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(09/05/09 9:27pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After losing both of its Friday matches in the adidas Classic, the IU volleyball team started Saturday’s slate with a win over Murray State in four sets. The Hoosiers (4-2) dropped the first set 22-25 before claiming the next three 25-22, 25-12 and 25-14 to score their third victory of the young 2009 season. IU ended its noon contest with a .269 attack percentage. Freshman outside hitter Jordan Haverly and junior middle blocker Ashley Benson led the team with 16 and 15 kills, respectively. Sophomore libero Caitlin Cox and freshman defensive specialist Laura Matula each recorded three service aces. Becca Lamb led the way for the Racers (0-6) with 9 kills. The Hoosiers will play their final match of the tournament at 7 p.m. against the University of Illinois-Chicago.
(09/05/09 4:41pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a disappointing loss at the hands of the University of Tennessee-Martin earlier in the day, the IU volleyball team gave No. 18 Kentucky a battle in its second match of the IU Adidas Classic.In the end, however, it wasn’t enough as the Hoosiers (3-2) fell to the Wildcats (5-0) in four sets.IU lost by scores of 23-25, 25-19, 19-25 and 18-25.The team posted a collective attack percentage of .292 with 61 kills to 23 errors.Senior outside hitter Kelsey Hall and junior middle blocker Ashley Benson led the way for the Hoosiers, recording 17 and 16 kills, respectively. Hall also led the team in digs with 15.Hall said that it felt good to perform well against such a strong opponent, especially after the loss to UT-Martin.“I think we were in a funk (earlier Friday),” Hall said. “I think it’s good for our confidence, our ego, and we can build that and add to something important.”Hall also said the strong support the team had in University Gym for the game lifted their energy and performance.“I think the fans’ energy in here was so overwhelming,” she said. “We haven’t had that in a long time. We’ll get a few fans here and there, but this was amazing.”The Hoosiers have two matches on Saturday to wrap the tournament, the first at noon against Murray State and the second at 7 p.m. against the University of Illinois-Chicago.
(09/04/09 3:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The seven freshmen on the IU volleyball team got their first collegiate match experience in Houston last weekend.However, they have yet to play a match at home with the added excitement of familiar surroundings and an overwhelmingly cream-and-crimson fan base.That, coach Sherry Dunbar said, might reproduce some of those emotions when the Hoosiers (3-0) take the University Gym court against University of Tennessee-Martin at noon Friday as hosts of the IU adidas Classic.“I think they’re excited to play at home,” Dunbar said of her new players, who were part of a top-25 recruiting class nationally. “There are probably going to be a few jitters before, so I’m glad we’re playing that 12 o’clock match.”IU will play four matches in the tournament, with the first two on Friday and the final two on Saturday.Dunbar said she expects the Hoosiers’ four opponents to present “a lot of different styles, a lot of different levels, which is exactly what we wanted. It should be diverse competition for us.“We have a young team with seven newcomers, and we’re hoping to get our newcomers a lot of playing time.”IU’s second Friday match will begin at 7 p.m. The Hoosiers will face the No. 18-ranked Kentucky Wildcats (3-0).Dunbar said the contest with Kentucky will help her evaluate the progress of the team and prepare it for its slate in the Big Ten, which includes six top-25 teams.“We’re ... playing one of the best teams in the country in Kentucky,” Dunbar said. “It will give us a good feel of playing in the Big Ten and also give our newcomers a feel of playing in the Big Ten, so I’m really excited to play them. I think it’s time we challenge ourselves and kind of see where we’re at and what we can work on.”IU received significant contributions from those newcomers in its first three matches during the Flo Hyman Invitational at the University of Houston last weekend.Freshman outside hitter Jordan Haverly led the team in service aces throughout the tournament with seven.Haverly’s 32 kills over the Hoosiers’ three matches were second on the team only to the 43 of All-Big Ten middle blocker Ashley Benson.“It was really good,” Haverly said of her debut. “Hopefully we can continue working hard and having fun together.”Freshman setter Whitney Granado recorded an ace on her first collegiate attempt, also the first attempt of the season for IU.“I was just trying to put it on point,” Granado said of the initial service attempt in the Hoosiers’ first match. She said she was shocked when it hit the court uncontested.IU’s other freshmen contributed, as well.Outside hitter Ivie Obeime and right-side hitter Kelci Marschall both recorded multiple kills in two matches, and middle blocker Samantha Thrower had at least one in each match.Freshman defensive specialist Laura Matula also contributed, registering 14 digs on the weekend.The Hoosier’s Saturday slate includes a match at noon against Murray State and a 7 p.m. contest against University of Illinois-Chicago.“We certainly want to see more consistency with people running our offense and playing faster,” Dunbar said.
