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(10/31/05 5:21am)
After 64 minutes of play, the No. 9 IU field hockey team held a 3-2 advantage over No. 6 Penn State and appeared poised for the Big Ten title-clinching upset Friday. \nThat was until the Nittany Lions' Annelise Legel broke free and tied the score at 3-3. Legel's goal sent the match into overtime, when in the 74th minute, Penn State's Kiersten Wood netted the game-winning goal. \n"We played a great game, but you can never guarantee a victory in this sport," coach Amy Robertson said. "This was one of the most amazing games I have ever seen out of any IU field hockey team. We came so close, and the trophy was sitting on our scorer's table. It's heartbreaking, but I saw some incredible stuff out of some of our players." \nThe game, which was scheduled for a 3 p.m. start, was delayed 45 minutes because of a referee's late arrival. Despite the late start, the Hoosiers came out firing, as junior Morgan Miller netted the first goal of the game in the 18th minute off a penalty corner.\n"The delay had no effect on us," Robertson said. "We were able to stay loose and focused, and we showed that by taking it to them right away."\nThe Hoosier lead was short-lived, as Penn State's Sara Cahill tied the game at 1-1 two minutes after Miller's goal. However, the Hoosiers regained the lead in the 26th minute when sophomore Frederique Meeuwsen scored her third goal of the season on a pass from senior Lesley Wiler. The Hoosiers took the 2-1 lead into halftime. \nIn the second half, the Nittany Lions struck first when Shaun Banta tied the game at 2-2 in the 39th minute after she converted the rebound from her first shot into a goal. \nThe back-and-forth scoring continued, as four minutes later, senior Kayla Bashore found junior Lydia Schrott for her 11th goal of the season.\nThe Hoosier defense maintained the 3-2 advantage for the next 20 minutes, until Legel tied the score at 3-3. In overtime, the fourth of the season for the Hoosiers, Wiler nearly sealed a Hoosier title with a shot that Penn State goalkeeper Megan Akstin barely saved. \nThe Hoosier loss in the final Big Ten game of the season dropped them to 13-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten, while Penn State completed an undefeated conference season and won the Big Ten regular season title outright. \n"It was such a tough loss, but we feel like there was nothing else we could have done," said senior Nikki Orciuch. "We played one of our best games, but because we weren't able to put one more goal in the back of the net, we don't have that championship. It doesn't represent how well we played."\nSunday, the Hoosiers wrapped up the regular season schedule with a 4-0 victory against Miami University (Ohio). In addition to being the last game of the season, it was also Senior Day, as Bashore, Orciuch, Wiler, Morgan Albini, Mallory Reabold and Ryan Woolsey were honored before the start of their last home game. "We didn't want Friday's game to bring us down, and we wanted to end our first losing streak and end the season with a win, and we were able to go out there and do that," Reabold said. \nFor co-captain Bashore, Sunday's victory was a little bittersweet.\n"It's a little sad to play your last home game, but we knew our season would continue, and that this weekend wouldn't be our last," Bashore said. \nMeeuwsen led the Hoosiers Sunday with two goals, while Schrott and Orciuch each added one. IU finished the regular season with an 8-1 record at home. \n"With the six seniors being honored, we had to make sure their last game was a good one," Robertson said. "They have been at the core of building this program, and they're the only reason we're where we are. We can take this win and use it as momentum when we get ready for the Big Ten tournament"
(10/28/05 5:05am)
As coach Amy Robertson and the No. 9 IU field hockey team prepare for the final two home games of the season, they find themselves in a position they have never been in before -- entering the final weekend of the season with a chance to win a Big Ten title. \nThe 13-2 Hoosiers welcome No. 6 Penn State at 3 p.m. today. The Nittany Lions are unbeaten in conference play, while the Hoosiers are 4-1 in the Big Ten. An IU victory would clinch a share of the Big Ten regular season title with Penn State and guarantee the Hoosiers the top seed in the season-ending conference tournament. Both would be firsts for the Hoosier field hockey program. \n"This is obviously a huge game," Robertson said. "We're playing for a championship, but we feel like we have nothing to lose considering where we've come from. It doesn't get any better than this."\nTo clinch the championship, the Hoosiers will have to defeat the 16-1 Nittany Lions for the first time in their history and snap Penn State's 16-game winning streak in the process. The Nittany Lions' potent offense, led by sophomore Shaun Banta, has outscored opponents 63-12 during the winning streak. In addition, goalkeeper Megan Akstin has a goals against average of 0.72 on the season. Despite the impressive numbers, Robertson said she believes the Hoosiers match up well with the Lions. \n"Penn State is a lot like us really," Robertson said. "They're a very opportunistic and talented team, which is true of us as well. We have a lot of players from Pennsylvania on our team too, and that might provide a little extra incentive out there."\nWhile the Hoosiers have never been in the position to be playing for a championship, senior Kayla Bashore said the Hoosiers aren't feeling the effects of any extra pressure. \n"We know what we want, so we're not going to put ourselves in a mentality that we can't do it," Bashore said. "This is the biggest game of the year, and we're going to be ready."\nFollowing Friday's final Big Ten game of the season, the Hoosiers welcome the 8-9 Miami University (Ohio) to Mellencamp Pavilion, where the Hoosiers are 7-0 this season, for the final home game. The game is scheduled for 12 p.m. Sunday, and Senior Day festivities will also be conducted. \nFor Bashore, Morgan Albini, Nikki Orciuch, Mallory Reabold, Lesley Wiler and Ryan Woolsey, it will be their final home game as Hoosiers. \n"As the season winds down, it's becoming more of a reality that my field hockey career is almost over, but I think that energy will drive all of our seniors this weekend," said Wiler, who along with Albini and Orciuch, holds the IU record for most games played with 72. "We have invested a lot of time in the program, and we really believe in it."\nRobertson said she believes it will be difficult to see a group of seniors she recruited play their final home game. \n"Sunday's game will be emotionally difficult for me," Robertson said. "But I'm so happy to see what this group has accomplished together, and it's about more than what they've done as field hockey players. They have great character, and they're great people. It's been so easy to coach them"
(10/25/05 5:07am)
