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(11/16/07 11:05pm)
WEST LAFAYETTE – The IU women’s soccer team will advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after a 3-2 double-overtime victory over Toledo on Friday.\nOn Sunday, the Hoosiers will play rival and No. 2 seed Purdue.\nThe Hoosiers’ first goal came in the 10th minute when sophomore defender Jessica Boots crossed a pass into senior midfielder Katy Stewart who headed it past Rocket goalkeeper sophomore Andrea Plewes for her first score of the season.\n“It’s fitting for me (scoring first goal of season in the tournament) because I have put in a lot of hard work all season,” Stewart said. “But I knew it wasn’t going to be enough today, so I am happy we had so many people step up.”\nIU struck again right before the end of the half when freshman forward Jocelyn Moses redirected a centering pass from sophomore forward Kristin Arnold in the 40th minute.\n“It was exciting, I wasn’t really expecting (scoring in the NCAA Tournament),” Moses said. “It was great to just help the team get to the second round.”\nMoses had just come into the game four minutes earlier, and the score was her second of the year.\nThe Rockets showed signs of life late in the match, as Toledo sophomore forward Ali Leak centered a pass to teammate forward Molly Cornwell, who blasted a strike into the upper left corner of the goal.\nThe Hoosiers had controlled the flow of the game until the goal, which seemed to deflate any momentum IU had.\n“It’s hard to stay mentally in it when you know you are up, and I think we got a little mentally complacent and thought we could hold them,” Stewart said. “This has been a long season, and I think that if we can keep our heads in the game for all 90 minutes on Sunday, we are going to be great.”\nToledo scored again to send the match into overtime with less than five minutes left in the game when defender Suzi Siwinksi blasted a shot past Hoosier goalkeeper freshman Lauren Hollandsworth.\nThe game remained scoreless through the first overtime and both teams had opportunities in the second, but it was Arnold who won the game with a header over Plewes with two minutes left before penalty kicks, which Toledo has won their last two games on.\n“There were only a few minutes left before PKs, so we were really pushing and it was big for us to get the goal and win,” Arnold said. “You never want to go into a game and finish on penalty kicks after playing 110 minutes of soccer. I’m confident in our shooters and goalie, but if you can avoid it, you want to.”\nThe Hoosiers will face Purdue on Sunday in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers defeated Oakland 4-0 on four second-half goals Friday.
(11/16/07 3:59am)
With its season on the line, the IU women’s soccer team will battle the University of Toledo on Friday in the Hoosiers’ first NCAA Tournament game since 1998. \nThe Hoosiers travel to West Lafayette to take on the Rockets at 11 a.m. The winner of Friday’s match and the winner of the Purdue-Oakland contest will face each other Sunday. The winner of that game will travel to College Station, Texas, and continue in the tournament.\nIU has never faced Toledo before, but the Hoosiers said they know they will have to dictate the pace of the game against the pressing Rockets.\n“We are pretty sure that they are just going to come out hard and full of energy, with really high pressure,” said sophomore defender Jessica Boots. “So we are just going to have to figure out how to deal with that and control the flow of the game.”\nToledo is a member of the Mid-American Conference, and while the Hoosiers have never faced the Rockets, they are familiar with the MAC. The Hoosiers hold a 7-1-0 all-time record against MAC schools, including a 2-1 victory over Ball State in Bloomington this year.\n“(Coach) thinks they are going to play in a 4-3-3 formation similar to Ball State that we played earlier in the year,” sophomore forward Kristin Arnold said. “They will play with really high pressure, not giving us a lot of time to play, so we have to be ready to play quick with good touches and good passes to get through (the defense).”\nArnold leads IU in goals with nine this season. But the notoriety that comes with the goals and subsequent awards – two Big Ten player of the week honors and a second team All-Big Ten selection – has led to more attention from opposing teams. Battling double teams and shadowing defenders towards the end of the season, Arnold was held scoreless over the last six games. She said she is hoping to use the extra attention to her team’s advantage by setting up her teammates.\n“Playing up top with (senior midfielder/forward Lindsay) McCarthy, I just look to get short combinations with her or dump it off and look to get behind, because I don’t have a lot of time,” Arnold said.\nIU coach Mick Lyon said Arnold’s lack of scoring recently has not been because of any lack of effort on the pitch.\n“There’s a few games where she played too quickly and making decisions too quickly because of the double teams and how quickly she was getting pressured, but now I think she has settled down,” Lyon said. “I think she played tremendously in the Big Ten Tournament. We’ve told her to remain confident in herself because we are very confident in her.”\nArnold said Friday marks a new season for IU.\n“Every game from here on out is our biggest game of the season, regardless of what has happened before,” Arnold said. “This is basically a new season starting now. We have to come out and put everything we have out there, because it could be our last game.”