(08/31/09 2:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU volleyball coach Sherry Dunbar and junior middle blocker Ashley Benson both said they would like to start the season 3-0 heading into the Flo Hyman Invitational in Houston.The Hoosiers did just that, winning all three of their matches in the University of Houston-hosted tournament and being crowned champions of the event.Dunbar said the results of the tournament were very positive for her players.“It’s great to show them that their hard work in the offseason has paid off,” Dunbar said. “Now we have a lot of stuff to look at to see how we play against someone other than ourselves.”IU dropped just one set throughout the tournament.The Hoosiers opened the tournament Friday, blanking Southeastern Louisiana 25-13, 25-18, 25-17. The team posted a collective hit percentage of .386, with Benson leading in kills with 11.“Everyone was excited,” Benson said. “Even when we were low, we all hung together.”Freshman outside hitter Jordan Haverly, who joined the team after attending junior college for a year, recorded four aces in her IU debut, including on her first career serve attempt.Haverly enjoyed her first match experience at IU.“It felt really good,” Haverly said. “Hopefully we can continue to work hard and keep having fun together.”Fellow freshman, setter Whitney Granado, accomplished that same feat, doing so on the match’s initial serve.Graduate student Whitney Thomas also shined in her volleyball debut, scoring six kills. Thomas joined the volleyball team this season after spending four seasons on the IU women’s basketball team.The Hoosiers carried the momentum from their season-opening victory into Saturday’s matches, downing New Orleans 20-25, 29-27, 25-20, 25-20 in a noon matchup.Benson recorded 20 kills, again a team high, and also recorded six of the teams blocks, with three solo stuffs.Sophomore libero Caitlin Cox, Haverly and freshman Laura Matula each recorded two service aces, and senior outside hitter Kelsey Hall added another for a team total of seven.IU finished its tournament sweep Saturday evening, defeating host Houston 25-19, 25-21, 25-17.Benson and Haverly led the Hoosiers in kills on Houston, recording 12 and 11, respectively, and, along with Granado, each recorded one ace. The team’s collective attack percentage was .265.Sophomore setter Mary Chaudoin led the Hoosiers with 22 assists and Granado added 13.IU now shifts its focus to next weekend, when it will play host at the IU adidas Classic. The Hoosiers will play their first match of the tournament Friday at noon against University of Tennessee-Martin at University Gymnasium and will play again at 7 p.m. against Kentucky.The team will play two matches Saturday, the first at noon against Murray State and the second at 7 p.m. against University of Illinois-Chicago.“It will be really exciting to have the opportunity to play at home,” Dunbar said. “They will bring an energy to the gym and I’m sure the fans are going to be really excited. It’s looking to be a great collegiate weekend at IU.”