IU field hockey goalkeeper Haley Exner's numbers speak for themselves. \nShe's recorded 88 saves this season, leads Big Ten goalies with a 1.60 goals against average, boasts a .823 save percentage and has won a handful of awards, including three Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week awards -- a Hoosier record. But the most important record the San Diego native has set this season is the 13 wins she's notched in her first year as a starter for the No. 8 Hoosiers. \nThe Hoosiers are enjoying their most successful season in the program's six-year history. They currently own a 13-2 record, have been ranked as high as No. 7 in the national rankings and have a chance at winning their first Big Ten regular season title. Coach Amy Robertson attributes much of the success to Exner. \n"Haley is having a dream season," Roberston said. "In addition to being a great athlete, she has a great attitude. I couldn't ask for anything more from Haley."\nExner, in just her second season as a Hoosier and first as a starter, replaced fifth-year senior Katie Kanara in goal, a loss of experience that troubled Robertson as the 2005 season approached. \n"We knew we had a good team, but we lost such an experienced goalie in Katie," Robertson said. "That position had really become sort of a question mark. We weren't sure how Haley was going to respond to the pressure."\nTo say Exner responded well to the pressure would be an understatement. Of the Hoosiers' 14 games, Exner has posted a shutout four times and has allowed only one goal five times. In addition to the three Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week awards, she was also named www.womensfieldhockey.com's player of the week when she recorded a career-high 16 saves in a 2-1 double overtime win at No. 9 Ohio State. \nWith each successive win and every award earned, Exner said she only gains more confidence in her goalkeeping abilities. \n"The first time I won an award, I was floored," Exner said. "I called my mom right away and told her to check it out online. But now the awards just give me more confidence in what I'm doing out there."\nIU goalkeepers coach Jen Myers said Exner's success this season is a direct result of her positive attitude.\n"She is without a doubt the most coachable player I've ever worked with," Myers said. "She takes feedback so well, and that's helped me improve her footwork and quickness to the ball -- not to mention she's a great athlete as well. She has by far exceeded everyone's expectations of her for this season."\nRobertson said she believes Exner's attitude is not only a key to her success, but it allows her teammates, particularly the defensive backs, to have confidence and trust in her.\n"Just her presence on the field is important," Robertson said. "The team really trusts her, and she in turn trusts them. The team really feels connected to her because she's the ultimate team player." \nExner agreed with her coach's sentiments.\n"My teammates are so important to any success I have," Exner said. "Without their strong play and ability to clear the ball so quickly after a save, we wouldn't be playing nearly as well as we have been this season."\nExner and the Hoosiers are currently 4-1 in the Big Ten conference, good enough for second place behind undefeated Penn State. With Exner just one win shy of becoming IU's all-time leader in victories, she said she knows their would be no better time to earn that win than Friday, when the Hoosiers welcome the Nittany Lions in a matchup that will determine the Big Ten's regular season champion.\n"I'm not too concerned about records," Exner said. "We just go out there and try to win every single game and fulfill our goals of winning the Big Ten and going to the NCAA tournament -- the awards and honors are just icing on the cake"
(10/24/05 4:46am)
The No. 8 IU field hockey team's winning streak is over. \nAfter 10 consecutive wins, the Hoosiers were defeated by No. 11 Iowa 2-1 in overtime. The loss is only the Hoosiers' second of the season, and their first since a Sept. 4 loss at No. 1 Wake Forest. IU's record now stands at 13-2 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten. \n"Iowa played a great game," coach Amy Robertson said. "They contained us defensively and negated our speed."\nIU's first and only score of the game came in the fifth minute of the first half when senior midfielder Kayla Bashore scored her team-leading 11th goal of the season. The Hoosiers took the 1-0 advantage into halftime. \nIowa quickly tied the score at 1-1 in the second half, when Kara Zappone netted a goal for the Hawkeyes five minutes into the period. After 30 minutes of scoreless play, the score remained tied at 1-1, and IU entered its third overtime game of the year. \nAfter eight minutes of overtime play, Iowa's Caitlin McCurdy scored her third game-winning goal of the season, as the Hawkeyes upset the Hoosiers 2-1.\n"I think they just wanted it a little more than we did in the end," senior Morgan Albini said. "It was their Senior Day, and they fought hard to win that game."\nThe Hoosiers were led by another strong defensive effort from sophomore goalkeeper Haley Exner, who recorded nine saves and helped stifle seven Iowa penalty corners.\n"Both teams played a great game; we just fell a little short," Exner said. "I know we're going to use this loss to fire us up. It can only make us stronger." \nDespite the team losing its first Big Ten game of the season and snapping its record-long 10 game winning streak, Robertson said she believes there is a silver lining to be found in the defeat.\n"We can use this loss to our advantage," Roberston said. "It's a lot of pressure to maintain a long winning streak and go undefeated in such a tough conference. We can get back to our core and focus on what we need to do."\nWith the loss, the Hoosiers drop to second place in the Big Ten. However, the Hoosiers welcome first place and undefeated Penn State to close out the conference season Friday. A victory would ensure the Hoosiers first place in the conference. \n"We're back to being the underdogs, and I think that's a great position for us to be in," Robertson said. "We can still control our destiny"
(10/21/05 5:26am)