(11/13/07 6:01am)
IU women’s soccer coach Mick Lyon said his goal every season is to be playing on his birthday – Nov. 18 – because then his team would be playing in the NCAA Tournament. For the first time in his tenure at IU, one of his teams might meet that goal.\nThe Hoosiers found out last night they would be playing in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1998. \n“I can’t even describe how excited I am,” senior midfielder Beverly Markwort said. “It’s just something that I have worked at for the last three years, so it’s great before I graduate to finally get to experience this.”\nThe Hoosiers’ season record currently stands at 12-6-2, with a 5-5-1 conference record. But after losing their last five Big Ten games, some players were unsure as to whether they would make the tournament.\nBut sure enough, IU was named to the West Lafayette section of the bracket, where they drew Toledo.\n“It’s definitely a relief sitting through that and seeing our name kind of early,” senior midfielder Katy Stewart said. “They didn’t even put any suspense on us. They put us out there in the first few rounds. To know that we finally achieved something we have been waiting for since 1998 is great.”\nWhat likely swayed NCAA committee’s decision on the Hoosiers’ fate was the team’s Rating Percentage Index – which judges teams based on winning percentage, strength of schedule and opponents’ strength of schedule.\nIn the final RPI rankings released by the NCAA, IU ranked No. 18, third best in the Big Ten behind No. 1 Penn State and No. 13 Purdue, which won the Big Ten Tournament. \nAnother important part of the Hoosiers’ tournament resume was that all of IU’s losses this season came to opponents ranking in the Top 36 in the RPI, and all were on the road save the second loss to Ohio State, which came at a neutral site in the Big Ten Tournament.\nLyon said he thought all along that his team would make the tournament, but wasn’t sure where it would have to play. He said that he was happy to be playing in West Lafayette. \n“I think there couldn’t be a better place for us to go,” Lyon said. “We know the field and know what to expect.”\nIf IU beats Toledo on Friday, the team will face the winner of the match between Purdue and Oakland. That game would be Sunday – Lyon’s birthday.\nLyon also said he was anxious for a possible rematch with Purdue, who crushed IU 7-0 in the the last meeting, as IU was battling injuries.\n“We are going to work on getting past Toledo and getting past them first,” he said. “But that potential match-up with Purdue, that’s just motivation oozing out of every pore.”\nThe time for Friday’s game against the Rockets has yet to be announced. The meeting will be the first between the two programs.\n“It feels great to finally make it,” senior midfielder Lindsay McCarthy said. “It’s been our goal since we came in as freshmen, and it is great to be able to continue playing this season, because we don’t want it to end.”
(11/13/07 3:19am)
Women’s soccer coach Mick Lyon said his goal every season is to be playing on his birthday – Nov. 18 – because then his team would be playing in the NCAA Tournament. For the first time in his tenure at IU, one of his team’s might meet that goal.\nThe Hoosiers found out last night they would be playing in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1998. \n“I can’t even describe how excited I am,” senior midfielder Beverly Markwort said. “It’s just something that I have worked for the last three years, so it’s great before I graduate to finally get to experience this.”\nThe Hoosiers’ season record currently stands at 12-6-2, with a 5-5-1 conference record. But after losing their last five Big Ten games, some players were unsure as to whether they would make the tournament.\nBut sure enough, IU was named to the West Lafayette section of the bracket, where they drew Toledo.\n“It’s definitely a relief sitting through that and seeing our name kind of early,” senior midfielder Katy Stewart said. “They didn’t even put any suspense on us. They put us out there in the first few rounds. To know that we finally achieved something we have been waiting for since 1998 is great.”\nWhat likely swayed NCAA committee’s decision on the Hoosiers’ fate was the team’s Rating Percentage Index – which judges teams based on winning percentage, strength of schedule and opponents’ strength of schedule.\nIn the final RPI rankings released by the NCAA, IU ranked No. 18, third best in the Big Ten behind No. 1 Penn State and No. 13 Purdue, which won the Big Ten Tournament. \nAnother important part of the Hoosiers’ tournament resume was that all of IU’s losses this season came to opponents ranking in the Top 36 in the RPI, and all were on the road save the second loss to Ohio State, which came at a neutral site in the Big Ten Tournament.\nLyon said he thought all along that his team would make the tournament, but wasn’t sure where they would have to play. He said that he was happy to be playing in West Lafayette. \n“I think there couldn’t be a better place for us to go,” Lyon said. “We know the field and know what to expect.”\nIf IU beats Toledo on Friday, they will face the winner of the match between Purdue and Oakland. That game would be Sunday – Lyon’s birthday.\nLyon also said he was anxious for a possible rematch with Purdue, who crushed IU 7-0 in the their last meeting, as IU was battling injuries.\n“We are going to work on getting past Toledo and getting past them first,” he said. “But that potential match-up with Purdue, that’s just motivation oozing out of every pore.”\nThe time for Friday’s game against the Rockets has yet to be announced. The meeting will be the first between the two programs.\n“It feels great to finally make it,” senior midfielder Lindsay McCarthy said. “It’s been our goal since we came in as freshmen, and it is great to be able to continue playing this season, because we don’t want it to end.”