(08/29/09 1:43pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers won their season-opening match Friday, beating Southeastern Louisiana 25-13, 25-18, 25-17 in their first of three matches in this weekend’s Flo Hyman Invitational in Houston, Texas.IU totaled 42 kills to 10 errors in their straight-set victory, amassing a .386 hit percentage. Southeastern Louisiana only managed 25 kills and recorded 15 errors for a .114 hit percentage.Senior middle blocker Ashley Benson led IU with 11 kills. Freshman outside hitter Jordan Haverly shined from the service line in her IU debut, leading the Hoosiers with four aces.Two of Haverly’s aces came in the first set, with fifth-year senior and former women’s basketball player Whitney Thomas adding four kills in the match’s initial contest.The second set stayed close early with the score at 15-15, but two kills each from Haverly and Thomas, along with a Southeastern Louisiana attack error, allowed the Hoosiers to pull away.Haverly added another ace and five more kills in the third set, and sophomore setter Mary Chaudoin added eight assists.The Hoosiers’ next match will take place Saturday at 12:30 p.m. against New Orleans, and they will play again at 8:30 p.m. against host Houston.
(08/28/09 3:45am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU volleyball coach Sherry Dunbar sees something different about her team from past years heading into the 2009 season.For Dunbar, that difference is a good thing, as the Hoosiers (17-15, 9-11) head to Houston to open their campaign Friday in the Flo Hyman Tournament.“We have a totally different team this year,” Dunbar said. “We’ve changed more than half our roster. I think we have really stepped up talent-wise.” Despite undergoing drastic overhaul from last year, Dunbar expects to have a strong squad that will contend for a NCAA tournament berth, which would be its first since 2002. The Hoosiers’ first match of the season takes place at 6:30 p.m. Friday against Southeastern Louisiana.Dunbar expects this weekend’s tournament to be a springboard for her team in terms of starting the season on a good note and getting ready for its tough conference slate.“We’ve been playing against each other in practice, and first of all we’re really excited to play someone else,” Dunbar said. “It’s very different in match situations.”Among the things Dunbar hopes to see this weekend and the rest of the season is the continued success and leadership of junior middle blocker Ashley Benson. Benson set IU records as a sophomore with 167 blocks and 151 block assists. “She’s stronger than last year and she’s more independent,” Dunbar said. “She won’t need to be coached as much. She can be All-Big Ten again, she has All-American potential, and she has the potential to be the best to have ever played at IU.” Along with Benson and the other returning members are eight newcomers. They include seven members of a top-25 recruiting class and former women’s basketball player Whitney Thomas. Benson said she anticipates seeing what she and her teammates can do in their first match Friday. “We’re really excited,” she said. “This preseason we’ve started doing things a bit earlier than last year.”
(08/26/09 3:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU volleyball team is hitting the road to begin its 2009 season Friday at the Flo Hyman Tournament in Houston. The Hoosiers will open the three-match event at 6:30 p.m. Friday against the Lions of Southeastern Louisiana and will play two matches Saturday: New Orleans at 12:30 p.m. and Houston at 8:30 p.m.2008 Record 17-15 (9-11)Head Coach Sherry DunbarFirst Home Game adidas Classic, Sept. 4-5Key Games Penn State, Illinois, Minnesota, Purdue, KentuckyKey Returners Ashley Benson, Kelsey Hall, Caitlin CoxSleeper Games Ohio, Missouri StateInteresting Fact The IU volleyball team had a top-25 recruiting class coming into this season. The team brings in seven freshmen for the 2009 campaign.