The No. 8 IU field hockey team continues its march toward a Big Ten title at 1 p.m. Saturday when it travels to Iowa City, Iowa, to take on the No. 11 Hawkeyes. The Hoosiers are 4-0 in the Big Ten, 13-1 overall and winners of 10 games in a row -- all team records. \nIowa is currently 9-5 and holds a 2-2 record in the Big Ten. All five Iowa losses have come at the expense of nationally ranked teams, a reason IU coach Amy Robertson said she believes Iowa is one of the toughest teams in the conference. \n"Iowa is always a successful team," Robertson said. "We have to put it all out there. We can't go out there trying to preserve our record. We have to go on the attack."\nThe Hoosiers are coming off a 2-1 double overtime victory at Ohio State last weekend. The victory extended the team's record-long winning streak to 10 games and kept the Hoosiers undefeated in the Big Ten. Sophomore goalkeeper Haley Exner said leading the conference is in the back of all the Hoosiers' minds, but not something they focus on. \n"Every Big Ten game is a huge game because it's such a tough conference," Exner said. "Staying undefeated is something that we have in the back of our minds, but we really just try to play one game at a time and try not to get ahead of ourselves. We use it as fuel to play as hard as we can."\nExcluding the season-ending Big Ten tournament in November, Saturday's matchup with Iowa will be the Hoosiers' last road game of the season. IU's last two regular season games will be played at home. \n"We're excited to play the last road game," said senior defensive back Morgan Albini. "It's always great to end the season at home." \nWith the Big Ten tournament being held at Iowa this year, Robertson said she believes her team caught a bit of a scheduling break to have a trip to Iowa scheduled this close to the end of the season.\n"It's nice to have a game on the same surface as the Big Ten tournament, especially since it's a newer facility," Robertson said. "But we are not really trying to look that far ahead. We have to remain focused on playing one game at a time"
(10/17/05 5:03am)
The No. 7 IU women's field hockey team's win streak reached double digits Friday, as the Hoosiers defeated No. 9 Ohio State 2-1 during a double overtime thriller.\nThe victory extended the team's record-breaking win streak to 10 games and improved the Hoosiers' record to 13-1 overall, with the 13 wins marking an all-time high for the program and all but ensuring 2005 as the most successful season in coach Amy Robertson's tenure. \n"This team has more heart than any team I've ever coached," Robertson said. "They believe they deserve the success they're having, and there is an 'it's our turn now' feeling throughout the whole team." \nAfter a scoreless first half, the Buckeyes were able to get on the board first when Lauren Kruse netted a goal five minutes into the second half. IU knotted the score at 1-1 when sophomore forward Frederique Meeuwsen scored her second goal of the season in the 51st minute. \nAt the end of regulation, the scored remained 1-1. \nAfter the first sudden-death overtime period of 15 minutes expired without a goal, the Hoosiers and Buckeyes entered into a second overtime period. In the 97th minute, the Hoosiers caught the break they needed, as they were awarded a penalty corner that resulted in the game-winning goal from junior back Morgan Miller. Sophomore Meredith Brown and junior Lydia Schrott assisted with the deciding goal.\nSophomore goalkeeper Haley Exner led the IU defense, recording a career-best 16 saves and stifling five OSU penalty corners during overtime.\n"We organized and communicated well out there," Exner said. "I'd make a save and one of our backs would be right there to clear it out. As a unit, we just shut them down." \nThe Hoosier victory snapped OSU's 11-game winning streak and dropped the Buckeyes from the ranks of unbeaten Big Ten teams. IU improved its record in Big Ten play to 4-0, marking the first time the Hoosiers have ever been perfect at this point in the conference season. Penn State remains the only other unbeaten Big Ten team. \nFriday's victory was the second time the Hoosiers have played a double overtime game this season. The first was Sept. 24, when the Hoosiers upset then-No. 6 Michigan State 3-2. \nSenior midfielder Lesley Wiler said she believes her team has something extra that allows it to pull out the narrow victories.\n"Sometimes it just comes down to who can find it within themselves and push themselves farther than they think they can go," Wiler said. "We've just found a way to push through the fatigue and pain and pull it out."\nRobertson said her team was already a little fatigued from an emotional victory over Louisville on Tuesday, which made the travel and strain of a double overtime game on the road all the more difficult.\n"We were a little tired physically to start the game, so we started out a little defensive," Robertson said. "We just kept putting all our effort into it, and ultimately, the bottom line was that we refused to lose"
(10/14/05 5:22am)
There's a lot on the line today when the No. 7 IU field hockey team travels to Columbus, Ohio, to take on the No. 9 Ohio State Buckeyes.\nAt stake in this showdown of top 10 Big Ten rivals is both teams' unbeaten conference records, an IU win streak of nine games, a Buckeye win streak of 11 games and seeding implications for next month's Big Ten tournament.\n"This is definitely a showdown of two of the Big Ten's best," IU coach Amy Robertson said. "These are two teams having two great seasons -- this is a very important game."\nThe 12-1 Hoosiers are coming off a hard-fought contest against Louisville Tuesday night in which the Hoosiers won on a last-minute goal. Robertson said she believes the emotions and adrenaline that fueled Tuesday's victory will travel with them on the road, where they have a 5-1 record on the season.\n"That win really showed us what we're made of," Robertson said. "We gave up a lead but we didn't let their momentum defeat us. It proved that we're strong and we're never going to give up."\nAfter starting the season 1-2,\nthe surging Buckeyes have reeled off 11 straight wins. The Ohio State offense is led by senior Lucy Clayton, who has recorded 12 goals on the year. IU sophomore goalkeeper Haley Exner said she believes clamping down on Clayton and the Buckeye offense will be key to a Hoosier victory. \n"If we play like we have been playing, and keep putting pressure on OSU's defense and putting the ball in the net, we will be fine. We need to stay tight on defense and shut them down offensively," Exner said. \nWith only four games remaining in the regular season for the Hoosiers, both Robertson and senior co-captain Lesley Wiler said they believe physical preparation takes a backseat to mental preparation, particularly with a Big Ten rival like Ohio State.\n"At this stage, our preparation is based more on the mental aspects of the game rather than the physical," Robertson said. "We have to be aware of the areas where we can improve."\nWiler agreed with her coach that the team is going to have the right mindset heading into Columbus.\n"We have been preparing mentally for this game and I think we are all very excited to see what the outcome will be," Wiler said. "I have so much confidence in our team and I know we should be able to come through with a win"
(10/13/05 5:10am)
