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(11/09/09 3:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosier’s women’s soccer team saw their season come to an end Friday as they fell 1-0 at Minnesota (12-5-3, 5-3-2).For IU (10-7-2, 2-6-2), it was their fourth game in eight days. During that stretch, they lost all four games, three of which by one goal.“It was all physical,” IU coach Mick Lyon said. “As far as being discouraged or anything like that, absolutely not. These kids are so resilient.” Coming off an emotional loss against Purdue in Bloomington on Tuesday, the team left it all on the field Friday.In the first half, both teams traded opportunities, finishing with four shots a piece at the end of the half. Lyon thought the energy translated over very well from the heartbreaking loss against Purdue.“I think we looked very good in the first half,” Lyon said. “We controlled the ball extremely well, and, unfortunately, we sort of just ran out of gas toward the end.”The Golden Gophers came out aggressive in the second half, quickly firing three shots on goal, one of which hit the post. Junior goalkeeper Lauren Hollandsworth was able to repel the attack for the time being.Then, in the 79th minute, coming off a corner kick, Minnesota forward Molly Rouse made a run near the post, and headed a ball that was too far away for Hollandsworth to save to take the 1-0 lead. It would prove to be the eventual game-winner for Rouse.The Hoosiers must now wait and see if they are given a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The selection committee will meet at 8 p.m. Monday on ESPN News.
(11/03/09 2:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>To begin the season, the women’s soccer team had put together more than 600 consecutive minutes of shutout defense dating back to the end of 2008. Currently, they have one of the best defensive squads in the Big Ten. Senior Kelly Lawrence, a two-time first team All-Big Ten defender, has been a key component to the back line’s success. But this defense has suffered many injuries that have required players to not only step up, but change positions.For a defense that was equally strong in 2008, early-season injuries to senior defenders Jessica Boots and Taylor Fallon left coach Mick Lyon in a difficult situation. While Boots has since recovered from her injury, she has spent the majority of the season playing midfield.Fallon has been recovering from an off-season knee injury since 2007 and has been out since Aug. 28.Enter sophomore defender Kerri Krawczak, who earned Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team honors in 2008 after a stellar debut campaign for the Hoosiers. Krawczak has done a tremendous job filling the void left by injuries and has exceeded expectations so far, Lyon said.“The improvements Kerri has made from last year to this year and what she’s going to be doing next year – she’s going to be just the absolute most dominating defender in the league,” Lyon said.With two of the three defensive positions filled, Coach Lyon had to get creative to round out the back line. He decided to move junior forward Leigh Anne Cummings, who had played defense in two games prior to coming to IU, and transition her into a competent defender.“With the way we’ve evolved with how we’re playing, we need that speed and ability to play with the ball, and that’s what Leigh brings to the back line,” Lyon said. “She’s a terrific girl that will play anywhere. Even though she’s playing left back, we still want her to attack from the back, and that’s obviously tough to defend.”On Sept. 4 against then-No. 6 Florida, it was Cummings’ game-winning goal in double-overtime that upset the Gators in Bloomington. She made the transition to defense a week later, playing against Hofstra in front of her family in her home state of New York.“My parents thought I did well playing defense and stopped two key goals in that game,” Cummings said. “But my dad will ask me after every game if I scored or how many shots I had, and I’m like ‘No, I play defense now. I don’t score anymore.’”While transitioning to a different position in such a short amount of time seems difficult, Cummings credits having the mindset of a forward as an advantage when reading the opposing attack. She says the toughest part about playing defense has been the importance and stress of not letting anyone get through. “It’s tough because I’m not in the attack anymore,” Cummings said. “So I have to remember to take fewer touches and to not take people on when I have the ball.”Playing defense in soccer is much like playing offensive line in football. There aren’t stats that show up in the box score other than how many goals the other team scored. However, like playing offensive line, the quality of a team’s defense in soccer is often key to a team’s overall success.“I’m not concerned with recognition as long as my teammates feel I’m doing a good job,” Krawczak said. “They’re really supportive and, really, that’s the most important thing to me.”Both Cummings and Krawczak have praised her as being a leader and a mentor.“She’s not a real yeller and shouter, but she’s an excellent organizer, and I think the girls really respect her play,” Lyon said. “She strives to get better, and that really inspires the other girls to get better as well.”Flips, Jolly Ranchers part of every gameIn addition to converting from a forward to a defender, Cummings has been designated to throw the ball in anytime a ball goes out of bounds in the opponents’ territory. But there’s a catch. Cummings will start from a good 20 yards out of bounds, usually on the track, sprint up toward the field and do an acrobatic flip-throw near the 18-yard box. She first did this in game action last year, but she has done this multiple times this season.“Basically, we were just here for an extra shooting practice working on free kicks, and I was done, so I started fooling around with our old assistant coach and said ‘Hey, Erika, I’m going to do a flip-throw,’” Cummings said. “So at first, we started working to see if I can do a front hand spring before we tried it. And once I got comfortable enough to do it with a ball, we started to use it during games.”While none of the girls really have any superstitious pre-game rituals other than listening to music, Lyon has an interesting one.“I try to make sure I have candy in my pocket,” Lyon said. “That’s been a good one for this year. It seems like if I have candy in my pocket, we seem to be doing well. I like the hard candy, like Jolly Ranchers. Whenever an official makes a bad call, instead of yelling at him, I’ll just pop some candy in so I don’t get carded.”