(07/27/09 1:05pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I have grown up following auto racing like a religion. Having lived in Indiana for my entire remembered life, it’s pretty easy to understand why the sport, in all its different forms, has had such an impact on me.The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where as of Sunday I have witnessed 12 Indianapolis 500-Mile Races, nine runnings of the Brickyard 400, four editions of Formula One’s United States Grand Prix and several practices and qualifications for the different racing series, has become like a second home to me.That’s why when I was asked to cover this year’s running of the 2009 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard for the IDS, I accepted the offer without hesitation.Little did I know that my first trip to the yard of bricks as a newspaper reporter would include a meeting with former NASCAR veteran Brett Bodine, who put on a wonderful promotion for members of the media by taking them out onto the famed race track in one of the Sprint Cup’s pace cars.Bodine, who drives the official pace car during Sprint Cup races, had an impression on me as a youngster because of his longevity in stock car racing’s top series. Throughout his 18-year career it what was formerly known as the Winston Cup series, Bodine only won one race, but he was in the starting field week-in and week-out along with his older, more heralded brother Geoff and his younger brother Todd. As I rushed down pit lane at about 8:40 a.m. race day morning worried that I had missed the pace laps, a media relations man was nice enough to flag down Bodine before one of his trips onto the track, and he had one seat available. I got in and shook the hand of a driver with and against whom I had played on my old Sierra “NASCAR Racing 2” game. I was too quick to say “thank you very much, Brett, and great to meet you” as I always am when I meet celebrities.Bodine took three other men and me out of pit lane and into turn one, and I immediately felt the impact of G-force routinely mentioned by drivers. Bodine merged completely onto the back stretch and accelerated to upwards of 80 miles per hour. The G-force hit us harder than ever as we turned onto the front stretch and across the bricks at the start/finish line.Going back into turn one on our full-speed lap, now traveling faster than ever, Bodine explained how drivers position themselves to pass in turn one as it is a tough corner to turn.“You never are in an ideal position there,” Bodine explained.At the end of the lap, he provided an example of how drivers decelerate to the pit lane speed limit of 55 miles per hour. We parked at the start/finish line, and I again thanked the former driver and said it was great to meet him.It was a huge thrill for me to be able to ride at high speeds around my favorite race track of all, but it was equally thrilling to ride with a guy who has been one of the mainstays of NASCAR for so long. I’ve met drivers ranging from current NASCAR power Tony Stewart to the legendary Darrell Waltrip – five Cup titles between them – but getting to meet a driver as personable as Bodine left me just as gratified.
(07/27/09 1:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On a day during which it appeared that Juan Pablo Montoya would be making history at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Jimmie Johnson instead made more history of his own Sunday.The three-time defending Sprint Cup champion took advantage of a critical pit mistake by Montoya and held off teammate and polesitter Mark Martin by 0.400 seconds to capture his third career victory in the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and his third win of the 2009 season.“That was unbelievable,” an ecstatic Johnson said in Victory Lane after the race. “It was a great day for us. We had a competitive car throughout the day. I hope all the fans out here really enjoyed that (race).”Martin, who has won four races in 2009, was strong throughout the afternoon and found several opportunities to make a pass on Johnson in the final 10 laps. In the end, the 50-year-old couldn’t have been happier with his second-place finish.“I just asked for a chance to be in the fray,” Martin said immediately after the race. “(Johnson) was better off in (turn) four and I was better off in (turn) 2, and I knew I’d have to get him there. Both of us were driving for all we were worth, and we just didn’t do it.”