IU coach Amy Robertson has found field hockey gold in California.\nWith five players hailing from San Diego and nearby Escondido, Calif., Robertson has successfully tapped into a fertile hotbed of budding field hockey talent. In the process, she has transformed an upstart IU field hockey program into not only Big Ten title contenders, but a team to be reckoned with on a national scale. \n"In 2000, the first year of the IU program, we were competing in the Big Ten championship, and I looked at Michigan's roster, the champions that year, and realized almost all of their key players were from California," Robertson said. "I thought what works for them can surely work for us." \nRobertson's recruiting efforts have helped IU rise to No. 7 in the national rankings and build a 12-1 record in only its sixth year of existence. \nRobertson attributes some of this success to the hard work and dedication of her five California natives, including seniors Morgan Albini and Lesley Wiler, junior April Levins, sophomore Haley Exner and freshman Danitra Castro. All five are graduates from two high schools, Scripps Ranch High in San Diego and San Pasqual High in Escondido. \n"These girls have played a huge role in our success," Robertson said. "They're very talented, they've worked very hard and they have a good balance in their lives. They have been pivotal in our achievements as a team."\nRobertson's first score from California was Albini, who Robertson said possessed the combination of athleticism and aggressiveness that she sought for her program. After Albini, a graduate of San Pasqual High in Escondido, signed to play for Robertson at IU, she instructed her good friend and rival Wiler at Scripps Ranch in San Diego to send in a videotape of some of her games to Robertson. Wiler did and Robertson liked what she saw. \n"It was evident that Lesley had a natural field hockey ability, and I knew after talking to her that I wanted her to be a part of our team," Robertson said.\nThe feeling was mutual and Wiler was more than happy to come to IU. \n"I thought the campus was absolutely gorgeous, and I wanted to see the seasons change for at least four years of my life," Wiler said. "I knew Amy cared about my well-being and personal life, not just my field hockey life, and I know a lot of college coaches aren't like that, so I decided I would be happy at IU." \nSpringing from Robertson's success with Albini and Wiler was a veritable pipeline of talent from the San Diego area, as Levins, Exner and Castro all followed their high school teammates to Bloomington. \n"I had never really even thought about IU until Morgan started telling me about it," said San Pasqual grad Levins. "I wasn't even sure where IU was." \nIU sophomore goalkeeper Haley Exner said she couldn't imagine a better situation than playing for the Hoosiers.\n"I think it's incredible that here I am 3,000 miles away from home, and I'm still playing with some of my best friends and teammates from high school, and we're all part of such a great team," Exner said. "I just think that it's amazing"
(10/12/05 4:49am)
It took a last-minute goal by junior forward Lydia Schrott, but the No. 7 IU women's field hockey team was able to pull out a 3-2 win against No. 13 Louisville Tuesday afternoon. The victory extended the Hoosiers' record-high winning streak to nine games and improved IU's home record to a perfect 7-0. \nWith the score tied at 2-2 and just more than a minute left in regulation, Schrott connected on a goal that sealed the Hoosier victory and propelled the team to an important non-conference victory. \n"Louisville is always a tough team, and we knew it was going to be a battle going into the game," senior forward Nikki Orciuch said. "It went down to the wire, but we were able to hold our own and get an important win in the final seconds."\nThe Hoosiers took a 1-0 lead into halftime on the strength of a breakaway goal in the 15th minute by senior forward Mallory Reabold, set up by Schrott and Orciuch. \n"I have to give credit to Nikki and Lydia on that goal," Reabold said. "Everyone was just in the right position, and Nikki one-timed it perfectly to me, and I just had to make sure I was ready."\nOrciuch extended the Hoosier lead to 2-0 midway through the second half, but the Cardinals fought back and eventually tied the game at 2-2 with 10 minutes to play. \n"We didn't want to go to overtime in this game because we have a tough match Friday against Ohio State, so we knew we had to finish," Orciuch said. \nAfter successfully defending against a series of potential game-winning penalty corners by the Cardinal offense, the Hoosiers were awarded a penalty corner of their own with just more than a minute left to play. Following several deflections off Louisville goalie Marie-Claire Heller, Schrott eventually snuck the ball into the back of the net with just under a minute remaining, sealing the victory for the Hoosiers. \nDue to the rare Tuesday night game, some of the Hoosiers, including Schrott, were forced to shorten their celebrations in favor of attending class. \nTuesday night's victory improved the Hoosiers' record to 12-1, and provided important momentum for a Hoosier team wrapping up Big Ten play this month. \n"We're not always going to win pretty, so it's important to get wins like this," assistant coach Gina Lucido said. "We always play with pride and heart at home, and that's become a trademark of this team. The entire team has always been about playing for the bigger picture, and believing in the vision that we had for this season, and this win tonight proved that"
(10/11/05 4:21am)
The No. 7 IU field hockey team welcomes No. 13 University of Louisville in a rare weekday afternoon battle between two of the nation's top field hockey programs today. The 11-1 Hoosiers have won eight games in a row, most recently defeating Northwestern Saturday. The 10-4 Cardinals are recovering from a tough loss to No. 1 Wake Forest.\nDespite the quick turnaround following Saturday's contest, IU coach Amy Robertson said she believes her team is prepared for a solid Louisville team. \n"Usually, we have a Sunday game after our Saturday game, so this actually gives us a couple days of recovery that we don't usually have," Robertson said. "It's a home game, so we'll be ready to play a Louisville team that has played a tough schedule. It should be high quality hockey."\nAlthough today's match up is the only game all season scheduled for a weekday afternoon, junior forward Lydia Schrott said she doesn't believe it will throw the Hoosiers off their rhythm, but it could cause some adjustments in the academic realm.\n"This is our first weekday game this season, but in the past we haven't prepared any differently. We work on drills and plays that we need to improve on to be better for the upcoming game," Schrott said. "The only problem is that you have to make sure you are prepared for your classes the next day, and not think of it as a Friday game where you can kind of relax because the weekend is coming up."\nThe Hoosiers look to remain undefeated at home, where they have won a record six games in a row, out-scoring their opponents 30-6 in the process. Senior defensive back Morgan Albini said she believes the Hoosiers' play at home this season will provide a distinct advantage over a Cardinal team recovering from its tough game against the Demon Deacons.\n"Although the Tuesday afternoon game poses a challenge for practices, it's a bigger disadvantage for Louisville because they have to travel here, and we can take advantage of an opportunity to play on our home turf," Albini said. \nThe Hoosiers and Cardinals will face off at 4 p.m. at Mellencamp Pavilion.
