats to begin the fourth inning. But the Hoosiers exploded in that fourth inning and never looked back.\nThe offense that had seen struggles lately was in full swing after Richards hit senior Heather Hohs in for the first run of the game and was followed by Terry’s home run. The shot marked a career-high seventh for Terry. \nAlthough many Hoosiers performed well it was junior Tory Yamaguchi who delivered the win when she singled up the middle with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning to drive in the winning run of the first game. \nPhillips said her players were confident and she saw a better performance from them. \n“A lot of people stepped up today,” Phillips said. “We’re a talented hitting team, but we have nothing to lose at this point, there’s no pressure on us and I think that helped us see better results.”\nThe Wildcats were able to reverse the trend of their first game when they snatched a come-back win. \nKentucky trailed 4-2 in the fifth inning, but got to senior pitcher Christy Wahl – who had a one-hitter entering the inning – gave up an infield hit and walked the next three batters before leaving the game. She was replaced by junior Jennifer Moore, who relieved Wahl with the bases loaded, but gave up two runs later in the game that resulted in the final score.\nPhillips said her team performed well, but faltered in the clutch.\n “We clearly outplayed Kentucky in both games, but the second game came down to one play and one pitch and we don’t do well in those positions,” she said.\nThough the Hoosiers didn’t pull out the second game Hohs said the initial win against the Wildcats will provide the Hoosiers with fuel to compete in the rest of their trip.\n“We may not have come through with the second game,” Hohs said. “But we’ll definitely perform in the rest of the trip.”
(04/25/07 4:00am)
Any competition between IU and Kentucky is usually a significant one on the schedule, but this time around holds a little more importance for the Hoosiers.\nIU has been struggling in recent weeks, and will embark on a seven-game road trip that will begin against the Wildcats. Freshman Kristin King said this game against Kentucky will help them get over a four-game losing streak.\n“I’m sure this game will have a great atmosphere, being Kentucky-Indiana,” King said. “We want to win every game, but we really want to beat Kentucky and get the ball rolling so we can perform well during our road trip.” \nCoach Stacy Phillips said the Hoosiers will need something that’s been missing to rebound against Kentucky.\n“Determination is one thing we’ll definitely need to get around this wall that we’ve hit,” she said.\nIn the last four games, the Hoosiers have allowed their offensive output to slip while giving up more runs than they have all season. This combination was deadly for Indiana last weekend when they faced Michigan and Michigan State, where they were shut out three times while being swept by both teams.\nPhillips said the Hoosiers have to be able to make plays in order to prevent this in their next game.\n“We have to keep the ball in the park,” Phillips said. “Giving up the long ball and not taking the opportunity to get outs really hurt us.”\nThe Hoosier defense and pitching slipped from its usually solid performances. King said they will be looking to improve on their recent performances today. She also said they have been practicing to change their inconsistencies.\n“We’ve been practicing really hard and our goal is to do everything possible to win,” King said. “We’re prepared to give everything it’ll take.”\nIndiana has been missing the presence of a clutch-hitter in their past few games. Since Tory Yamaguchi’s two-run shot to win the game against Evansville, the Hoosiers have only been able to post three points over a four-game span.\n Junior Kari Bettenbrock said the little things are what can give the Hoosiers a winning edge.\n“We have to be determined and take care of the little things,” Bettenbrock said. “Base hits, and being able to step up and putting players through when we have the chance to step up will help us. We basically have to do our jobs in order to win.”