“I drove my heart out and am grateful to have had a chance to win, but we got beat by Superman.”Points leader Tony Stewart, who won the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard in 2005 and 2007, finished third, followed by Greg Biffle and Brian Vickers to round out the top five. Kevin Harvick, the 2003 winner, finished sixth, and Kasey Kahne, David Reutimann, four-time Brickyard winner Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth scored top-10 finishes. Johnson rallied from a starting position of 16th to lead the final 24 laps of a race that Montoya dominated early.The Colombian, who won the 2000 Indianapolis 500, was seeking to make history as the only driver ever to win both the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s 400-mile crown jewel event at the track. He led the most laps of any driver with 116 and collected 10 bonus points in the standings, but he was caught exceeding the 55-mph speed limit when entering pit lane for his final stop of the day with 35 laps remaining.Montoya was shown the black flag and was required to reenter the pits for a stop-and-go penalty, which ultimately ended his hopes at a second career Sprint Cup victory. He finished 11th."It kind of sucks, but it is what it is,” Montoya, who had only led a total of 57 laps in his NASCAR career before Sunday, said. “We hadn’t had a deal like that before.”Montoya’s run seemed to resemble his victory in the 2000 Indianapolis 500, thanks to both his throwback paint scheme (his no. 42 Chevrolet sported the same Target emblem with a lightning bolt that his Indy-winning machine had) and in his dominance in the front of the pack. He had amassed a lead of more than five seconds before his penalty.“(My performance) reminded me of the last time I won here,” Montoya said. “It was easy.”The race lasted two hours and 44 minutes with only three caution periods, a sharp contrast to the 11 total caution periods in the 2008 running, nine of which were competition cautions enforced by NASCAR due to poor tire performance. The first caution came just after the start of the race when Robby Gordon spun in turn four and lasted two laps. The second did not occur until lap 59 when Kyle Busch crashed in turn four and went to the garage area before returning to the track. The final caution period began on lap 128 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Casey Mears collided just in front of the entrance to pit lane.With his win, Johnson now sits in second in the point standings behind Stewart with six races remaining until the beginning of NASCAR’s postseason, the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Johnson said the biggest goal was to keep driving consistently and building confidence within the team. "It all depends on the opportunity,” Johnson said when asked if race wins were at a premium at this point in the season. “I would love to take a chance (at some more wins before the Chase), but I just need to keep building confidence with (crew chief) Chad (Knaus) and (owner) Rick (Hendrick).”
(06/08/09 12:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A sea of blue and white consisting of excited fans young and old filled the seats Saturday of Franklin College’s Stewart “Red” Faught Stadium, where spectators got an early look at their 2009 Indianapolis Colts on Friday and Saturday.For just the second time in the franchise’s history in Indiana, the Colts took part in a public mini-camp practice outside their Indianapolis headquarters. About 4,500 fans attended the public practice in Franklin, Ind.The gates at Faught Stadium opened at 12:30 p.m., though fans arrived at the gates as early as 7:30 a.m. The Colts arrived on Franklin College’s campus at about 2:15 p.m. and had a half-hour autograph session with the fans before they kicked off a two-hour practice at 2:45 p.m.The event also included official merchandise sales at the Colts Pro Shop truck, the in-depth “Colts in Motion” trailer that showed fans everyday happenings within the organization, meet-and-greet with Colts cheerleaders, a viewing session of the Lombardi trophy from the team’s victory in Super Bowl XLI in 2007 and prize giveaways such as hats and jerseys autographed by players.Several personalities closely associated with the Colts were also on hand Saturday, including “Voice of the Colts” Bob Lamey, who served as public address announcer for the event and read the prize giveaways.“(The fans) are such a big part of this franchise,” Lamey said after the Colts finished practice. The Colts are entering 2009 with many major changes. They have a new coach for the first time since 2002 in Jim Caldwell, who took the job in January when Tony Dungy retired from coaching after seven seasons in Indianapolis. Caldwell hired Larry Coyer and Ray Rychleski to fill the defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator positions, respectively.Caldwell said the camp was an opportunity to see how rookies would perform in front of fans and adapt to a different schedule.“It kind of gives us a chance to see how they’ll react to a road trip,” Caldwell said.Wide receiver Marvin Harrison, who had spent his entire 13-year career in Indianapolis and had formed one of the greatest passing duos in history with quarterback Peyton Manning, was released in February for salary cap relief.And just last month, two long-time Colts offensive assistants, offensive coordinator Tom Moore and offensive line coach Howard Mudd decided to retire as a result of the NFL’s altered pension plan. Two in-house coaches, Clyde Christensen and Pete Metzelaars, were promoted to coordinator and line coach, respectively.For the Colts, the camp was good enough to get exactly what they wanted out of it.“We’ve not really adjusted anything except for the stretching,” Caldwell said. “But it’s a great opportunity for community relations, for people to see us perform up close that may not get to see us during the course of the season, particularly with the way things are going (economically).”– The Associated Press contributed to this story