(10/10/05 5:21am)
Each time the IU field hockey team wins, a record seems to be broken. Saturday proved to be no exception when the Hoosiers defeated Northwestern 3-1.\nThe victory extended the Hoosiers' record-winning streak to eight games and marked the first time IU has won three consecutive Big Ten games. Saturday's defeat of Northwestern was the first time a Hoosier team defeated the Wildcats and also improved IU's home record to 6-0 this season.\nThe Hoosiers struck first when senior midfielder Kayla Bashore was able to convert a blocked shot from senior Mallory Reabold into the first IU goal in the 16th minute. Sophomore forward Kate O'Connell added the second Hoosier goal in the 24th minute. The Wildcats responded with their only goal of the afternoon just before halftime. \nIn the second half, the Hoosiers stepped up the defensive intensity, and Bashore added her second goal of the game in the 47th minute. The Hoosiers blanked the Wildcats in the second half, and the 3-1 score proved to be the winning margin. \nIU head coach Amy Robertson said the key to the victory was the team's increase in energy and intensity in the second half.\n"I think we made a really good adjustment in the second half," Robertson said. "They were all over us in the first half, and we really didn't have our rhythm yet. It was a completely different game the second half, and even though we only scored one goal, we played a much better game."\nBashore, who netted her ninth and 10th goals of the season, agreed with Robertson's assessment of the match.\n"I think we were taken aback by Northwestern's aggressiveness at first -- they've been the most aggressive team we have faced this season," Bashore said. \nThe Hoosier defense was able to limit Northwestern to one goal on the strength of sophomore goalkeeper Haley Exner's eight saves.\n"I feel confident in my defense and the whole team, and I think that confidence in our abilities allows me to play better," Exner said. \nThe Hoosier defensive backs, led by junior Morgan Miller, sophomore Erin Isler and junior April Levins, who subbed in for injured senior Morgan Albini, were integral in maintaining defensive pressure on the Wildcats.\nThe Hoosiers improved their record to 11-1 overall, 3-0 in the Big Ten, and will look to extend their win streak Tuesday when they welcome the University of Louisville to Bloomington.
(10/07/05 5:08am)
IU women's field hockey head coach Amy Robertson has her team riding high, evidenced by a seven-game winning streak to match a program high No. 7 national ranking. Even with many accolades and wins, Robertson insists her team isn't losing focus on their season goals, especially with 6-5 (0-3) Northwestern coming into Mellencamp Pavilion Saturday. \n"Our focus is only improving as the success continues," Robertson said. "I haven't seen this team relax for a second all season."\nSenior defensive back Morgan Albini said she believes the 10-1 (2-0) Hoosiers' success this season motivates them to improve even further. \n"The winning streak and national attention have only been building our confidence and fueling our desire to get better," Albini said. \nThe Hoosiers hope to continue their winning streak Saturday, but to do so, they have to do something they have never done before -- defeat the Wildcats. \n"Traditionally, Northwestern is an exceptional defensive team. But this year, they've been giving up a lot more goals ... but consequently they've been scoring more too," Robertson said. "We have to play our best game for a sustained effort over 70 minutes, and use our speed to our advantage."\nSophomore goalkeeper Haley Exner, fresh from winning her second Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award of the season, said she believes defense and home field advantage will play important roles in the match. IU is 5-0 at home and has out-scored opponents 22-3 at Mellencamp this season. \n"On defense, we are working on communication and marking up the open players so we are organized when Northwestern is on attack," Exner said. "This game is huge for us because we lost to them in overtime last year, and one of our goals this year is to win all 11 of our home games, and winning Saturday will just make us closer to accomplishing that goal"
(10/04/05 5:04am)
With a homecoming game around the corner, IU head coach Terry Hoeppner may have been able to take some advice from coaching master Mike Ditka, who was in Bloomington last Thursday to speak on behalf of the National Football Foundation's Central Indiana Chapter. \n"Da Coach," who became legendary from coaching the Chicago Bears and is a current ESPN NFL commentator, spoke during a luncheon held at the Bloomington Convention Center, the proceeds of which benefited Indiana educational youth football organizations, and a scholarship endowment to IU.\nIU head football coach Terry Hoeppner, who said Ditka has always been one of his personal heroes, both as a player and a football coach, introduced Ditka.\n"He's a great coach," Ditka said of Hoeppner. "Once you get the right coach with the right players, the record will improve. He definitely has this program back on the right track."\nDitka began his football career as a successful tight end and linebacker at the University of Pittsburgh, eventually selected as the fifth overall pick by the Chicago Bears in the 1961 draft. \nAfter being named the 1961 Rookie of the Year, Ditka won a Super Bowl with the Bears in 1963. After two self-described "miserable" seasons with the Eagles, Ditka revitalized his career with the Dallas Cowboys and won another Super Bowl in 1971 before retiring in 1972. Upon his retirement, Ditka was offered a coaching job with the Cowboys by legendary head coach Tom Landry. Ditka described this as the opportunity of a lifetime and credits Landry for his eventual success as a NFL head coach.\n"I was ready to get out of football, I was at a crossroads," Ditka said. "I could have gone left or I could have gone right, and fortunately Tom Landry was there to put me on the right path."\nAs a head coach, Ditka's mercurial style lead the 1985 Chicago Bears to one of the most successful seasons in NFL history, the Super Bowl title and of course, the Super Bowl Shuffle -- a project Ditka insisted he had no part in.\n"I didn't want to be in it and I had nothing to do with it," Ditka said. "But when the damn thing came out, it gave every team in the league bulletin board material because it looked like we were so confident."