(11/11/07 11:43pm)
The IU women’s soccer team lost their first-round game in the Big Ten Tournament to Ohio State 2-1 on Thursday.\n“The team played outstanding and gave a great performance,” IU coach Mick Lyon said. “Obviously, I’m disappointed that, with the several chances we had, that we didn’t put in the back of the net.”\nIU had 18 shots on goal in the match as opposed to the Buckeyes’ 13.\nEight minutes into overtime, Buckeye senior midfielder Lara Dickenmann sent a cross into the six-yard box that was punched toward the near post by Hoosier freshman goalkeeper Lauren Hollandsworth.\nWith the ball on the way to the post, Ohio State sophomore midfielder Ashley Bowyer slid in and redirected the ball into the back of the net, giving OSU the win.\nIU struck first in the contest in the 54th minute, when sophomore forward Kristin Arnold sent a corner kick into senior midfielder Lindsay McCarthy, who gathered the ball and struck it into the corner of the goal. The score was McCarthy’s fifth of the season.\nIU didn’t have the lead long, however, as Buckeye freshman midfielder Courtney Jenkins bent a ball past Hollandsworth less than three minutes later.\n“(The Hoosiers) just played outstanding,” Lyon said. “Which is just tremendous since we were absolutely blown apart last weekend by Purdue. But then again, this was a different team, the same team showed up at Penn State and Ohio State a couple of weeks ago, and that is just a great, great team.”
(11/09/07 5:25am)
The IU women’s soccer team lost its first-round game in the Big Ten Tournament to Ohio State 2-1 on Thursday.\n“The team played outstanding and gave a great performance,” IU coach Mick Lyon said. “Obviously, I’m disappointed that, with the several chances we had, that we didn’t put in the back of the net.”\nIU had 18 shots on goal in the match as opposed to the Buckeyes’ 13.\nEight minutes into overtime, Buckeye senior midfielder Lara Dickenmann sent a cross into the six-yard box that was punched toward the near post by Hoosier freshman goalkeeper Lauren Hollandsworth.\nWith the ball on the way to the post, Ohio State sophomore midfielder Ashley Bowyer slid in and redirected the ball into the back of the net, giving OSU the win.\nIU struck first in the contest in the 54th minute, when sophomore forward Kristin Arnold sent a corner kick into senior midfielder Lindsay McCarthy, who gathered the ball and struck it into the corner of the goal. The score was McCarthy’s fifth of the season.\nIU didn’t have the lead long, however, as Buckeye freshman midfielder Courtney Jenkins bent a ball past Hollandsworth less than three minutes later.\n“(The Hoosiers) just played outstanding,” Lyon said. “Which is just tremendous since we were absolutely blown apart last weekend by Purdue. But then again, this was a different team, the same team showed up at Penn State and Ohio State a couple of weeks ago, and that is just a great, great team.”\nThe loss to the Buckeyes parallels last season’s storyline for the Hoosiers, as the last two years have seen the squad gather long winning streaks, only to stumble down the stretch. IU hopes the comparison with last year ends now, as they wait to see if they get into the NCAA Tournament. \nAfter last year’s loss in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, the squad didn’t get an at-large bid for the NCAAs.\nLyon feels, however, that this year’s team has done enough to get their bid. \n“We don’t have a bad loss, and we have great wins,” Lyon said. “There is no doubt about it.”\nThe Hoosiers have a strong overall record at 12-6-2, but will be relying on their high Ratings Percentage Index as the time comes for the NCAA committee to decide what teams get at-large bids for the NCAA tournament.\nIn the latest RPI rankings, the Hoosiers were No. 18, third highest in the Big Ten behind Penn State and Purdue, who rank nationally at No. 1 and No. 13, respectively.\nIn the Hoosiers’ favor is their win over No. 4 USC, one of the Spartans’ two losses on the season. All six of IU’s losses have come to teams with RPI rankings in the Top 36 nationally.\nThe selection show for the NCAA Tournament will be televised at 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12, on ESPNEWS. Until then, IU waits.\nLyon remains confident that his team can compete well against top teams in the country.\n“I stand by my words,” Lyon said. “I’ll take anybody in the NCAA Tournament. I think we’ll do well.”
(11/08/07 3:33am)
After four consecutive conference losses, today could potentially mark the end of the IU women’s soccer season as the team plays its first-round game of the Big Ten Tournament against Ohio State in Minneapolis.\n“We haven’t finished these last couple of games off well, so it’s important in getting a bid for the NCAA tournament,” sophomore forward Kristin Arnold said. “We don’t want to finish our season after this Ohio State game, so we have to come out and play really well.” \nA win against Ohio State could fortify a spot in the NCAA tournament whereas a loss would leave the Hoosiers’ fate in question.\nIU goes into the Big Ten Tournament seeded fourth in the conference with a 5-4-1 record in Big Ten play and an overall record of 12-5-2.\nThe Hoosiers find themselves in a similar situation to last year where they had a strong season that ended with four conference losses and went into the conference tournament seeded fourth. Last year’s campaign finished with a loss in the first round of the tournament, narrowly missing an at-large bid for the NCAA tournament.\nThe most important factor for the Hoosiers heading into postseason play will be their Ratings Percentage Index, or RPI.\nThe Hoosiers’ RPI is third highest in the Big Ten, ranking 18th nationally. A team’s RPI is determined by its winning percentage, strength of schedule and its opponent’s strength of schedule. \nThe NCAA committee, which determines who makes the NCAA tournament, factors a team’s RPI into its decision to offer at-large bids.\nThe Hoosiers’ only losses have come to teams with RPI rankings in the Top 36, including Penn State and Purdue who rank first and 13th, respectively. Helping the Hoosiers’ RPI is the team’s win over No. 9 USC, which accounted for one of the Trojans’ two losses on the season.\n“Finishing with a couple of ‘W’s’ could seal the deal for us,” IU coach Mick Lyon said. “Our RPI and our record over the last 10 games are good. I think most of that is sealed.”\nIn IU’s last few games, a “W” has been hard to come by.\nAfter dropping their first game of the season to then-No. 13 Florida on the road, the Hoosiers rattled off a 13-game unbeaten streak, including going undefeated during the month of September, capping off an unbeaten season at home.\nSince then, however, IU has lost its last four Big Ten games – all on the road against the conference’s top foes – including the final game of the regular season, a 7-0 loss in West Lafayette. IU has also struggled with injuries among its top contributors heading into the Big Ten Tournament.\n“We had a tough day last Friday, and we need to come back and show who we are,” senior midfielder Katy Stewart said. “We have a lot of character on this team. We’ve shown that by coming back from behind and winning games.”\nThe Hoosiers’ match with Ohio State begins at 2 p.m. If IU wins, it will then take on the winner of No. 6 Penn State and Iowa. The Hoosiers have not won a Big Ten Tournament game since 1998.\n“We have been close with games going into overtime, and all kinds of things,” Lyon said. “But we need to get a win in the Big Ten Tournament, not just for the team but for the whole program.”