(11/02/09 5:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With Big Ten conference play on its final stretch, the No. 23 IU women’s soccer team (10-5-2, 2-4-2 Big Ten) suffered a pair of losses against Penn State and Ohio State on Thursday and Sunday, respectively.The Hoosiers came into the weekend tied for seventh in the Big Ten, but still had an outside shot of winning the conference. On Thursday, they were defeated for the first time at home all season against No. 25 Penn State (11-5-2, 7-1-1 Big Ten).Trailing 1-0 in the 70th minute, junior forward Jocelyn Moses struck one past the goalkeeper for her third goal of the season.Ten minutes later, Penn State senior forward Katie Schoepfer recorded her second assist of the game to help ensure the Nittany Lions victory. Schoepfer hooked up with freshman and U.S. National team midfielder Christine Nairn to take a 2-1 lead on the eventual game-winning goal. Penn State had a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks and a 9-6 edge in shots in the game.On Sunday, the Hoosiers traveled to Ohio State (14-2-2, 7-1-1) to take on the No. 15 Buckeyes. Ohio State led the game in nearly every statistical category, which resulted in a 6-0 loss for the Hoosiers.“We didn’t come to compete,” IU women’s soccer coach Mick Lyon said. “From the first whistle, we didn’t compete. When you play against a team like Ohio State, they play very direct and very physical, and we didn’t match that level of intensity.”McKay had two shots on the game and one on goal for IU. Junior goalkeeper Lauren Hollandsworth made a pair of diving saves in the first half, but the Buckeyes came out fired up on Senior Day and dominated total time of possession all game.
(10/26/09 3:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the seven seniors on the field Sunday, it was a Senior Day to remember. The Hoosiers (10-3-2, 2-2-2) were victorious in a 2-0 rout against Iowa, but the game was much more competitive than the score indicates.Both teams came out of the gates aggressively, but IU outshot the Hawkeyes 9-1 in the first half. The action didn’t start heating up until late in the second half. At which point, 18 different Hoosiers clocked time on the field. IU women’s soccer coach Mick Lyon substituted multiple times to compensate for the fast-paced game play.“There were several players getting tired, and it was because of the effort they put in,” Lyon said. “I thought the effort was just tremendous.”Sophomore midfielder Devon Beach dribbled down the end-line and had a shot deflected by an Iowa defender.Junior forward Jocelyn Moses made a rebound to strike it into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. However, Iowa had a chance to even things back up in the 87th minute. The Hawkeye’s were awarded a penalty kick, and pitted senior midfielder Alex Seydel against freshman goalkeeper Lex Dickison.Seydel sent the penalty kick to the lower left side of the net where Dickison made a terrific save to keep the lead. “Overall, it’s always going to be a guess as to where the ball is going,” Dickison said. “But I tried to make a read and guessed correctly.”In the 90th and final minute of the game, the Hoosiers put the game away.Junior defender Leigh Anne Cumming’s sent a ball to freshman Orianica Velasquez Herrera at midfield, where she battled an Iowa defender one-on-one and sent a shot over the goalkeepers head and into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead. “That’s the thing about the Big Ten – there is no bad team,” Lyon said. “Iowa was really looking to come to play. The best part about that is it makes us match that level of intensity.”
(10/23/09 2:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The No. 24 Hoosiers will take on the Iowa Hawkeyes at 2 p.m. on Sunday at Bill Armstrong Stadium.The game will mark IU’s return home after a double overtime contest against Michigan. Nearing their final stretch of conference play, the Hoosiers play five games in 13 days starting Sunday. The game’s are scheduled closely , however, back in September the team had four games in eight days, so they feel as if they’ve prepared for it.“One of the things to help with it is to shorten practices and not do as much training,” IU women’s soccer coach Mick Lyon said. “But, I feel we’ve already been there and done that and been successful so we’ll be all right.”Currently, Iowa sits alone at the bottom of the Big Ten conference play at 0-5. They’re a very young team with eight freshman sharing time on the field and a lot of instability as far as the line-up goes.“We’re going to go after them. We’ll try to create disruption and force mistakes and not let them get into any organized movement,” Lyon said. “But, [Iowa women’s soccer coach] Ron Reiney’s teams are very well organized, so we’ll have to be on our toes.”Iowa junior forward Keli McLaughlin leads the Hawkeyes with eight goals and 17 total points. Sophomore forward Alyssa Cosnek leads the team in shots on goal and shots on goal percentage with 14 and .452 respectively.The Hoosiers are averaging 1.5 goals per game on 14.5 shots. Lyon said efficiency may be the difference maker in the game on Sunday.“Are we going to finish those clear-cut chances in front of the goal,” Lyon asked. “We’re getting them; we’re just not finishing them. We’ll also need to move the ball more quickly.”Also on Sunday will be Senior Night. Each of the seven seniors will be honored before the game.