(05/18/09 12:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU wanted to maximize its conference standing and provide key players with rest heading into this week’s Big Ten Tournament, and it accomplished both goals by winning two of three games against Michigan State to end the regular season Saturday.The Hoosiers (28-25, 16-7) secured the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament by winning the first two games Thursday and Friday. The Spartans (23-29, 13-11) won the third game on a rainy Saturday and locked themselves into the No. 5 seed. Game 1Sophomore pitcher Joey O’Gara made his fifth start for the Hoosiers on Thursday, allowing junior ace Eric Arnett to rest for the postseason. The game went scoreless through the first two innings, and then Michigan State’s lineup went off in the top of the third with third baseman A.J. Shindler hitting a two-run home run and designated hitter Johnny Lee and shortstop Jonathan Roof each batting in a run, putting Michigan State up 4-0. IU responded in the latter half of the inning with freshman third baseman Vince Gonzalez hitting a solo home run. It was the first home run of his college career. Sophomore pitcher Matt Carr entered the game in relief of O’Gara and held Michigan State scoreless through the next four innings. In the bottom of the seventh, junior shortstop Jake Dunning got on base with a single, and senior right fielder Chris Hervey hit a double to put two IU base runners in scoring position. Dunning scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore first baseman Jerrud Sabourin and Hervey took third base. Michigan State then brought in relief pitcher A.J. Dunn, and the first IU batter he faced, junior catcher Josh Phegley, hit his 17th home run of the year to tie the score at four. Junior pitcher Chris Squires came out of the IU bullpen in the top of the eighth and pitched two shutout innings, giving the Hoosiers’ hitters one more chance to win the game in regulation. After two straight outs to start the bottom of the ninth, Hervey got on base with a walk, and Sabourin, who had not gotten a hit in four at-bats in the game, came through in the clutch and hit a walk off two-run home run to give IU the 6-4 win. “It feels great,” Sabourin said after the game. “I had been struggling all day and their starting pitcher threw a great game, but I thought that I could get a good feel for this guy (A.J. Dunn) and I did. It feels great to get (a win) from Michigan State.” Game 2The first two innings of game two went into the books without a score, and the Hoosiers got rolling in the bottom of the third with Dunning and Phegley both getting on base with walks. Freshman designated hitter Alex Dickerson batted in Dunning for the first run of the day, and sophomore left fielder Kipp Schutz followed suit by batting in Phegley to give IU a 2-0 lead after three.Junior pitcher Matt Bashore displayed his brilliance in the game, matching his season-high with 10 strikeouts. In the bottom of the sixth, junior center fielder Evan Crawford rewrote the IU record books by stealing second, third and home to move into 10th place for career stolen bases and give the Hoosiers a 3-0 lead.The Hoosiers scored three more runs in the eighth, with junior second baseman Tyler Rogers and Gonzalez hitting singles and Dunning hitting a double to bring in both runners. Sabourin hit a single to bring in Dunning, putting the Hoosiers up 6-0.Freshmen relievers Matt Igel and Wyatt Hoff threw for IU in the ninth, allowing the Spartans to score one run but closing out the game, giving the Hoosiers a 6-1 victory and the series. Game 3IU freshman pitcher Blake Monar had trouble in the rainy conditions Saturday, walking Michigan State outfielder Eli Boike and hitting designated hitter Eric Roof with a pitch to load the bases. Boike stole home to put the Spartans up 1-0 and Monar walked another batter before the Hoosiers ended the top of the first with a double play. IU didn’t respond offensively until the third, with Gonzalez hitting a double and Dunning hitting his fifth home run of the season to give the Hoosiers a 2-1 lead. The first of a series of showers came in the top of the fourth, causing a few delays in game play. Monar struggled on the wet mound, allowing the bases to load and walking in a run. Igel entered the game in relief of Monar, and the Spartans scored another run in the inning on a sacrifice, regaining the lead 3-2.Dickerson hit a solo home run in the latter half of the fourth to tie the game at three, but that would be the last score for the Hoosiers as the Spartans would score another run in the sixth and two in the seventh on a Roof home run, putting them up 6-3. Michigan State scored one more run in the ninth and IU couldn’t respond, giving the Spartans the win 7-3.