(11/05/07 4:20am)
Incapacitated by injuries, the IU women’s soccer team was “shell-shocked” by rival No. 8 Purdue 7-0 in West Lafayette on Friday afternoon. \nWith the loss, the Hoosiers finish their regular season fourth in the Big Ten for the second season in a row at 5-4-1 in conference, 12-5-2 overall. \nThree of IU’s top contributors were injured heading into the game. Sophomore midfielder Christie Kotynski suffered a broken nose a week earlier against Ohio State, senior midfielder Beverly Markwort missed five games this season after knee surgery and is currently plagued by a rib injury and senior midfielder Katy Stewart was unable to train all week, IU coach Mick Lyon said. \nPurdue’s first two goals came in the sixth minute. Purdue senior midfielder Shauna Stapleton struck first as she curved the ball off the crossbar and into the net for her ninth goal of \nthe season. \nFifty-five seconds later, senior midfielder/forward Parrissa Eyorokon added another goal, putting the Boilermakers \nup 2-0.\nThe Boilermakers scored on all four of their first attempts.\n“It was just one of those days,” Lyon said. “And certainly not to take anything away from Purdue, they’re a great team. But when you get shell-shocked like that with the first four shots going in and three of your top players on the sideline, that’s tough”\nBy halftime, Purdue was \nup 5-0. \n“It was 5-0 at the half, so we only let up two goals in the second with half of our first team playing,” Lyon said. “So, that’s the good part. We are not too worried about the result, more about what we can learn from the adversity the \ngame brought.” \nAfter the game, Lyon said that his main concerns weren’t with the result of the game.\n“My concern is not necessarily with the game, but the health of my top players and the psyche of the youngsters,” he said. “Because what happened was when those first three shots went in, all of the sudden the youngsters made like ostriches and buried their heads in the sand and hoped that everything would \ngo away.”\nSomething else the Hoosiers would like to go away is the similarity between last year’s implosion and what has happened in the last four Big Ten games for IU. Fresh off of a long win streak last season, IU lost its last four Big Ten games, and then lost in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.\nLike last year, the Hoosiers dropped their last four Big Ten games to finish the regular season. They will try and shake the comparisons to last year on Thursday, as they take on Ohio State in the first round of the \nconference tournament.
(11/02/07 4:23am)
After losing a 2-1 game at Purdue last year on a rain-soaked pitch, the IU women’s soccer team has to travel to Purdue again this year to try and exact revenge in the final game of the season.\n“Last year was tough, going to their field and playing in a rainstorm with water everywhere and losing,” said sophomore forward Kristin Arnold.\nBeating Purdue would mean topping the No. 8 team in the nation. It would also be the program’s first victory over the Boilermakers since 1999, even though their last 10 meetings have been decided by one goal. \n“It’s been a long time since we beat them,” IU coach Mick Lyon said. “We haven’t beaten them since I’ve been here. I’ve felt we have been very close, but getting that ‘W’ is very important and needs to get done.”\nThe Hoosiers’ season this year has many parallels with last year’s. For two straight years, IU has gone undefeated in the month of September.\nLast season’s team posted a 14-game unbeaten streak, while this year’s squad notched a 13-game unbeaten streak.\nThe similarities don’t end there. Last season, the Hoosiers dropped their last four Big Ten matches and lost in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.\nThis year, the team is heading down the same path. The Hoosiers have dropped their last three matches during a streak of having to finish their Big Ten season on the road against the top four teams in conference.\n“I’m not worried about the team lacking confidence,” Lyon said. “Yes, it’s a little bit of deja vu from last year, but this year, we are playing extremely well. Last year, I felt like we were just playing OK. Anybody who watched the Penn State game saw we played tremendous against a top Big Ten team.”\nOther than possibly playing against each other in high school, some of the Purdue and Indiana players have gotten to know each other. Over the summer, both teams were represented on the national champion Carmel Cyclones under-19 club team.\nFive sophomores from IU played on the squad – Arnold, midfielders Nikki Bonacorsi, Christie Kotynski, Natalie O’Bryan and defender Jessica Boots. \nPurdue’s goalkeeper, redshirt sophomore Jenny Bradfisch, tended net for the club. She leads the Big Ten in fewest goals against, allowing an average of 0.54 goals per game.\nArnold said she also knows Boilermakers senior midfielders Shauna Stapleton and Jordyn Shaffer from playing for her Dayton club team in high school, and that she is looking forward to playing her old teammates.\n“I always looked up to them. They are excellent players,” Arnold said. “So to be on the same field with them and to have a team I know we can beat them with is great.”\nO’Bryan said it wasn’t that big of a deal to her to be playing her club teammates.\n“It’s always fun playing against your friends,” O’Bryan said. “But when you step on the field, they are no longer friends.”\nThe Hoosiers know this game is more important than an in-state rivalry or a reunion with old teammates. They have played well in their last two losses, losing by only one goal in each match, but need a win in their final game to gather what momentum they can heading into the Big Ten Tournament.\n“It’s always huge having momentum going into the postseason,” Arnold said. “We were really unlucky last weekend not to get two wins. We can no longer play well and just not get the win.”