(10/19/09 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The No. 22 Hoosier women’s soccer team was limited to a 0-0 tie against Michigan on Sunday. After 120 minutes of play that included two overtimes, IU was unable to find a way to score against a Michigan defense that frequently dropped back nine players. The tie pushed its record to 9-3-2 for the season and 1-2-2 in the Big Ten.“It was disappointing,” IU coach Mick Lyon said. “Because of the way they play, it was very tough to score. Our game plan was to create width, and it was like threading a needle trying to get the ball through.”Despite only having two shots in the first half, Michigan had a golden opportunity to score off a header on a corner kick. The ball hit the post before being cleared out by the Hoosier defense. The Wolverines’ offensive chances were sparse, but they kept IU’s defense on its toes. “After a free kick, Lindsay (Campbell) saved one and it got deflected back into the box,” junior forward Leigh Anne Cummings said. “That was a big play because they almost scored off the rebound.”IU dominated time of possession in the game, which was a result of Michigan’s defensive strategy. In the second half, sophomore forward Carly Samp had three shots on goal, one of which was shot right at Michigan goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer.Sophomore goalkeeper Lindsay Campbell played the entire game and made three saves to keep the game scoreless.Leading the way for the Hoosiers offensively was freshman forward Orianica Velasquez Herrera. She led the Hoosiers in shots and shots on goal with five and three, respectively.“We should have won, and we got a tie,” Lyon said. “It’s a disappointment in the result, but I’m not disappointed in the effort, discipline and the way we dominated the game. But you have to score to win.”
(10/16/09 3:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Fresh off reclaiming a spot back in the national rankings, the No. 22 Hoosiers (9-3-1, 1-2-1) are set to travel to Michigan to face the Wolverines (5-6-2, 0-1-2) on Sunday.The last meeting between the two teams resulted in an IU 1-0 victory in Bloomington in 2008. The Hoosiers got a goal from then-junior forward Kristin Arnold to earn the win. Then-freshman goalkeeper Lindsay Campbell also recorded six saves in the game.The Hoosiers are coming off of a two-week break. They haven’t played since Oct. 4, when they tied Illinois 1-1 at home. Michigan faced Michigan State in their last game and only recorded five shots against them. Conversely, IU had 25 against the same Spartans team on Oct. 2. Both the Wolverines and Spartans drop back on defense and sometimes have eight or nine players in the box.“Michigan obviously concentrates on defensive first and then counter-attacking,” IU women’s soccer coach Mick Lyon said. “We want to make sure we can stay spread until we take the shots and keep it wide.”Wolverine goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer was named Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week on the back of a seven-save shutout of Michigan State this past Sunday.“We’ll definitely have to be patient,” sophomore defender Kerri Krawczak said. “I think it’s going to be a key to find our outside players.”
(10/08/09 3:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Golden Boot will be on the line once again when IU plays No. 9 Purdue at 7:30 p.m. today on Jerry Yeagley Field. The Boilermakers have had possession of the trophy since its debut in 2002. Last time out against Purdue, IU got a late goal at the end of regulation from junior forward Jocelyn Moses to tie the game at 1-1. The two teams were unable to put the game away, as it finished in a 1-1 tie after two overtimes.“Our rivalry with Purdue is huge for us,” sophomore Carly Samp said. “The last couple games we have played have been very competitive. Going back to 2007, we lost to them in the regular season, but then we came back and beat them in a shootout in the NCAA Tournament. “Then last year we tied them, so this year we are just looking to keep playing well and do whatever we can to come away with a win.”Purdue is led by senior forward Jessica Okoroafo, who comes into the game with a team-leading 15 points. She is co-captain with senior goalkeeper Jenny Bradfisch, who was named co-Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week this past week. Bradfisch holds the school record of 0.71 goals allowed average. Recently, the Hoosiers were named No. 27 in the Ratings Performance Index. A win could put them back among the top-25 teams in the nation.The Boilermakers lead the all-time series with IU 9-1-3 and have not lost to the Hoosiers since their loss in the teams’ initial meeting in 1999.“If we get a win, it puts us in a better position in the conference,” Samp said. “And our goal is to be at the top of the Big Ten; so in order to get there, we are going to have to beat the teams that are ahead of us now.”