(04/23/07 4:00am)
In the same month as Major League Baseball’s celebration of Jackie Robinson Day, the lack of minority representation in the 57th running of the Little 500 field showed some involved that there are still strides that need to be made in diversifying the intramural bicycle race. \nFormer Team Major Taylor rider and current Asian Culture Center coach Julio German said that a host of things cause the problem, and it starts with the IU campus itself. \n“The lack of minority presence starts with the fact that Indiana University isn’t diverse,” German said. “An honest effort to recruit this group should be applied by IU (Student Foundation) and IU. Cycling is an expensive sport, and grants may even be a way to help out in starting more diverse teams.” \nLittle 500 Race Coordinator Matthew Ewing said they focus a lot of effort on recruiting minorities, but they can’t force people to ride. \n“We always like to increase the number of minorities involved, and we’ll continue outreach,” Ewing said. “We’re looking to get more minority participation.”\nGerman said that TMT coach Courtney Bishop was passionate about change and that was reflected in his team’s lineup.\nBishop received a lifetime ban from the race in December 2005 for allegedly offering scholarships to riders for participating in the Little 500. The IU Student Foundation reinstated him just last month. \nFour team members comprise TMT, and all have different ethnic backgrounds, including the men’s race’s only black rider, Ali Camara. Riders from four different racial backgrounds comprise the most diverse team in the field of 33. The team placed fifth in this year’s Little 500 largely due to the performance of Camara, who rode in 106 of the 200 laps.\nCamara said he thinks his performance in the Little 500 can inspire others to participate.\n“I think diversity is always a good thing,” Camara said. “If people see one minority doing something they might say ‘I can do that too,’ and that just gets the ball rolling.”\nEwing agreed that more minorities will benefit the race. \n“The event will benefit all, and we don’t discriminate,” Ewing said. “Everyone can benefit, whether they be black or white doesn’t matter. ... I think more minorities participating in the race would draw a more diverse crowd because they’ll have friends and families to support them.”\nBishop said his team has evolved through the years and diversified itself from what started as an all-black team. Bishop added that they have been collaborating with some minority fraternities to field a team, but that the diversification of the race can really benefit from all the fraternities already in the race helping the cause.\n“It’s on fraternities to actively integrate a house. Then they can field minorities,” Bishop said. “But until that happens, TMT is the model for diversity in the Little 500.”
(04/20/07 4:00am)
The IU softball team will host Michigan and Michigan State this weekend at home before embarking on a monthlong road trip.\nThe 2-7 record the Hoosiers have on the road, coupled with a 1-9 mark in the Big Ten, doesn’t bode well for the future of the IU season. The conference contests have not been very kind to the Hoosiers.\n“We’ve had trouble in our recent home games against the Big Ten,” junior Jennifer Moore said. “We’re hoping to do better in this weekend.”\nSenior Kim Richards said the Hoosiers’ upcoming home stint will be crucial. They have more morale at home, and winning at home will help their performance on the road, she said.\nThough the chances of ending their regular season on a high seems dim because of a grueling schedule to end their campaign, Richards said she thinks IU’s recent win against Evansville will help in this stretch. \n“We were always capable of winning, but the Evansville win added belief,” Richards said. “We like the feeling of winning, and we want to experience it again.”\nThis weekend may see a more energized Hoosiers team that may help to carry over their success against Evansville. Last week IU had to face Minnesota and Wisconsin on the road while traveling by bus, but they will get to sleep in their own beds this weekend. Though the home factor might sometimes seem trivial, it can mean a world of difference on the playing field.\nIU coach Stacey Phillips said these upcoming games are meaningful to the Hoosiers at this point in the season.\n“Having only one win in the Big Ten game, it’ll be important for us to put ourselves in a position to be successful,” Phillips said. “Any game is important to us at this point, and we definitely have an advantage being at home.” \nWinning all four of their weekend games might be a little easier by facing Michigan State (22-21, 0-9) which sits at the bottom of the Big Ten. \nBut the real threat to the Hoosiers’ success is the Michigan Wolverines, who have played well in their season thus far. Though Michigan is only fourth in their conference, they are ranked No. 8 on USASoftball.com. The Wolverines have a 33-8 record on the season and have rated higher than any Big Ten team nationally.\nPhillips said she thinks her team can win if they take the right approach.\n“Our approach is usually the same in every contest,” Phillips said. “The message I have for my players is to play IU softball and do the small things, and the big things will come. I think athletes get caught up in always wanting to make the big play. But if we can focus on the intangibles, the outcome will be a lot better for us.”