(11/01/07 11:28pm)
While on a recruiting trip in 2004, IU women’s soccer coach Mick Lyon went for a run through the hills of England, his native country. He said he felt fine, but the next day he could hardly walk. Lyon hid the odd feelings in his legs for a month before seeking medical help. Soon after, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a disease that affects the nervous system.\nWhat made Lyon’s case of MS atypical was that two years earlier his wife had been diagnosed with the same disease. \n“That’s extremely unusual,” said Dr. David Mattson, director for the IU School of Medicine’s Neuroimmunology/Multiple Sclerosis Program. “Occasionally people will meet because of their MS and get married, but I’ve never had a situation like that.”\nBut both Mick and Elizabeth Lyon said their cases of MS are manageable and they are lucky for it. Both have passions they said they would never let MS take away. For Elizabeth Lyon, it’s running, and for Mick, it’s coaching.\nDiagnoses don’t hold them down\nMick Lyon coached the University of Evansville women’s soccer program for nine years before coming to IU in 2002. A week after he got the job at IU, Elizabeth was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.\nElizabeth Lyon has since become a national MS ambassador. Her passion for running has pulled her through, and she has started a running club. Her “celebrate ability, not disability” mentality has helped her support her husband, and it has brought the couple closer together.\n“There are things that probably are unseen to people around us that we are very aware that are going on,” she said. “Certainly there is a sixth sense between us. He sees and feels when stuff is going on with me, and likewise.”\nMick Lyon waited from February 2004 until December of that year before telling his team about his condition. He said he needed the time to become comfortable with himself. \nLike Elizabeth, Mick’s passion made his MS seem like merely “a bump in the road.” He said his MS causes him to become fatigued over the course of the season, but he said it has not affected his passion for coaching or his ability to coach.
(10/26/07 3:58am)
The IU women’s soccer team is in the middle of a pivotal moment in its season. Their mettle will be tested as they finish their regular season play on the road against three top Big Ten teams.\n“These are must wins,” senior midfielder Katy Stewart said. “We have the chance to go 3-0 and win the Big Ten title or go 0-3 and barely make the (Big Ten) tournament.”\nThis weekend, the Hoosiers will face Ohio State on Friday and then No. 13 Penn State on Sunday. After the weekend, IU will finish the regular season at No. 5 Purdue.\nThe Hoosiers are currently 12-2-2 with a record of 5-1-1 in the Big Ten. This test will show whether they are a top team in not only the Big Ten, but the nation, something they believe they can be.\n“Our coach has been reminding us that all of our games are must wins,” senior forward Lindsay McCarthy said. “We have the chance to win the Big Ten so I think everyone is excited about these games coming up. We are not scared at all. We are ready to get out there and give it our all.”\nLast weekend, the Hoosiers dropped a road game similar to those coming up, when IU was dealt its second loss of the season last Friday at Illinois. \n“We haven’t been on the road much, so I think since it was their Senior Night and there were a lot of fans there, that we might have got distracted,” McCarthy said. “But it was good for us to experience that, because we are going to face that with the next three games. It was a good awakening that I think is already preparing us for our next three games.”\nStewart said the loss was a result of the Hoosiers not being able to capitalize on opportunities, a problem she said the team will try to fix.\n“(Illinois) play(s) a lot different style than Big Ten teams we play, as well as any other non-conference teams we played,” Stewart said. “So they brought a very different style at us, and I don’t think we were able to adjust as quickly as we needed to. The thing about it was we had shots on goal, we had as many shots as they did.”\nIU coach Mick Lyon said he wants his team to be excited for the weekend’s matches but focused at the same time.\n“I want their mind set to be excited, but not to let that excitement overcome them,” Lyon said. “What we need to do is just perform well, and we will have chances to win all three of our last games. Our focus has been on Ohio State, and we need to have a mind set that we are going there to win a game, and then we will go and take care of Penn State at their place.” \nLyon also said that he wants his defense to play better than they did at Illinois.\n“On the defensive side, we need to step up and rise to the challenge. Either you become a mouse or a mountain lion,” Lyon said. \nThe game against Ohio State kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The match at Penn State will be at 1 p.m. Sunday and will be aired on the Big Ten Network.