(10/05/09 2:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers recorded a win and a tie in their first two home conference games this weekend against Michigan State and Illinois.The Hoosiers dominated for the entire game Friday, out-shooting No. 20 Michigan State 25-5. However, it was sophomore forward Carly Samp’s goal with 21 seconds left that won the game.The play started with a turnover at midfield. Freshman forward Orianica Velasquez-Herrera dribbled down the sideline and sent a cross inside the 18-yard box, where Samp was waiting in point-blank range on the right side to send it past the goalkeeper for the game-winning goal. It was her fourth goal of the year and a statement victory for the Hoosiers.“This was a great win for us going forward,” Samp said. “They have two of the best shot scorers in the country, and our defense completely shut them down. It was a great team effort for everyone.”IU handed Michigan State its first loss of the season. The Spartans are now 7-3-1 overall and 1-1-1 in Big Ten conference play.On Sunday, there couldn’t have been a more even-keeled game between IU and Illinois (5-4-3) at Jerry Yeagley Field. The first two goals of the game were scored in the first ten minutes. Then, both teams held each other scoreless for the remaining 100 minutes of play, including two overtime periods.Sophomore midfielder Devon Beach got the Hoosiers on the board in the 6th minute, when junior midfielder Chloe McKay sent a through ball near the middle of the 18 yard box that Beach promptly sent to the back of the net. It was her fourth goal of the year, which makes her the team leader in points with 12.Following an Indiana foul in the 10th minute, Illini sophomore midfielder Marissa Mykines sent a free kick from 25 yards out into the upper left corner to tie the game at one.Both teams had ample opportunities to take the lead, but neither could capitalize on them. Indiana and Illinois finished with 16 shots each.IU moves to 9-3-1 (1-2-1) on the year.
(10/02/09 4:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After experiencing a minor speed bump in their strong start to the season last weekend, the Hoosiers (8-3-0) return home this weekend to play No. 20 Michigan State on Friday and Illinois on Sunday.IU’s No. 19 ranking also took a hit, as they fell off the rankings after suffering two loses on the road against Northwestern and Wisconsin to begin Big Ten play. With eight games remaining in the regular season, the team isn’t close to panicking.“I don’t see any of that during practice or in the locker room,” senior defender Kelly Lawrence said. “I think we played well enough to win last weekend, so we’ll go out there Friday and get a couple more wins at home.”Undefeated No. 20 Michigan State (7-0-2) will get a taste of what playing at Bill Armstrong Stadium is like, where the Hoosiers are 6-0 on the season.The Spartans return their top-two points leaders from 2008.Laura Heyboer, the 2008 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year as a freshman, is leading the team with 19 points in 2009. Another player to keep an eye on is senior forward and Second-Team All-Big Ten Lauren Hill, who is second on the team with 18 points. It will take an impressive defensive effort to slow down the Spartans’ attack. They come into Friday’s contest leading the Big Ten in assists and goals per game.“We just have to make sure they receive passes in bad positions,” IU coach Mick Lyon said about Heyboer and Hill. “We’ll have to keep them wide and push them away from attacking the goal." In 2008, the Hoosiers held the Spartans to one shot on goal en route to a 1-0 win at Bill Armstrong Stadium.On Sunday, IU will look to wrap up the weekend with a win against Illinois (5-3-2). The Hoosiers upset the then-No. 25 Illini in 2008 at home in a 1-0 victory. Illinois made it to the third round in last year’s NCAA tournament before being beaten 3-0 by North Carolina. Goalkeeper Alexandra Kapicka returns for her senior year after recording a 0.80 goals allowed average in 2008.“To win these next eight games, we need to perform at our highest level and take care of the details,” Lyon said. “That’s the difference between being good and being very good.”
(09/30/09 4:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There are few things more difficult in life than moving to another country, adjusting to a completely different culture and learning a new language.Now combine that with playing Division I college athletics. It takes someone of tremendous work ethic, courage and ambition to successfully transition to such a scenario.Just one year ago, freshman Orianica Velasquez-Herrera was playing for the Colombian U-20 Women’s National Soccer Team. This year, she’s played a significant role on the Hoosiers’ nationally ranked soccer team and is the team leader in goals scored. Herrera’s talent has been made apparent.What hasn’t been made apparent, though, is how she will adjust to life in the States.Sparking the dreamOrianica, or Ori as her friends and teammates call her, began playing soccer in Bogota, Colombia when she was 7 years old under the influence of her friends and family. Until the age of 12, she played soccer with the boys. After that, she played on several organized soccer teams in Colombia, including three stints for the U-20 National Team. Having spent her first 18 years in Colombia, Ori said she has no intention of going back to play for her home country.“It was a tough decision, and I don’t have any bad feelings toward the coaches,” Herrera said of her home country. Still, she doesn’t plan on going back anytime soon.“It’s hard to say that, but I don’t think I would,” Ori said.Dreams to realityInternational scouting has become more prevalent in the 21st century among college athletic programs, especially in sports such as basketball.However, IU’s women’s soccer program has made good use of its opportunities, and currently has players that represent three different countries – Colombia, Canada, and England. IU coach Mick Lyon had an interesting story of how he first heard about Herrera.“I heard about Ori from IU men’s tennis coach Randy Bloemendaal, who was down in Bogota,” Lyon said. “He met Ori and asked her if she was a tennis player, and she said, ‘No, I’m a soccer player,’ and that she played for the National team. Randy told her that he would tell the soccer coach at Indiana, and soon after, I went to meet her.”While in Colombia this past February, Lyon spent a few hours scouting Ori. At the end of the day, he came away so impressed with her talent and work ethic that he offered her a scholarship at IU.