\nHowever, Ditka said this confidence was an important factor in the success of the legendary team.\n"We believed we were going to win the Super Bowl that year," Ditka said. "If you don't think you can win, you won't win. You have to have a positive mind set in everything you do."\nDitka came to Bloomington as a result of the work of NFF's Central Indiana Chapter President Carl Barzilauskas, who said Ditka was the best spokesman he could think of to raise money for educational youth football organizations.\n"We have a pool of about four or five speakers I can choose from, but I picked Coach Ditka because of his personality, and I personally like him," Barzilauskas said.\nIn addition to the money raised from the luncheon, IU also agreed to donate tickets to the Nov. 5 IU-Minnesota football game to local Bloomington youth football players.\n"We chose to have the luncheon here because we talked with IU, and they donated tickets and money to the scholarship endowment. They were integral in bringing awareness to youth football with their charity," said Barzilauskas. \nDitka agreed to speak on behalf of the foundation because he said it works for a cause he believes in. \n"I like to do these luncheons because I believe in the work that the NFF does. I enjoy college athletics of all varieties, not just football, and I think the causes they work for are great," Ditka said.\nThe College Football and NFL Hall of Famer ended his speech with a poem and some words of advice for anyone looking to succeed in any field, not just football.\n"Have a good attitude, have good character and have a love and passion for what you do"
(10/03/05 5:14am)
The season of firsts continued for the IU field hockey team as it emerged from a weekend road trip with two victories, defeating No. 13 Michigan and Kent State University. \nOn Friday, the Hoosiers recorded a 3-1 victory over Michigan, marking the first time the Hoosiers have defeated the Wolverines in six attempts. The win also put the Hoosiers at 2-0 in the Big Ten for the first time in the program's six-year history. \n"The win over Michigan is another big milestone for this program," head coach Amy Robertson said. "This has been a season of firsts in many different ways. The key to this win was our effort and intensity."\nThe Hoosiers were led in the victory with goals from senior forward Nikki Orciuch, senior midfielder Lesley Wiler and junior forward Lydia Schrott.\nOrciuch struck first when she recorded a goal in the 19th minute off an assist from senior Kayla Bashore. The Hoosiers took that 1-0 cushion into halftime. \nIn the second half, the Hoosiers' offense began to operate with more consistency, as Wiler and Schrott recorded goals for the Hoosiers in the 42nd and 48th minutes. Sophomores Meredith Brown and Frederique Meeuwsen assisted Wiler's goal, while Bashore recorded her second assist of the game on Schrott's goal.\nWith the score deadlocked at 1-1 after the first half, the Hoosiers once again relied on a strong second half to seal the victory. \nSenior forward Mallory Reabold recorded two goals and an assist for the Hoosiers, with both goals coming in the second half. Orciuch and freshman Katie Kiper also recorded goals in the second half to ensure an IU win. \n"The second half was very key to the win," Bashore said. "We were back on our heels a little at the end of first half, but we stepped it up to start the second half, and that changed the momentum of the whole game." \nThe Hoosier defense allowed only 13 shots, with the Wolverines sneaking a ball into the net in the final minute. Sophomore goal keeper Haley Exner recorded five saves for the Hoosiers.\n"We played with a lot of grit and determination, and that's why we won so many 50-50 balls out there," senior defensive back Morgan Albini said. "It was a tough game and a tough win." \nOn Sunday, the Hoosiers extended their program-best winning streak to seven games with a 5-2 victory over Kent State. The win improved the Hoosiers' overall record to 10-1. \n"We're not intimidated by anyone," Wiler said. "We've finally realized that we're at the same skill level as any team in the Big Ten, if not above them"
(09/30/05 5:05am)
With the completion of an undefeated five-game home stand last weekend, the No. 8 IU field hockey team hits the road for the first time in nearly a month. \nThe 8-1 Hoosiers will travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., to play No. 13 Michigan in a Big Ten clash at 4 p.m. Friday, then take on Kent State University Sunday in Ohio. \n"We're really excited to be back on the road," IU head coach Amy Robertson said. "It's easier to focus on what we need to accomplish when we're on the road because there tends to be less \ndistractions."\nThe Hoosiers are fresh off a double-overtime upset of then-No. 6 Michigan State last weekend, a win that catapulted them into the top 10 of the national rankings. Despite the recent success and the national recognition, junior defensive back Morgan Miller said the Hoosiers aren't overconfident as they head into the heart of conference play.\n"Rankings are something that are fun to see, but we definitely do not worry about them," Miller said. "Our team has such high goals this season and they are not about rankings. We want to win Big Tens and go to the NCAA \ntournament."\nEntering Friday's match, IU field hockey has never beat Michigan, a stat Robertson said she hopes to change. \n"We've been looking for ways to attack by studying Michigan's tendencies," Robertson said. "We just have to keep our intensity level up through the game."\nThe Wolverines are currently 6-4 overall with an 0-1 record in Big Ten play following a loss to Ohio State last weekend. Three of the four Wolverine losses came at the hands of elite field hockey programs in Wake Forest University, the University of Maryland and the University of North Carolina.\n"Michigan is tough, and we have to be on our toes the entire game," sophomore goalkeeper Haley Exner said. "We have to keep giving 110 percent on the field, and if we do that, I definitely think we are capable of beating them."\nFollowing Friday's match, the Hoosiers will take on the Golden Flashes of Kent State. Despite Kent State's 0-9 record, Robertson said the team doesn't look at any game as an easy win.\n"Kent State will keep us on our toes, and we have to be ready to play them just like any other game," Robertson said.