(10/22/07 3:53am)
Their unbeaten streak stopped at 13 on Friday night, but freshman midfielder Chloe McKay said the IU women’s soccer team is starting a new streak after the Hoosiers came from behind to defeat Oakland University on Sunday.\n“Our first goal was to just go out there and win, and come back, because we did not want to lose again,” McKay said. “It brought us back up, and we now have put the loss behind us and are on our new win streak.”\nIllinois defeated the Hoosiers 3-0 on Friday night. The loss was IU’s first since its season-opener Aug. 31 at then-No. 14 Florida.\nFighting Illini senior forward Ella Masar lit up the Hoosiers, as she scored two of her team’s three goals on Illinois’ senior night.\nIU coach Mick Lyon said the game against Illinois came down to the Hoosiers not being able to capitalize on opportunities, letting the Fighting Illini control the game’s momentum and not coming through in one-on-one situations.\nThe loss moved IU’s conference record to 5-1-1. The Hoosiers are currently third in the Big Ten behind Purdue, 6-0-1, and Penn State, 6-1-0.\nWhile playing at home yesterday, the Hoosiers had to come from behind for the fifth time this season to defeat Oakland 2-1. \nThe win was the last home game of the season for the Hoosiers and secured an unbeaten season at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The 9-0-1 home record is the team’s best in school history.\n“(Going undefeated at home) is fantastic,” Lyon said. “I’m shocked about this team. It is special to have such great kids.”\nOakland controlled the first half of the game Sunday, and led 1-0 at halftime. \nBut the Hoosiers poured on the pressure in the second half, starting with the equalizing goal from McKay just two minutes in.\n“(The goal) started with the ball on the wing, and I knew there was going to be a cross,” McKay said. “And I saw one of our players running in, so I decided to stay at the top of the box and wait for the rebound. I waited, and the ball came shooting back, out and I just put it where the keeper wasn’t.”\nThe game-winning goal then came in the 82nd minute, as sophomore defender Jessica Boots tallied her first goal of the season. \n“There was play in the box and we had a couple of chances that we didn’t fall in, and the ball came back out right outside the 18 (yard box), and I just took a touch and struck it,” Boots said.\nLyon said the biggest difference between the halves was that his team was much more aggressive in the second half. \nThat aggression showed in the final box score. \nIn the second half, the Hoosiers nearly doubled their shot-on-goal total from the first half and out-shot the Golden Grizzlies 13-3.\nBoots said the Oakland – and every game going forward – will be crucial to IU’s season.\n“I think that this game meant a lot,” Boots said. “It was kind of like a start to the new season – the second half of the season – which every game we have to win or we are going to be out.”\nAfter the win, the Hoosiers’ season record stands at 12-2-2. Their next match is 7:30 p.m. Friday at Ohio State.
(10/19/07 3:08am)
The IU women’s soccer team finally broke into the national top 25 this week, coming in at No. 24. The Hoosiers will seek to demonstrate that they deserve that recognition as they begin the most trying part of the season.\nThe Hoosiers head to Champagne, Ill., tonight as they prepare to end the Big Ten season with road games against four of the five teams ranked ahead of them in Big Ten preseason polls.\nTheir only home game the rest of the season will be Sunday’s non-conference match against the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies, who are currently riding a five-game unbeaten streak.\nLast year, Illinois finished second in the Big Ten and reached the third round of the NCAA tournament. But the Illini are currently underachieving from their preseason rank of 20, and did not receive any votes for this week’s top 25 poll.\nIllinois will not be any easy match for the Hoosiers, however. In their last eight meetings with the Fighting Illini, the Hoosiers are 0-6-2, including losses in the last two meetings. \nLast year’s meeting saw IU lose 1-0 as the team finished its regular season with four straight losses.\n“Last year, we lost to them when we went there, so it is kind of revenge – we are wanting to redeem ourselves,” sophomore defender Kelly Lawrence said. \nThe Fighting Illini are 3-2-1 in conference play, placing them fourth in the Big Ten. But Illinois has been nearly unbeatable this year at home, posting a 5-1-1 record.\n“It is going to be a tough game.” senior midfielder Beverly Markwort said. “They are always tough, and they are ranked up there at the top of the Big Ten. So it is a big game, it is the start of a bunch of good games we’ll have to play.”\nThe No. 24 Hoosiers will go into the match with a 13-game unbeaten streak and an overall record of 11-1-2. They are 5-0-1 in Big Ten play.\n“We kind of thought we should have been ranked the last few weeks, but it definitely means that we are going in the right direction and we are a team that is up there and should be in the NCAA tournament,” Lawrence said. “Last year, the highest we got ranked was 16th, and I feel like we are a better team this year, so we definitely deserve 24th.”\nMuch of IU’s recent success has come off of the foot of sophomore forward Kristin Arnold, who is tied atop the Big Ten with nine goals.\nArnold was named to Soccer America’s Team of the Week and Soccer Buzz’s Elite Team of the Week this week for her exceptional performance, scoring three goals in two games last weekend.\nAfter this weekend’s matches, IU will finish its season with road games against Ohio State, No. 8 Penn State and No. 5 Purdue. \nThose three teams and Illinois made up the top four teams in the Big Ten coaches’ preseason rankings. IU ranked sixth.\n“We definitely need to get points against the better teams in the Big Ten,” Markwort said. “And now that we are ranked No. 24, we want to show we can beat the better teams. The last four games are the better teams.”\nIU will face off against Illinois at 7 p.m. Friday, and then host Oakland at noon Sunday.\n“(The Illinois match) is an important game,” IU coach Mick Lyon said. “Every game from now on is important, that’s where we have put ourselves.”