“I trained for two or three years to earn a scholarship, and Manuel (Lievano), my manager, told me about Indiana University,” Herrera said. “Coach Lyon was in Colombia and was very polite, so I knew then that Indiana was where I wanted to be.”Ori said she had received scholarship offers to other schools, including Indiana State and South Carolina. Fortunately for IU, Herrera scored very well on the SAT and was admitted to the school to play soccer for the Hoosiers.Another dream beginsTo help Ori adjust to the United States, sophomore forward Darby Hannon has served as her translator during practice to help her understand what the coaches are saying. Hannon spent last summer in Spain.“I think she’s coming along great,” Hannon said. “At first, it’s such a culture shock when you’ve never heard a native language before, but Ori really wants to be here, so I think she’s pushing herself to learn as quickly as possible.”The English language is often said to be one of the toughest languages to learn, particularly because of its vast vocabulary and unique grammar rules and tenses. Ori has made it very clear that she wants to stay in America, but thinks it’s going to be very tough to completely transition. Ori called it her “biggest challenge.”In her spare time, Ori said she likes to sleep and talk to her family in Colombia on the internet. She is freshman forward Ciersten Burks’ roommate, who has also helped her adjust to the campus lifestyle.“She’s a great roommate, and has caught on to things really fast,” Burks said. “When she got her bicycle, she learned her way around campus quick over the summer. She’s made quite a few friends that are in her same intensive classes that are also from Colombia, so I think she’s enjoying herself so far.”What she’s been doing on the soccer field hasn’t gone unnoticed, nor have her efforts off of it. This is another example of the cliched – but often true – saying that one can overcome any obstacles in life if he or she works hard enough. “This is my dream,” she said. “I am living my dream. My goal is to finish my degree here at Indiana and win a championship.”
(09/28/09 3:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Big Ten conference play kicked off this weekend for the No. 19 Hoosiers.They allowed game-winning goals in the final 10 minutes against both Northwestern and Wisconsin to drop to 8-3 (0-2) on the season.The Hoosiers had plenty of opportunities throughout the game against Northwestern but failed to get the ball into the net. IU outshot the Wildcats 4-1 in the first half. IU coach Mick Lyon said his team played very good soccer but were caught off guard this weekend.“We put ourselves in a position where we were frantically trying to come back from two goals,” he said. “But you really need to win these games when you score two goals on the road.”Sophomore forward Carly Samp had a chance on a through ball, but she was flagged on a controversial offside call.Northwestern senior forward Alicia Herczeg was on the receiving end of a free kick and put home a header that ended up the game-winning 1-0 goal. The Hoosiers then traveled north to play Wisconsin on Sunday. IU dominated the ball during the first half, outshooting the Badgers 9-1. However, the opportunities did not amount to any goals and left the game scoreless going into halftime. Wisconsin sophomore forward Laurie Nosbusch went on a scoring frenzy in the second half. She netted goals in both the 52nd and 72nd minutes. In the 79th minute, sophomore forward Carly Samp put in a goal of her own with a short-range blast from an assist by sophomore midfielder Devon Beach.“The ball was being worked out wide, which is what we’ve been working on,” Beach said. “And Carly (Samp) sent in a great cross, and I knew we needed to get on the board, so I just stuck my head out and it found the back of the net.”But, ultimately, Herczeg would chart the game’s final goal and lead Wisconsin to a 2-3 win.“I thought we played very well the first half,” Lyon said. “But, as a whole, we were so focused on shutting down key players that it hurt us in the second half.”
(09/25/09 3:45am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the past few years, it’s been the men’s soccer team that has received the majority of the attention at Bill Armstrong Stadium. But this season, the women’s soccer team is off to a school record 8-1 start, and its play has earned it a No. 19 ranking in the country.The Hoosiers first raised eyebrows early in the season when they had shut out their opponents for 600 consecutive minutes, dating back to last season. They received more attention on a national level when they upset the then-No. 6 Florida Gators at home in a double-overtime thriller. They’ve been the hottest team in the Great Lakes Region, apparent by their No. 1 ranking in the most recent poll heading into Big Ten play. Their efforts have been recognized by their opponents, and future opponents know that this year, the Hoosiers are trying to put themselves on the map.Women’s soccer at IU became a varsity sport in 1993, and that same year, it posted the best winning percentage as well, going 12-6. The Hoosiers are now on pace to shatter that record. In 2007, the team got out to a 11-1-2 record in its first 14 games but ended up winning only two games in the next month, finishing 13-7-3.That same 2007 team was a young group, as 22 of the 29 players on the team were freshmen or sophomores. In fact, 13 of those who helped the team advance to the third round of the NCAA tournament are on the team today. This year, the Hoosiers have more of a balanced and diverse roster. There are 12 upperclassmen, and 14 freshmen and sophomores. The Hoosiers are also well-represented from around the world, with players from England, Canada and Colombia.Historically, IU has always dominated at home. From 2002 to 2008, IU is 39-16-6 overall in Bill Armstrong Stadium, and 19-11-5 against Big Ten opponents. This year, they are 6-0 at home, and five of their 10 regular-season games left are going to be played at home.The 2007 team went 9-1-1 at home, drawing another similarity between the 2007 team and the current Hoosiers.To finish with a better regular season record than the 1993 team, the Hoosiers must go 6-4 for the remainder of the year. Considering five of those games are at home, there’s a chance IU could finish with the best record in school history.