(04/19/07 4:00am)
The IU softball team gained a much-needed out-of-conference road win on Wednesday at James N. and Dorothy M. Cooper Softball Stadium in Evansville.\nThe Hoosiers defeated the Purple Aces 2-0 in a game that was largely a pitcher’s duel.\nIU scored its only two runs of the game in the third inning when senior Tory Yamaguchi, who gained two RBIs as she hit in junior Jennilee Huddleston. Yamaguchi continued to improve on a home-run spree this season, and she now has 12 on the season. \nOffense has been hard to come by for the Hoosiers, but Yamaguchi has been a constant performer for IU.\nAssistant coach Tarrah Beyster said Yamaguchi’s hit was a clutch one.\n“We were getting runners on base but couldn’t hit them in,” Beyster said. “It was a really big hit that came at the right time.”\nBeyster also said that her team took much better care of the ball in the win.\nIU hopes to get a smooth transition from this game. The Hoosiers have to prepare to face much more competitive Big Ten foes, who will pose a much greater threat to the Hoosiers than Evansville. Yamaguchi said today changed the team.\n“Today was a turning point,” Yamaguchi said. “Everyone was on a high today and this win was great for us heading into a Michigan (and) Michigan State weekend.”\nThis game may serve as a huge boost for the Hoosiers, who were able to end a five-game road trip that saw four loses and a win. The Evansville win will also help IU heading into a four-game home stretch that will be followed by seven road games before ending the regular season against Purdue at home in May.\nSophomore pitcher Monica Wright was able to post a shutout against the Aces. The sophomore transfer has been a mainstay in the circle for IU and has been the most reliable pitcher thus far. Beyster said she was impressed with Wright’s performance.\n“Monica had a really great game,” Beyster said. “She faced a lot of great hitters and she was able to keep them off balance.”\nWright said she expects to see the same winning team this weekend. \n“I expect our team to carry over everything that we did today into this weekend,” Wright said. “We all went out there and played our game and had fun and that’s what I expect this weekend.”
(04/18/07 4:00am)
The IU softball team has seen its fair share of hard times in the past week, but the Evansville game is just what the Hoosiers need to get back on their feet before jumping back into the Big Ten season.\nThe Hoosiers will travel to Evansville today before getting back into their Big Ten season with contests against Michigan State and Michigan this weekend. \nThis game is similar to the April 10 game against Indiana State that IU won before it went on a four-game losing streak on the road in Big Ten play. IU will have four more Big Ten games after this Evansville contest, but they will be at home. \nSenior pitcher Kristy Wahl said the Evansville game can help the Hoosiers in the future.\n“I think the non-conference game can help us like the Indiana State game,” Wahl said. “I don’t know why Indiana State didn’t carry over, but I think Evansville is a good team so they can help us prepare to face Michigan State.”\nThe Hoosiers (19-23) are 6-6 at home and 1-7 away from Bloomington this season, playing most of the games in neutral sites. Wahl said she thinks the home game can help her team. \n“We’ve been struggling at the starts of games and we seem to settle down once we get into the game,” Wahl said. “Hopefully we can use the Evansville game, along with this weekend, and our fans to turn that around in our upcoming home games.”\nThis home stretch will be a crucial one for IU. \nAfter this weekend the team will head into a stretch without home games that will see the Hoosiers play seven away games heading into the postseason. They won’t return to play a game in the IU Softball Field until May 6, when they face the Boilermakers to close out their regular season. \nSuccess is a must have this weekend because of the Hoosiers’ track record on the road. IU coach Stacey Phillips said after the Minnesota loss that she was proud of a team that never gives up, and IU will need every bit of that determination in its upcoming road schedule. \nThis grueling road slate the Hoosiers have to endure can have an affect that is detrimental to the players’ postseason hopes. Sophomore infielder Sarah Padove said they will have to pull all aspects of their game together to be successful.