(10/15/07 4:53am)
The IU women’s soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to 13 games this weekend with home victories over Minnesota and Iowa.\nLed by two goals from sophomore forward Kristin Arnold and scores from freshmen forwards Leigh Anne Cummings and Jocelyn Moses, the Hoosiers defeated Minnesota 4-2 on Friday night. \nMoses’ goal was the first of her career.\nYesterday, the Hoosiers defeated Iowa 1-0 in overtime as Arnold netted her third goal of the weekend in the 98th minute.\nThe win had extra meaning to the Hoosiers after losing to Iowa last year in overtime. \n“It’s really good (to beat Iowa),” Arnold said. “We talked at the beginning about how last year we went into their stadium and they beat us in overtime 1-0. So, to come out today and – even though we didn’t have our best game – to get a win just shows the determination of the team and how closely knit we are.”\nSophomore defender Jessica Boots echoed her teammate’s sentiments.\n“We definitely went out there for revenge,” Boots said. “Last year was very upsetting and to come back and beat them, especially in overtime, is just wonderful.”\nBoots and the rest of the Hoosiers’ defense limited Iowa to \nseven shots – only two on goal. The defense had to be on its game because the IU offense, despite having 23 shots – 12 by Arnold – and a team total of eight shots on net, couldn’t score in regulation.\n“We were pretty solid in the back,” Boots said. “We did well communication-wise and marking, and that’s what helped us win the game.”\nIn six games of conference play, Arnold has recorded eight goals. She leads the Hoosiers in goals with nine and in points with 20.\n“(Arnold) is in a groove right now where she thinks every time she shoots that it is going in and for a forward that is huge,” coach Mick Lyon said. “Her movement off the ball has really opened up. She is starting to really understand the game and how we want it played.”\nArnold said she owes a lot of her success to her teammates finding her open.\n“The girls have done an awesome job of finding me with awesome through-balls, and if I don’t score I’m not doing my job and I shouldn’t be on the field,” Arnold said.\nSince losing to Florida on Aug. 31, the Hoosiers have earned a record of 11-0-2, and are 5-0-1 in Big Ten play.\n“They’re definitely confident,” Lyon said. “I am trying to hold them off from being too cocky. I try to tell them that they are only as good as their next game.”\nThe Hoosiers’ next game is Friday against Illinois on the road. The Hoosiers will host their final home game of the season Sunday as Oakland comes to Bill Armstrong Stadium.
(10/12/07 4:54am)
This weekend’s matches against Minnesota and Iowa will mark the last two Big Ten home games for the IU women’s soccer team this season.\nThe Hoosiers are currently receiving the second-highest number of votes among unranked teams in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll, and are ranked 12th in the first Ratings Percentage Index rankings released for 2007. The RPI rankings help the selection committee determine which teams receive at-large bids to the NCAA tournament. \nLed by a potent offense, the Hoosiers are riding an 11-game unbeaten streak, over which they have a record of 9-0-2. In their 12 games (9-1-2) so far this season, the Hoosiers have netted 24 goals, three more than last season’s total.\nWith five of those goals coming off corner kicks, IU coach Mick Lyon is confident in his team’s ability to score from set pieces.\n“We have good players who can serve the ball,” Lyon said. “Having players who can really put the ball where you want it is a huge part of set plays. Anyone can hit the ball as hard as Beckham, but can they put it with the right spin and with the right pace to get it in the back corner every time? I think that’s what we are doing \nreally well.”\nThe Hoosiers have several players who can serve the ball into the 18-yard box on a corner kick.\nFor serves that require a left-footed kicker, freshman midfielder Chloe McKay is usually in charge of taking the kick.\n“We have a couple of different plays,” McKay said. “There is either a back-post run that we are looking for, or we are looking to put it on the two (players) that are standing on the near-post, so they can flick it on to the back-post. We always have at least two to three options wherever we are playing.”\nAfter the ball is served in, it is usually sophomore midfielder/forward Christie Kotynski’s job to gather and shoot the ball. \n“Basically, I’m just following the ball wherever it goes,” Kotynski said. “I have to be on the end of every set piece.”\nKotynski has four of the Hoosiers’ five goals off of corner kicks.\n“We are very dangerous on set pieces, I think anywhere on the field, but especially on corners having the height that we do,” McKay said. “Christie has been doing great with finishing, and so has Lindsay (McCarthy), especially off of headers.”\nMcCarthy, a senior forward, became the third Hoosier in the last three weeks to get at least a share of Big Ten Player of the Week honors. \nMcCarthy scored both of IU’s goals last weekend, as the Hoosiers tied Michigan and beat Michigan State, both on the road.\nMinnesota and Iowa finished in a tie for 10th in the Big Ten last year, but both have winning records in conference play so far this year at 2-1.\nIU plays Minnesota at 7 p.m. Friday night at Bill Armstrong Stadium. It then faces Iowa at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