(09/25/09 3:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers are embarking on the start of Big Ten conference play this weekend. IU will travel to Northwestern (3-5-1) and Wisconsin (4-4-1) on Friday and Sunday, respectively. Last time they played, the Hoosiers shut out Green Bay 2-0 at home and improved their record to 8-1, the best start in school history and the Big Ten this year. Freshman forward Orianica Velasquez Herrera scored both goals for IU and was honored as both the Co-offensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week by the Big Ten. The Colombia native leads the team in goals and is tied for the lead in points with nine. The Hoosiers’ defense did something they had not done since becoming a varsity sport in 1993 by not allowing a shot by Green Bay the entire game. The lone Hoosier loss this year came at St. John’s, where the conditions weren’t ideal. It had been raining, and that, combined with playing on artificial turf, made for a difficult field. On Friday, against the Northwestern Wildcats, IU will play on turf again, so it’s prepared for the difficulties if the conditions aren’t favorable. In 2008, Northwestern beat the Hoosiers 2-1 in Evanston, Ill., but IU is returning all of its starters from last year, whereas Northwestern lost five of its 11 starters. The Wildcats have been outscored 13-7 in 2009. One player IU will keep an eye on is senior forward Alicia Herczeg, who leads Northwestern with three goals. Another player to watch for is senior midfielder Kay Sampson, who is second on the team in points and scored the game-winning goal in the 87th minute against IU last year. The Hoosiers will look to even the overall series, as Northwestern leads 8-7-2 against IU.“We’re more than capable of getting two wins this weekend if we perform to our level,” IU coach Mick Lyon said. “We’ll have to play very well, especially against Northwestern because they play on turf.”Similar to allowing the late-game-winning goal against Northwestern, in 2008 the Hoosiers lost 1-0 at Wisconsin when Taylor Walsh scored the game-winning shot with a little more than a minute left in the game. The Badgers are returning eight of their 11 starters, including sophomore forward Laurie Nosbusch, who led the team with 21 points last season. Wisconsin finished 10th in Big Ten conference play with a 3-7 record. Thus far this year, the Badgers have been outscored 13-6, including a crushing 6-0 loss in their last match against No. 2 Stanford. However, Wisconsin is 4-0-1 at home this year. Freshman midfielder Alev Kelter leads the team with four points.Along with their No. 19 national ranking, the Hoosiers have been ranked No. 1 in the Great Lakes Region. They will look to keep their game balanced and not let either Northwestern or Wisconsin get too focused on one player. Indiana has spread its 17 goals this season across eight different players. The defense will also have to maintain its intensity the entire game and not allow late goals, something that the seniors have improved on since last season. Sophomore goalkeeper Lindsay Campbell has been nearly flawless in the goal this year, holding an impressive 0.63 goals-against average.Of the eight victories for IU this year, six of them have come at home. They are 2-1 on the road and will be tested with another weekend away from Bloomington. “Wisconsin’s field is like playing on carpet, the grass is so thick,” Lyon said. “So, it’ll be two totally different games. But we went up there last year and played very well in both games and came away with two losses. So, our returning players will look to get some revenge.”
(09/21/09 4:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The No. 22 Hoosiers stayed undefeated at home in facing the Green Bay Phoenix on Friday.IU wrapped up its non-conference schedule with a 2-0 victory to put the team at 8-1 on the year.“We’re going to be playing for something more significant,” IU coach Mick Lyon said. “Big Ten games are huge when it comes down to the NCAA selection process.” Freshman forward Orianica Velasquez Herrera scored both IU goals in the contest. Herrera channeled her Wednesday performance against Butler in the 14th minute, as she once again used patience to gain offense.When senior defender Christie Kotynski’s shot was blocked by a Phoenix defender, Herrera was waiting in point-blank range to send it to the back of the net for an early 1-0 lead.Herrera later worked the left side of the box and was tripped up in the 61st minute. She received a free penalty kick and rifled it by the goalkeeper on the right side for her second goal of the game and fourth of the season for the 2-0 lead.The defense did a sound job all 90 minutes, not allowing a single shot by the Green Bay offense.The win on Friday concluded a tiresome schedule for the Hoosiers, as they played four games in eight days and will look forward to rest and preparation for the upcoming weekend.“We didn’t play as well as we should have,” sophomore goalkeeper Lindsay Campbell said. “But we did what we needed to get a win. We just need rest because we were a little fatigued and beaten up at halftime.”IU is making the most of its home field advantage this season. It is now 6-0 at home with 10 games remaining in the regular season schedule. It will play two of those away games this coming weekend. IU will face Northwestern at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in Evansville. They will turn around and travel to Wisconsin to face the Badgers on Sunday to wrap up the weekend.Lyon said the two games will prepare IU for future contests.“The speed and passion that’s in each conference game is likely what we could be facing in the national tournament,” he said.