(04/17/07 4:00am)
The Hoosiers have hit a skid since the Big Ten season started. They have gone 1-7 in conference play and 2-10 since beginning their Big Ten season against Iowa. \nIU lost two more Big Ten contests yesterday when it was swept in a doubleheader against Wisconsin. The Hoosiers lost 5-3 in their first game, and 7-1 in the second. \nMorale may have been lost when the Hoosiers began their first game poorly, letting Wisconsin get out to a 5-0 lead and going scoreless until the fifth inning of the game. Senior infielder Rachel Terry hit a three-run homer to bring the score to 5-3, but the Hoosiers would not see any more offense as the rest of the game was a stalemate. \nSenior pitcher Christy Wahl said the Hoosiers have to begin their games better. \n“I think both first innings gave the game away because we weren’t able to come back,” she said. \nSophomore pitcher Monica Wright fell to 12-14 with a loss in the first game, but she wasn’t the only one to lose her touch. In seven innings, Wahl allowed four earned hits out of eight, seven runs and six walks. Despite striking out a career-high nine batters, she dropped to 2-2 on the season. \nThe Hoosiers’ offense suffered in their second game. The first score of the game for IU came when senior outfielder Kim Richards hit a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. IU didn’t see much from its bats, but Richards stole the shutout from the Badgers. \nJunior infielder Jennilee Huddleston said a lack of offense resulted in other problems. \n“The lack of offense affected our defense,” Huddleston said. “It’s hard to get one thing going when you have others that aren’t.” \nThe Hoosiers have seen four consecutive losses in two doubleheaders where IU’s offense struggled late in the game. IU scored only one run in multiple games while Minnesota and Wisconsin scored several runs against the Hoosiers. \nThe recent string of losses for the Hoosiers haven’t changed their outlook on the season. Sophomore infielder Sarah Padove said the team will pull it together. \n“We have to play our game and get all three components together,” Padove said. “But the losses don’t affect us because we try to take each game as they come.”
(04/16/07 4:00am)
The IU softball team embarked on its first road trip of the Big Ten season, facing the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Sunday in Minneapolis for a doubleheader. \nThe team was swept in the doubleheader, 5-4 in the first game and 3-1 in the second.\nThe Gophers now hold a 41-39 lead in the all-time series.\nSenior Kim Richards tried to lead the Hoosiers to a win in the first game when she hit a home run in the top of the eighth inning of a 3-3 tied game. But Minnesota’s Shannon Stemper countered Richards’ hit and drove home two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to give her team the victory in the first game. \nIn the second game, a stellar performance from Gopher pitcher Katie Dalen proved to be too much for the Hoosiers’ bats.\nSophomore Sarah Padove said IU had trouble scoring.\n“I think the game came down to runs,” Padove said. “ Our pitchers did well and we had some people on base and we couldn’t hit them in.”\nThe Hoosiers, who are 1-5 away from home and 1-7 in conference play, were looking to use this game to improve both aspects of their record. A victory could have also been applied to the team’s morale heading into a stretch of road games. \nIU had a great launching pad into this string of games from their stellar performance against Indiana State, where they made big hits in the closing innings of the game that allowed them to gain a lead they didn’t relinquish. \nThe game served as a bright spot in a recent skid that saw the Hoosiers squad going 3-8 before the Indiana State contest.\nIU coach Stacey Phillips said she was proud of her squad and the determination they showed in the Indiana State game.\n“You can’t teach heart,” Phillips said. “But to have the talent we have on top of the heart is great.” \nBut that lone bright spot might not be enough for the Hoosiers after these losses to the Gophers. IU’s game against Minnesota served as a makeshift home opener for the Gophers. Minnesota’s four previously scheduled home series were canceled due to poor weather and unplayable field conditions. \nIn addition to having its series at Penn State canceled April 1, Minnesota also canceled games with Iowa (April 7) and Illinois (April 8). The Gophers’ scheduled doubleheader with Wisconsin-Green Bay on April 11 was also postponed, leaving Minnesota with an eight-game layoff that added energy and fueled the Gophers to victory.\nDespite the losses, Phillips said she was proud of her team.\n“It’s nice to be the coach of a team that never gives up,” Phillips said. “They show a passion in what they do.” \nThe Hoosiers have to pick up the pieces and compete today against the Wisconsin Badgers. Padove said the team has to put the losses behind them.\n“We just have to move on and come with it tomorrow,” she said.