(09/26/05 6:09am)
The IU women's field hockey team finally removed what junior forward Lydia Schrott described as "a huge thorn in our side" Saturday. \nThe No. 11 Hoosiers upset No. 6 Michigan State in a double overtime thriller, 3-2. The victory marks the first time the Hoosiers have defeated the Spartans in eight attempts, and the first time the Hoosiers have opened Big Ten Conference play with a win. \n"Without a doubt, this is the biggest win in our program's history," IU head coach Amy Robertson said. "This is a turning point for us. We won this game by looking for opportunities, penetrating and defending. This was a milestone win."\nThe Hoosiers struck first with a goal by senior midfielder Kayla Bashore off a penalty shot in the 23rd minute to take a 1-0 lead, which they maintained going into the second half. The Spartans tied the match in the 39th minute, but Schrott put the Hoosiers on top 2-1 in the 52nd minute following a penalty corner. But the second Hoosier lead of the game was short lived, as Michigan State tied the match at 2-2 two minutes after Schrott's goal. As regulation ended 16 minutes later, the Hoosiers and Spartans remained deadlocked at 2-2. \nAfter playing a 15-minute sudden death overtime period, the Hoosiers and Spartans were still tied. Halfway through the second overtime period, IU sophomore forward Kate O'Connell finally broke through and netted the biggest goal of her Hoosier career, securing the 3-2 double overtime upset victory. \n"Scoring that goal was an awesome feeling," O'Connell said. "When I was going through it, I was trying to be so composed, I was trying to do everything really slowly and put the ball in the net with one touch. I felt wide open and I don't know if there was someone on me, but I wanted the ball and I got it."\nDespite playing two overtime periods, Robertson said her team was able to fight the fatigue factor because of the depth of the Hoosier roster.\n"We have such great depth on our team, we were able to put people in during those overtime periods and not miss a beat," Robertson said. \nIn addition to being winless against the Spartans until Saturday, the Hoosiers have been eliminated from the Big Ten tournament by the Spartans the last three seasons -- something that made the victory that much sweeter, Schrott said. \n"It was such a huge win, and we finally removed a huge thorn from our side," she said. "We played pure IU hockey out there today."\nSunday, the Hoosiers wrapped up their five game home stand with another victory, defeating the Lindenwood Lions 6-0. IU won all five games of their longest home stand of the year. \nBashore recorded her second hat trick of the season, with all three goals coming in the first half. Junior defensive back Morgan Miller also added a goal in the first half. Freshman forward Katie Kiper scored her first career goal in the second half, and senior forward Mallory Reabold capped off the Hoosier scoring with her fourth goal of the year. Bashore's hat trick gave her a team-leading eight goals. \n"It was important for us to have a good game today after the Michigan State victory, and I was able to connect on some shots and help us get another win," Bashore said.\nThe Hoosiers' record now stands at 8-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten.
(09/23/05 5:35am)
The IU women's field hockey team wraps up its five-game home stand with a pair of matches against Michigan State University and Lindenwood University this weekend. \nThe No. 11 Hoosiers are 6-1 overall and hope to remain undefeated at Mellencamp Pavilion, where they are 3-0 this year.\nAlthough this weekend marks the end of the longest home stand for the Hoosiers, it also marks the beginning of the Big Ten season, as IU welcomes the No. 6 ranked Spartans. \nIU head coach Amy Robertson said she believes her team is more confident heading into conference play than in recent years.\n"We have a better sense of our ability, and with so many upperclassmen, we know what it takes to be successful in the Big Ten," Robertson said. \nThe Hoosiers have never defeated Michigan State in eight attempts. The most recent loss occurring at the 2004 Big Ten Conference tournament when the Spartans knocked out the Hoosiers, 2-1. The Spartans went on to advance to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.\nDespite the Hoosiers' 0-8 record against the Spartans, senior forward Mallory Reabold said she believes the Hoosiers' confidence is undeterred. \n"We're not nervous at all. We're excited to start the Big Ten season," she said. "Every year we gain confidence, and this year it's exceptional. We know we have the potential to be a great team."\nWhile the 7-2 Spartans could prove to be the toughest test the Hoosiers face at home this year, senior midfielder Lesley Wiler said she believes her team is prepared to start the Big Ten season against a solid opponent.\n"I think we're definitely ready to play Michigan State," Wiler said. "We just need to work on maintaining possession of the ball and stepping up the defensive pressure."\nRobertson said she doesn't place much stock in rankings, but did acknowledge that she relishes the role of being the perceived underdog to the Spartans.\n"I prefer to play a Big Ten team that's ranked ahead of us. I think it gives us a definite edge," Robertson said. \nSunday, the Hoosiers' home stand wraps up against the Lindenwood Lions. Although the Lions are a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics school, this marks the fourth straight season in which the Hoosiers and Lions have squared off. IU leads the series 3-0. \n"We like to play Lindenwood because they offer a different style of play because they have a lot of international players," Robertson said. "They're always a good opponent."\nThe Hoosiers take on the Spartans at 1 p.m. Saturday before facing Lindenwood at 2 p.m. Sunday.