(09/17/09 5:53pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A late goal by freshman forward Orianica Velasquez-Herrera was all the No. 22 Hoosiers needed to ensure a 1-0 victory over Butler (3-5) on Wednesday night. The win pushed IU to 7-1 in non-conference play, the best start in the history of IU women’s soccer.The Hoosiers controlled the majority of the game, dominating in time possession and shots on goal. They had multiple opportunities in the first half, including a shot by sophomore forward Carly Samp ricocheted off the right post, inches away from a goal.“We had plenty of opportunities in the first half to score a couple goals,” IU women’s soccer coach Mick Lyon said. “Butler did a nice job defensively, and when you put 11 girls in the box, it’s tough to score goals.”Finally, in the 79th minute, IU’s aggressive attack was too much for the Bulldogs to handle. Herrera took advantage of senior forward Liz Holby’s shot that was denied by Butler goalkeeper Jessica Schein and blasted the rebound in for her second goal of the year and the eventual game-winner.“I think we played pretty well,” Holby said. “We’re executing everything we learned in practice and really applying that in game situations.”The defense would hold off a valiant comeback effort by Butler, as they sent everyone they had up the field. However, of the six shots by the Bulldogs, none of them were on-goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Lindsay Campbell did not have to make one save in the game.“The good thing is we defended our set plays well, particularly in the end where they threw everything they had at us,” Lyon said.Butler senior forward Molly Kruger, who had two goals to beat IU last year, was held shot less on Wednesday Night.On Friday night, IU will finish its non-conference schedule at home against Green Bay (2-4).“If we play up to our level right now, I mean we are playing like a top-25 team," Lyon said. "But, first whistle against Green Bay, we have to continue to play at that level. We don’t win (Friday) because of how we played against Butler.”
(09/16/09 2:46am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Coming off a loss that snapped its nine-game winning streak, IU will look to revisit its winning ways at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday against Butler (3-4) at Bill Armstrong Stadium.“On Sunday, we just gave the ball away way too much,” IU coach Mick Lyon said of IU’s Sept. 13 loss to St. John’s. IU’s game against Butler features an interesting matchup. Butler senior midfielder Molly Kruger returns to IU, where she played her freshman year and was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2005. She also played alongside Hoosier senior defender Jessica Boots at Carmel High School from 2002 to 2005. The two won three straight Indiana high school state championships in soccer. Kruger was a three-time All-American, an Indiana Player of the Year and a two-time Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year for Carmel.Kruger and the Bulldogs played IU in 2008, and her two goals propelled the Bulldogs to a 2-1 victory against the Hoosiers.Lyon said IU has to control the game’s pace when facing such talent on the pitch.“Our focus for the next couple of games is that we have to have the ball for longer periods of time,” he said. “That’s where we’re most dangerous.”Butler, who finished 11-11 in 2008, is practically returning the same team that beat the Hoosiers last year, with only one starter missing. But they played significantly worse when playing away, with a record of 3-7 on the road. IU will look to stop Kruger and her fast-paced offensive approach on Wednesday with an improved defense. Sophomore midfielder Devon Beach said the No. 25 ranking IU had before its loss was exciting, but thinks the team still needs to prove itself. According to the latest poll, released on Tuesday, the Hoosiers are now the No. 22 team in the nation, even after their loss to an unranked team.“Well, I think it’s a huge game for us,” Lyon said. “We’ll be as good as our rebound. So we need to come out and play well.”