(04/11/07 4:00am)
Sophomore shortstop Emily Bergeson was in the middle of a slump. Then she was thrown into the position every player dreams of: two outs and the bases loaded with the opportunity to give her team a chance to win.\nBergeson proved she was up to the challenge when she hit a shot to center field – a triple, scoring all three players on base.\nShe was followed by a hit from senior right fielder Heather Hohs that allowed Bergeson to score the fourth run of the inning, giving the Hoosiers a 6-3 lead that put the win in the bag for IU.\nBergeson said the win was a collective effort.\n“I knew I really needed to step up because I had been in a slump,” Bergeson said. “It was a team win, and everybody stepped up and got on base I just hit them in.”\nDespite being in a position that would ruffle the feathers of most teams, Bergeson said, the team was never worried about pulling out the win when it went down 3-2 in the sixth inning.\n“We have a really strong lineup, and Indiana State was cheering like they had already won,” Bergeson said. “We felt good and weren’t worried at all.” \nThe Hoosiers came into the game looking to earn a milestone win while ending a recent losing streak. \nThey started their trek for the win well when senior catcher Tory Yamaguchi hit a two-run homer – which gave her 11 home runs to tie her career high from the 2005 season. The home run scored junior Jennilee Huddleston from second base. \nThe game got off to a fast start. After the first inning, the Hoosiers led 2-1.\nBut the scoring pace slowed as the defense picked up.\nSophomore pitcher Monica Wright played a solid game and kept the Sycamores off balance with an array of pitches. \nThough Wright was superb for most of the game, she walked Lauren Kebely. That walk helped to fuel the Sycamores in their comeback, taking a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning. They gave the Hoosiers a scare that led to Bergeson’s late-game heroics.\nThough the offensive output picked up at the end of the game, a wealth of defense and pitching, along with a hitting drought that lasted for four innings, helped the game to pass quickly. Wright said the defense helped her to perform.\n“I felt really confident in the circle knowing that whatever the defense was able to hit would be fielded by my team,” Wright said. “I was thrilled with the defense’s performance.”
(04/10/07 4:00am)
The IU softball team is set to square off against in-state competitor Indiana State for the 67th time since the 1975 season when the two teams clash this afternoon. IU holds the winning edge with a 49-17 record against the Sycamores.\nOpening pitch is at 4 p.m. today at the IU Softball Field.\nIU will have the home advantage in this game and will be looking to add another win to its all-time record against Indiana State. \nIn the last meeting against the Sycamores, then-IU senior Mariangee Bogado struck out 22 Sycamore batters in an IU record-setting performance that led to a 1-0 Hoosier win. Bogado only allowed one hit on the day.\nFreshman outfielder Jennifer Glueckert said before IU’s game against Louisville that her team started a hot-streak because of the recent stellar play of senior infielder Rachel Terry.\nTerry went on to prove her right, as she went 4-for-4 against Northwestern on Saturday, and senior infielder Jenilee Huddleston carried the hitting torch for the Hoosiers on Sunday. Though the Hoosiers were on the losing end of the two games, both players displayed determination in their performances.\nTheir team will be looking to get back in the winning column after their pair of loses in two contests against a top-10-rated Northwestern squad.\nIU coach Stacy Phillips said her team will be able to compete if it plays well from beginning to finish.\n“If we attack good pitches and stay aggressive, we’ll have a good chance at winning,” she said.\nThis game will also give the Hoosiers a chance to revamp a season that has taken a recent dive. The Hoosiers have lost eight of their last 10 games dating back to March 24 when they lost to Eastern Michigan.\nThis in-state match up will also have the Hoosiers trying to improve their record against Indiana competitors.\nThe last time the Hoosiers faced a Hoosier state opponent was against Ball State on March 28 in Muncie. The Hoosiers were defeated 8-0, and they didn’t take the loss lightly.\nTerry said their team wasn’t ready to play, and junior infielder Kari Bettenbrock said that the Cardinals wanted the game more and her team didn’t make plays.\nThe game was one that left a sour taste in the mouth of the Hoosiers, and they hope to buck their recent losing trend.