(09/21/05 4:40am)
Hundreds of IU students lined the corridors of the Indiana Memorial Union Monday night in hopes of getting a sneak peek at the newest creation from the mind of acclaimed film director Tim Burton. Most of the crowd arrived well in advance of the 8 p.m. screening time to grab a good seat.\n"I got here at 6:30 (p.m.) so I would have a pretty good seat and there were already people here," freshman Angela Kilgore said.\nMore than 400 students packed the Whittenberger Auditorium to capacity, as the Union Board presented Burton's "Corpse Bride" with the permission of Warner Bros. Studios. \nUnion Board Director of Films Atticus Westerfeld said bringing major motion pictures to the IU campus for previews is a process that involves cooperation with studio marketing companies. \n"The Union Board has a long-standing relationship with Alloy Marketing, and they send out e-mails to a number of colleges offering films to be shown as a sneak peek preview," Westerfeld said. "We fill out an application, and if they select us, they send us all the marketing material and tickets, and we show the film."\nWhile Westerfeld is a veteran of the preview process, bringing such films as "Constantine" and "House of Wax" to the Whittenberger, he said that "Corpse Bride" was the largest crowd he has seen since becoming Union Board director of films. \nThe large crowd was driven to the IMU on a stormy Monday night by a combination of anticipation for Burton's newest film, word of mouth and perhaps most importantly, free tickets with a student ID.\n"I really like Tim Burton's movies, but free tickets is awesome because I'm a poor college student," Kilgore said.\nThe film uses the same stop-motion animation technique that was employed in the Burton-written and produced 1993 hit "The Nightmare Before Christmas," a technique that drew fans like freshman Logan Sibrel to the screening.\n"I really liked 'The Nightmare Before Christmas,' and I thought the art direction and coloring of this film was great too," Sibrel said. \nWith such blockbusters as "Batman," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Edward Scissorhands" to Burton's credit, some filmgoers simply came because they heard the buzz surrounding the movie and wanted to see what it was all about.\n"A lot of my friends were going, and they told me I should go," junior Joel Hernandez said. \nWith more than 400 students in attendance, Union Board took the precaution of hiring an IU Police Department officer for security purposes, and Warner Bros. also provided security to search bags for recording devices to prevent bootlegging of the film. As students entered the theater, they were greeted by two men waving metal detector wands. \nFortunately, Westerfeld said there were no incidents to report, but he noted that studio-provided security was stricter than usual.\n"For this show, they weren't even allowing people to bring iPods into the theater, and next time, they won't allow cell phones to be brought in either," Westerfeld said.\nDespite the security presence, general reaction to the film was overwhelmingly positive.\n"I thought the movie was awesome," Kilgore said. "It was heartwarming and dramatic with a touch of goth."\nTim Burton's "Corpse Bride" opens nationwide Friday.
(09/19/05 5:49am)
The IU women's field hockey team took two more steps toward its goal of an NCAA Tournament birth and a Big Ten championship with two home wins during the weekend. The victories over Ohio University and Southwest Missouri State University improved the Hoosiers' record to 6-1 overall. \nJunior forward Lydia Schrott, who leads the Big Ten in goals, scored two for the Hoosiers in their 4-1 victory Saturday over Ohio. \nDespite the score, the 1-5 Bobcats were a tough match up for the Hoosiers, who managed only one goal in the first half before pulling away in the second half.\n"It was a little tougher win than we would have liked," Schrott said. "But we were able to execute well and pull out a good win." \nSchrott recorded her first goal in the 23rd minute of the first half and her second seven minutes into the second half to give the Hoosiers a 2-0 advantage. Senior Nikki Orciuch and junior Morgan Miller also added goals for the Hoosiers in the second half.\nOn Sunday, the Hoosiers used solid defensive play and a plethora of shots in order to earn their victory over Missouri State. IU took a 1-0 lead into half time, after a goal by sophomore forward Kate O'Connell in the 14th minute. Two second half goals were added by seniors Mallory Reabold and Lesley Wiler in the 36th and 58th minutes, respectively, to secure the Hoosier victory. \nIU attempted a season high 39 shots in the 3-0 shutout, a stat that Wiler said is indicative of the Hoosiers' ability to control the flow of the game.\n"We did really well maintaining possession of the ball, getting off a lot of shots, and not letting a lot of balls get through," Wiler said. \nWith the pair of wins, the Hoosiers are now 3-0 at home. IU head coach Amy Robertson said she believes it was necessary for the Hoosiers to win both games this weekend as they prepare for Big Ten play, which begins next weekend when IU ends its five game home stand against Michigan State and Lindenwood University.\n"It was a good weekend, two victories at home makes us 6-1 now, and we're taking care of the teams we need to take care of," Robertson said. "We're ready for Michigan State"
(09/16/05 5:25am)
As the wins continue to build up for the 4-1 IU field hockey team, so do the accolades. \nWith the release of the first National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll of the 2005 season, the Hoosiers find themselves ranked No. 12, the highest any IU team has been ranked in the history of the program. \n"It's a good position to be in -- not too high, but not too low either," head coach Amy Robertson said. "We expected to be ranked, but it's nice to get the recognition as a team that's coming up."\nIndividually, two Hoosier players also received honors for their play in last week's matches. After recording seven saves and a shutout against the University of the Pacific, sophomore goalkeeper Haley Exner was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. Exner is the second Hoosier this season to win player of the week honors, the first being junior forward Lydia Schrott. Despite earning her second shutout of the season, Exner said she was surprised she won the award.\n"People started calling me this week saying, 'Congratulations,' but I didn't really know what they were talking about. I thought they meant for the shutout," Exner said. "Then I found out I was named the Defensive Player of the Week, and I was really excited -- I had never won an honor like that before."\nIn addition to Exner's recognition, senior midfielder Kayla Bashore was named Indiana Athletics Athlete of the Week on the strength of her hat trick performance in the win over Pacific. \nThe newly-ranked Hoosiers will play a pair of home matches this weekend, taking on Ohio University Saturday before facing Southwest Missouri State Sunday. Both matches will start at 1 p.m. in Mellencamp Pavilion. \nSaturday's match will mark the first match between the Hoosiers and the 1-4 Ohio Bobcats.\nAfter Saturday's matchup against Ohio, the Hoosiers will welcome the 0-4 Southwest Missouri State Bears. IU defeated the Bears last year 4-3 in overtime and leads the all-time series 2-1. \nDespite the records of both teams and the Big Ten conference season looming around the corner, Robertson doesn't want her team to overlook any opponent.\n"We're taking the season one game at a time, and we want to get better and better with each game we play and continue to win these home matches," Robertson said. \nSenior co-captain Lesley Wiler echoed Robertson's sentiments when she explained the importance of not looking ahead on the schedule.\n"We have to continue to focus on improving and playing our game. We'll play the Big Ten teams when it's time to play them," Wiler said.