(09/07/09 3:28am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU women’s soccer team upset No. 6 Florida on Friday in a double-overtime thriller.They then traveled to Macon, Ga., on Sunday, where they overcame a 1-0 deficit at halftime against Mercer to defeat the Bears 2-1. The team is now 5-0 on the season. “After this game, we feel pretty good heading into Big Ten play,” IU women’s soccer coach Mick Lyon said Friday. “Florida threw everything they had at us, and we handled it very well.” When No. 6 Florida came into Bloomington, IU had an opportunity to prove that its previous victories weren’t all a fluke. IU did that by continuing its strong defensive play through halftime, with the score tied 0-0. In the 57th minute, a free kick from junior Chloe McKay led to a header from sophomore Devon Beach for a 1-0 lead. The ball sailed from 35 yards out to the middle of the box, where she headed it into the net. It was the second goal of the season for Beach, who is tied with sophomore forward Carly Samp for the team lead in points.“The fact that we’re scoring goals in every game with different players is huge,” Lyon said. “It’s something we struggled with last year. We’re a much better team than last year.”But an unfortunate turn of events would stop the Hoosiers from getting too comfortable. A clearing attempt by IU was popped in front of the goal in the 61st minute. The ball’s spin was underplayed by sophomore goalkeeper Lindsay Campbell as the ball slipped through her hands for an own goal score to tie the game at 1-1.Both teams would continue to battle it out into the second overtime, and into the 114th tiresome minute. Beach capitalized on freshman defender Hannah Davidson’s misfooting and dribbled down the right sideline where she sent a perfect cross to junior forward Leigh Anne Cummings. She held off a Florida defender and stuck one in the far post for a gamewinner that gave IU a 2-1 victory.It was the fifth game-winning goal of Cummings’ career. It was also the highest-ranked opponent IU has defeated since becoming a varsity sport in 1993.On Sunday, the Hoosiers traveled down to Macon, Ga., to play the Mercer Bears. In its first road trip, IU came out a little flat in the first 45 minutes and trailed 1-0 at halftime.“We just played average the first half,” Lyon said. “I knew that if we played our best, we were going to come back and win this game.”After making adjustments, the Hoosiers picked up their intensity thanks to a couple assists from senior defender Kelly Lawrence.Lawrence sent a free kick to Samp in the 63rd minute for her second goal of the year. Less than 10 minutes later, Lawrence sent a forward pass to senior defender Christie Kotynski for her first goal of the year. Her goal was all the Hoosier defense needed as junior goalkeeper Lauren Hollandsworth’s three saves ensured the 2-1 victory.IU travels to New York next weekend, where they’ll play Hofstra and St. John’s on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
(09/04/09 3:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Riding a 3-0 record into the weekend, the Hoosiers will face No. 6 Florida Gators (3-0) at 1 p.m. Friday in Bill Armstrong Stadium. They will then travel to Mercer (1-1-1) in Macon, Ga. on Sunday. This season marks IU’s best start since 2000 when the team began with a 5-0.The Hoosiers traveled to Gainesville in 2007 and lost 1-0. However, the two teams could not be any different in 2009. Florida has a majority of freshmen and sophomores, while IU returns mostly upperclassmen. The key to Friday’s matchup will depend on which team’s defense holds up. Florida senior defender Lauren Hyde will return to her home state. It will be the first time the All-American from Carmel has played in Bloomington. Mercer is a team IU women soccer coach Mick Lyon said the Hoosiers should not overlook this season. They’re coming off a weekend where they tied No. 16 Georgia. Like IU, Mercer’s goals have come from a variety of different players. The Bears averaged one goal in each of their three contests, each coming from a different player.Friday will not only feature the Hoosiers looking to upset the Gators, but it will also look to extend their consecutive shutout streak of more than 600 minutes. IU has been dominant at home under Lyon, going 42-16-6 at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
(08/31/09 2:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers inched closer to breaking IU’s previous scoreless minutes streak this weekend.IU recorded its second and third wins of the season by defeating Evansville (1-1-0) 3-0 Friday night before edging out Central Michigan (2-1-0) 1-0 Sunday. They are now 3-0-0 this season and nearing the record for the most consecutive minutes without allowing a goal for 505:58 minutes. The all-time IU mark of 808:34 goalless minutes dates back to 1993.IU outshot its opponents 37-11 this weekend. Returning defensive seniors Kelly Lawrence and Christie Kotynski combined to limit the opposition as sophomore goalie Lindsay Campbell only had to make four saves in two games.“Lindsay has been putting herself in great positions to not allow rebounds,” IU women’s soccer coach Mick Lyon said. “And we’re just very good at the back.” On Friday night, IU capitalized on turnovers in the first half and put pressure on the Aces’ defense. The Hoosiers got on the board early in the 18th minute when sophomore midfielder Devon Beach stuck a shot from the outside box for an early 1-0 lead. Freshman Orianica Velasquez Herrera scored the first goal of her career in the 31st minute on a long kick in the far corner from an assist by Beach.“She brings a lot of creativity and a different style of play,” Beach said of Herrera. “So it’s nice to try and work off of it.”The Hoosiers switched to a protective style of play in the second half, but that didn’t stop junior forward Jocelyn Moses from getting in on the board. Toward the end of the 76th minute, Moses put the game out of reach by taking advantage of a cross from sophomore Carly Samp that snuck through the defenders and landed near Moses. The score helped preserve IU’s 3-0 lead and allowed IU to continue its defensive style to ensure a shutout, prolonging the team’s scoreless streak. On Sunday, Samp’s breakaway goal in the sixth minute was all the Hoosier defense needed to ensure their sixth straight shutout in the win against Central Michigan. The early goal allowed the defense to drop back and sustain a 1-0 victory. “Having the same players back from last year playing the same roles, they’re just very organized and we’re just bearing the fruit of that right now,” Lyon said.