(04/05/07 4:00am)
In the bottom of the sixth inning with two outs, the IU softball team still had one chance to salvage what looked like another road loss. \nIt seemed as if they would seize the moment when freshman right fielder Jennifer Glueckert singled to give the Hoosiers their first hit of the day, and was followed by sophomore second baseman Sarah Padove’s shot to left field .\nLater in the inning both runners moved up on a wild pitch to put runners at second and third for junior Jennilee Huddleston. But when Huddleston grounded out the only shot the Hoosiers had fired, a win turned out to be a blank.\nIU lost 1-0 to a Louisville squad that sophomore pitcher Monica Wright kept in check. IU coach Stacey Phillips said she was pleased with Wright’s performance.\n“I thought Monica pitched really well and kept the offense off balance,” Phillips said. “Unfortunately the defense didn’t help her, and we couldn’t put the ball on the bat.”\nDespite their late push, the Hoosiers managed to end the game scoreless and that lack of offense was largely the reason for IU’s loss. The Hoosiers, who have been on a relatively cold streak, didn’t post any offense on the board until the sixth inning. \nThe game was one that lacked much offensive output from either side. \nLouisville had five hits, but they all came as the result of the performance of a few. Only seniors Audrey Rendon and Courtney Moore registered hits in the game, while sophomore Brooke McCrain earned the lone RBI for the Cardinals.\nThe Cardinals managed to get hits in tight spots. \nThough they didn’t have a large amount of offense on the day, they were able to bat in Rendon for their only run on the day. Phillips said they failed to make in-game adjustments to stop Louisville’s experienced hitters.\nThat tough hitting was exactly what the Hoosiers were missing. Phillips said her team needed someone to lead.\n“We needed someone to step up and hit the ball,” Phillips said. “We need to take advantage of the opportunities available to us instead of letting them slide by.”\nThough the Hoosiers didn’t have someone step up when they really needed it, Glueckert and Padove provided a spark for the Hoosiers. Phillips said she was happy with the two players, but they needed more of that from others.\n“I was excited to see those two (Glueckert and Padove) do their job by getting in scoring position,” Phillips said. “Hitting with two outs is the name of the game and we didn’t do that today.”
(04/04/07 4:00am)
After a long home stretch, the IU softball team is traveling to Louisville to compete against the Cardinals today at 5 p.m.\nThe Hoosiers (18-6, 1-3) will be facing a team that IU coach Stacey Phillips said is a mirror image of her own team.\n“Louisville is a team that has been compared to us a lot,” Phillips said. “They were a tournament team last year, and I expect it to be a great match up.”\nThough the Hoosiers have been improving during the season, they hit a dry spell this weekend at home, losing three of four games against Big Ten foes Iowa and Illinois. Sophomore Monica Wright said she thinks her team can overcome the losses.\n“We just have to take the good with the bad and improve,” Wright said. \nIU improved at the end of their homestand and ended on a high note. \nSenior first basemen Rachel Terry hit two home runs that might have affected more than just the outcome of their final game against the Illini.\n“I think that was a turning point,” Phillips said. “In order for it to be a turning point I think we’ll have to win this next game, but I think it was a huge hit for our team.”\nThis road trip will be the first for IU since their shutout loss at Ball State on March 28. Despite the outcome of that contest, freshman Jennifer Glueckert said she doesn’t think the road aspect of the game will affect her club because of their last outing.\n“I don’t think being on the road will matter because our team came together in our last game,” Glueckert said. “I think the team definitely started a hot streak and that we’ll all get it this time around on the road.”\nOne aspect of the Hoosiers’ game that has been improving is pitching. \nWright and junior Jennifer Moore have both been slowly progressing this season. Phillips said her pitching staff will keep up the good work by keeping its composure. \n“I think if they go out there and hit their spots and gain confidence that they’ll be able to get their game going,” she said.\nDespite their record during the weekend, the last game-ending runs by Terry have helped the Hoosiers to have confidence heading into their next game. \n“I think we can win if we come out with an attack mode and improve on the feelings we had in the last game,” Wright said. “I think it’ll be a good challenge and we’ll come out on top.”