“It was just one of those games where we didn’t play well,” IU coach Tracy Smith said. Hoosiers have momentum heading into Big Ten Tournament.IU now enters the postseason with rested arms in pitchers Arnett and Bashore. Arnett did not see any action during the weekend, but Bashore pitched eight shutout innings Friday while keeping his pitch count to 100.Coach Smith said he likes where his team is as it attempts to win the Big Ten Tournament title and advance to the NCAA phases of the postseason.“We’ve been pretty even-keel,” Smith said. “But if we want to achieve our dream of going to Omaha (for the College World Series), we’ve got to win the Big Ten Tournament.” The Hoosiers will face in-state rival Purdue (24-24, 11-12), the only conference foe to whom IU lost a series, in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament at 3:35 p.m. Wednesday in Columbus, Ohio. Smith said he hopes to avenge the series loss to the Boilermakers, played in West Lafayette. “I think the fans will really appreciate an IU-Purdue matchup,” he said. “But for us, it’s a chance to avenge ourselves because we just did not play well up there.”
(05/13/09 11:59pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The sounds of music and conversation created a “buzz in the air” Tuesday.At least that’s how Scott Dolson, IU Varsity Club senior associate athletic director for external operations, described the Varsity Club’s 2009 tailgate.The two-hour event, which took place behind the DeVault Alumni Center, was the first in a series of seven such events throughout Indiana. The evening included a barbecue buffet, musical entertainment from IU alum Clayton Anderson, speeches from IU Director of Athletics Fred Glass and several marquee coaches and a raffle for prizes.“We’re really excited,” Dolson said. “It was really exciting to see so many people here (within 10 minutes of starting). We feel a need to reach out to our fans, and we’re going to cover all of Indiana by region to see as many people as we can.”Glass was the first to address everyone in attendance. Glass said that he wants to maintain IU’s reputation for compliance with NCAA regulations, academic achievements and athletic success and championships.The IU coaches in attendance included men’s basketball coach Tom Crean, volleyball coach Sherry Dunbar, women’s basketball coach Felisha Legette-Jack and football coach Bill Lynch. Each took time to thank Hoosier fans for their support and to provide updates on their respective teams and schedule information for next season.Crean spoke volumes of the support his team received during the 2008-09 season.“We tell recruits that we only won one Big Ten game, but we had four sell-outs,” Crean said. “That just doesn’t happen (anywhere). We look forward to being with you for a very long time.”Crean also bulletined what the men’s basketball team has been doing as well as his hopes for next season.“The biggest thing we are trying to gain is visibility,” he said. “It’s going to take many more offseasons and preseasons to get to where we eventually want to be, but when you’re around these people who love Indiana, it makes things so much easier.”Dunbar also expressed appreciation for the support of Hoosier fans and cited the North Endzone Project at Memorial Stadium as a monumental step for IU’s athletic program.“I look across the street and I see our North Endzone, and that is the ‘wow’ factor for recruits,” she said. “You help us recruit.”Dunbar also said the growth of the volleyball team has been terrific and she looks to take a major step forward.“We can develop into a national contender (next year),” she said.Legette-Jack also praised her players and acknowledged how they kept her up to date as far as organization and the schedule.“All I knew is that if someone wasn’t wearing an IU uniform, it’s a problem with us,” Legette-Jack added with a laugh.Lynch, the final speaker of the evening, also expressed his excitement about the North Endzone Project and the new weight facility that will be available to IU student-athletes. Lynch said he sees the completion of the project as a new chapter in the 125-year-old history of IU football.“We’re celebrating 125 years of Indiana football,” he said. “It’s a new building and a new beginning.”Lynch said he likes what he sees from the team, citing strong leadership returning to the squad for the 2009 season.“I think you’re going to like this football team,” Lynch said. “It’s completely different than last year. There’s a lot more experience, and when you talk about intangibles, we’ve got some real leaders. Jammie Kirlew is a real leader. Ben Chappell is homegrown and has really seized this football team.”Lynch also announced the home schedule for 2009, encouraging Hoosier fans to “keep the Buckeyes out of our stadium” when Ohio State comes to Bloomington on Oct. 3.The IU Varsity Club will continue its statewide tour with Glass and the coaches May 21 in Evansville and will visit Jeffersonville, Merrillville, Ft. Wayne, Jasper and Indianapolis during the summer.