(03/30/07 4:00am)
After a lackluster performance Wednesday against Ball State, the IU softball team will look to get back on the winning track when it opens Big Ten play against Iowa on Friday and close out the weekend against Illinois at home. \nThe opener begins the end of the Big Ten careers for seniors Heather Hohs, Kim Richards, Rachel Terry and Christy Wahl. \nTerry said she had a range of emotions about opening Big Ten play for the last time and that she wanted to be successful in her final opportunity.\n“I’m sad because I know it is the last time, but I’m also excited to make an impact on the season,” Richards said. “We ended last season on a good note, and I want to keep that going.”\nThis game will also dawn the beginning of a new pitching era as sophomore Monica Wright will compete in her first conference game after transferring from Northern Iowa. \nJunior Jennifer Moore is also entering her first year as a full-time starter.\nThe Hoosiers will be trying to rebound from a rough patch in the Ball State game, where they lost 8-0. \nThis will be the first traditional home game for the Hoosiers, who hosted the IU Classic a week ago and placed third in the tournament. Richards said she thinks having home-field advantage will help.\n“We’ll have our fans on our own turf, and I also think it’ll help us mentally,” Richards said. “We love playing at home. We wish we could play every game at home.”\nThe Hoosiers will be trying to re-emerge into winning form after their loss Wednesday.\n“We really need to step up and compete,” coach Stacey Phillips said. “We really prepared poorly for the first game. We turned that around, and I think that will be a key in the way we play.”\nPhillips said the Hoosiers expect Iowa to be aggressive, which is how you have to be when playing in the Big Ten. She said she prepared her team differently for their Big Ten foes.\n“We challenged ourselves this week,” Phillips said. “We had a real pressure practice, and Wednesday (against Ball State) didn’t help much. But I think we also attempted to be faster than we have been all season and that should be different.”\nPhillips, Richards and the rest of the team are adamant they are better than how they played against Ball State.\n“Our last game was an embarrassment,” Richards said. “We were like, ‘Here you go. Take the win.’ And we’ll definitely be better than we were that day.”
(03/29/07 4:00am)
IU had been successful against Ball State in the past, but Wednesday’s 8-0 loss was no indication of the Hoosier’s recent performances. \nThe loss to the Cardinals was the first in the last four meetings against Ball State and might have come as a result of poor offense.\nAssistant coach Tarrah Beyster said earlier that IU would have to handle the ball in its game against Ball State. \nBut the real issue turned out to be the offense that cooled against the Cardinals. \nThe Hoosiers (17-13) only managed one hit against the Cardinals in six innings of play, after a recent hot streak.\nAn indication of the difference in this outing against the Cardinals came in the performance of junior Jennilee Huddleston who was held hitless after hitting a grand slam against Ball State on March 4. \nThe loss caused some frustration among some of the players, and senior infielder Rachel Terry took it a step past just having a bad game when she said how her team performed.\n“They came out ready to play and we didn’t,” Terry said. “We just played like crap and made errors.”\nJunior pitcher Jennifer Moore (4-6) gave up six earned runs to the Cardinals, but also didn’t have any run support. She said she was a little affected by the lack of offense, but that her team is still talented.\n“Today just wasn’t our day,” Moore said. “We weren’t ready to play but we are definitely better than we were today.”\nThe Hoosiers faced Ball State on March 4 and came out with a 6-2 win in that game. \nJunior infielder Kari Bettenbrock said that the difference in the two games wasn’t the pitchers fault or the defense, but that effort and offense was the deciding factor in the game.\n“They wanted it more than us,” Bettenbrock said. “We just didn’t hit when we needed to get runs.”\nAfter the nine-game winning streak that IU amassed during spring break, they are 5-3. Yesterday’s defeat moves the Hoosiers to 17-13 on the season. Despite the loss, Moore said, she still thinks her team is the best in the state. The team will open Big Ten play this weekend against Iowa.
(03/28/07 4:00am)
Indiana in-state battles usually consist of IU against Purdue, but Ball State will be vying for the title of the state’s best team when it faces the Hoosiers in Muncie today.\nIU is 38-26 all-time against Ball State in a series that dates back to the 1974 season, IU’s first with softball as a varsity sport. The Hoosiers have won the last three matchups.\nThe two teams set the stage for another battle when they competed against each other in the Kay Brechtelsbauer Southern Classic at Southern Illinois on March 4. \nIU came out with a 6-2 win in a game that came down to a grand slam by junior Jennilee Huddleston. \nHuddleston said that the Hoosiers didn’t want the game to be as close this time and that her team had something to prove.\n“We definitely want to take it to Ball State,” she said. “We want to prove that we’re the best team in Indiana because we are.”\nThough Huddleston is confident, assistant Tarrah Beyster said the Ball State game won’t be a walk in the park.\n“Being an in-state rivalry definitely adds some fuel to the fire,” she said. “(Ball State’s players) are fighters, they’ve got some hitters and great defense and they won’t lie down and give us the win.”\nHuddleston has been on a recent hitting streak since the grand slam and has helped her team to rebound from a slow start. Her hitting will be one of the determining factors in the outcome.\n“I plan on keeping my hitting streak going by seeing the ball well ... taking it each bat at a time,” Huddleston said. “I plan on getting at least one hit a game to keep my streak up.” \nDespite the Hoosiers’ recent offensive tear, Beyster said the game will come down to defense.\n“I think the game will come down to taking care of the ball. We’re going to have to relax and focus while taking it one step at a time,” she said. “We played (them at) Southern Illinois earlier this year and we know we’ll have to fight for this one.”\nSophomore pitcher Monica Wright will be one of the major factors in the Hoosier counter to the Cardinal attack. She is 11-7 on the season. Wright said she thinks her team will perform well in what will be only it’s third road game.\n“If we are able to make adjustments during the game and play solid defense we’ll be able to perform the way we want on the road,” she said.
(03/19/07 4:00am)
At the 2007 NCAA championships, the IU wrestling team gave a great showing with some unusual players stepping up to propel the team to an impressive showing.\nIU finished 14th at the championships with 41.0 points. It was the second time in the last three years IU has finished in the top 15 and the third straight season IU has been in the top 20.\nFreshman Angel Escobedo and sophomores Matt Coughlin and Andrae Hernandez all reached All-American status. Each placed higher than eighth in the competition, while some Hoosiers were left knocking on the door as they just missed All-American standing. \nEscobedo was ranked among the nation’s best at 125 pounds all season, and he solidified that stamp as he grappled to a fourth-place finish that capped off his season at 39-7. His fourth-place finish at nationals was the highest finish by an IU freshman since the 1930s. Escobedo said he was happy with the finish.\n“It feels great to be an All-American and among that class of IU athletes,” Escobedo said. “Coming in as a freshman I didn’t have as much experience as some of my competitors, and it was huge for me to be fourth in the nation.”\nAll-American Andrae Hernandez said his cousin and teammate Escobedo deserves the title.\n“He never wants to lose, and he’s one of the best because of it,” Hernandez said. “He’s aggressive to shoot, and I think that also helps him be one of the best and pull out wins.”\nAnother Hoosier who performed well during tournament competition was Coughlin, who emerged out of a slump to become an All-American. He was the sixth-place 141-pound finisher in the Big Ten, while he notched a seventh-place finish at the NCAA tournament. \n“I just knew that this tournament was the one chance I had to erase my midseason slump,” Coughlin said. “I came in really focused on getting a championship and it’s a great feeling to be an All-American.”\nHernandez lost initially to the winner of the 133-pound crown at the nationals but kept battling and received eighth place to become the third of the school-record three All-Americans.\nIU coach Duane Goldman said he was pleased with his All-Americans’ perseverance.\n“They all continued to progress after the conference tournaments, and that’s why we recruited them,” Goldman said. “We know they’re the type of kids we can help to achieve their goals.”\nThough IU had a great showing, there were some things that didn’t go their way. Two-time All-American junior Brandon Becker (157 pounds) didn’t receive his previous tag this year due to some early losses, and junior Marc Bennett (184 pounds) fell short of placing at the nationals. \nThe IU squad will return every member of their team except senior heavyweight Josh Buuck. Goldman said he expects his team to be successful but is still leery of the future.\n“I expect to have four All-Americans next year,” he said. “But the Big Ten is hard to call, because we were 14th in the nation and eighth in conference, so you never know what can happen.”