(05/10/09 11:33pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU would not succumb on its senior day without giving rival Purdue a hard fight, and it did so twice in a season-ending doubleheader Saturday.The Boilermakers (29-18, 12-8) won the first contest 2-1 in eight innings and claimed the second game 8-7 in another eight-inning battle. Purdue now awaits its NCAA tournament fate as the Hoosiers (10-39, 4-16) bid farewell to six seniors and remain encouraged about their performance.“We played hard,” IU coach Michelle Gardner said. “We’ve played hard all season long. We just couldn’t get the big thing to happen for us when we needed it to and they did. That’s been our story all season.”The first game was largely a defensive struggle, with five straight scoreless innings for both teams. Purdue was the first on the scoreboard as third baseman Candace Curtis’ double into center field brought in baserunner Molly Garst in the top of the sixth.IU avoided the loss in regulation in the bottom of the seventh when catcher Brittany Stein led off with a solo home run, her fifth of the season and first since a March 1 contest against Cal Poly, to tie the game at one run apiece and force extra frames.The Boilermakers responded in the top of the eighth with Curtis’ second RBI of the game.Curtis hit a single to bring in shortstop Liane Horiuchi, who got on base with a walk in what many fans considered a questionable call by the umpire. The Hoosiers could not respond in the latter half of the inning, giving the first game to Purdue and handing IU pitcher Sara Olson her 14th loss of the season.Senior members of both teams were recognized on the field in between the games, with Emily Bergeson, Monica Wright, Ashley Hobbs, Sarah Padove, Julie DiNallo and Stephanie Pellerito all making their final appearances for the Hoosiers.The second contest got off to a much quicker start than the first, with Curtis batting in two runs in the top of the first and scoring on an IU error to put Purdue up 3-0 early. IU was able to load the bases in the bottom of the inning with one out, but two straight pop fly catches in the infield left the runners stranded.Curtis batted in two more Purdue runs in the top of the second to put the lead at 5-0. IU was able to score two runs in the bottom of the inning as center fielder Kelsey Stander hit a double to cut Purdue’s lead to three runs.Purdue took control in the fourth and fifth innings, posting two one-run innings to move up 7-2. IU cut the lead to 7-4 in the bottom of the fifth as Olson hit a two-run home run.The Hoosiers were able to hold the Boilermakers in the sixth and then tied the game at seven with a two-run homer by senior shortstop Emily Bergeson, her seventh of the season and the 16th of her career, and an RBI single by designated hitter Jennifer Glueckert.Neither team was able to score in the seventh, and the game went to an eighth inning just as the previous contest had done. Curtis scored the game-winning run in the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly, and IU could not retaliate in the bottom of the inning, giving Purdue its second straight victory, 8-7.Gardner attributed IU’s three errors to the outcome of the second game.“We had enough hits,” she said. “We should win with (14) hits. You just can’t win with that many errors.”Still, Gardner is optimistic about the future of the program.“We played a tough schedule,” she said. “We’re going to get some athletes in here. I’m ready (for next season).”Bergeson shared Gardner’s enthusiasm.“I wish I would have had (Gardner) as my coach for all three years I was here,” Bergeson said. “She’ll get us to where other teams say, ‘It’s IU,’ instead of, ‘It’s just IU.’”