(10/08/07 4:10am)
The IU women’s soccer team recorded their third win in the Big Ten on Sunday after a shutout from freshman goalkeeper Lauren Hollandsworth against Michigan State.\nThe 1-0 road win moved the Hoosiers’ record to 9-1-2 and 3-0-1 in the Big Ten. It also extended IU’s unbeaten streak to 11 games, during which the team has a record of 9-0-2.\nHollandsworth had to make a career-high six saves en route to her fourth shutout of the season.\n“Lauren is getting better and better every single game,” IU coach Mick Lyon said. “The experience of playing is helping her, and I think the things that she wasn’t comfortable with at the beginning of the year she is getting better at. She is definitely a great shot-stopper.”\nThough they allowed six shots on goal, the Hoosiers’ defense caught Michigan State offsides four times. \n“I’m extremely happy,” Hollandsworth said. “I always wanted to get at least one (shutout) this weekend. ... I had a lot of help from the defense. They definitely worked hard as well.”\nThe lone goal of the contest came from senior forward Lindsay McCarthy in the \n73rd minute.\nThe score was McCarthy’s third of the season and second in as many games, as she had the Hoosiers’ only goal Thursday in a 1-1 draw with Michigan.\n“I got the ball to my feet, I turned and beat a player and then I found the top right corner of the goal,” McCarthy said. “I feel happy to help my team on an undefeated weekend, and hopefully we will continue that for the rest of the season.” \nLyon was pleased with how his team fared Sunday \nand Thursday.\n“We’re very happy to pick up a win on the road and be undefeated on the weekend.” Lyon said. “Getting a win and tie shows that we are a legitimate team.”\nPutting together successful weekends on the road will be vital for the rest of IU’s season. Four of IU’s last five games will be on the road against top Big Ten teams.\nThe Hoosiers will return to the pitch at 7 p.m. Friday when Minnesota comes to Bloomington. \nThe Gophers are 6-4-1 on the season and 2-1 in the Big Ten after falling to Illinois on Friday.\nAfter Minnesota, the Hoosiers will face Iowa at 2 p.m. Sunday at home.
(10/05/07 4:19am)
After playing to a 1-1 draw in two overtimes against Michigan last night, the IU women’s soccer team will play Michigan State at noon on Sunday.\nThe Hoosiers got on the board first in the 24th minute as senior midfielder/forward Lindsay McCarthy blasted a shot into the Wolverine goal from 20 yards out. \nIU had its seven-game winning streak derailed with the draw, but still has a 10-game unbeaten streak going and an 8-1-2 record overall.\nAfter the Wolverines, the Hoosiers will be ready for another Michigan team, as they take on Michigan State on Sunday. The Hoosiers haven’t had two consecutive road games since the beginning of their season when they played two games in Florida against Florida and Jacksonville.\n“The atmosphere is a lot different,” sophomore forward Kristin Arnold said of playing on the road. “Especially this year, because we are so used to playing at home.”\n“I think it is (tougher to play on the road), but I also think we adjust to it very well,” McCarthy said.\nIU coach Mick Lyon said Michigan State will prove a tough opponent to play on the road, because they have a strong defense, but also have talented players who can score. \n“They play the same way every year,” Lyon said of Michigan State’s defense. “They play a 4-4-2, defending with a block of eight – four midfielders and four defenders. They try to make games into 1-0 affairs and low-scoring affairs, and they make it difficult to get multiple goals against them. Then they are looking to steal a goal here and there.”\nOn offense the Spartans are led by sophomore forward Lauren Hill and senior midfielder Maureen Pawlak, who have five and four goals respectively. \n“They’ve got two or three dangerous players that are creative,” Lyon said. “Lauren Hill ... leads them in points and is a dangerous player. She’s got a lot a little bit of quickness and speed and knows how to score.”\nHill leads MSU with 12 points on the season, while Pawlak is second with 11. Lyon said keeping the Spartans’ shot total down is a big goal for the Hoosiers this weekend. \n“We want to reduce that number,” Lyon said, “because I feel like at times we aren’t pressing close enough to the ball when they are 25-28 yards away, and when you get a player like Maureen Pawlak, she is looking to score when she is 25 yards away. I want our defense to get closer and put pressure on the ball so they don’t have that choice of shooting.”
(10/04/07 4:27am)
With a seven-game winning streak and a nine-game unbeaten streak on the line, the IU women’s soccer team will have targets on their backs as they travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., today to face the Michigan Wolverines.\nThe streak is the longest for the Hoosiers since winning 14 in a row from Oct. 3, 1993, to Sept. 14, 1994. IU has not dropped a game since its first contest of the year against then-No. 13 Florida on Aug. 31. The team’s record currently stands at 8-1-1.\n“Last year was pretty rough, because we beat the top Big Ten teams and then lost to low ones,” senior midfielder/forward Lindsay McCarthy said. “So, any team we play is going to be hard. ... Just like coach (Mick Lyon) said, ‘We are on a pedestal, and what are people going to want to do? Knock you off.’” \nIU coach Mick Lyon wants his players to use the streak as motivation, but not get so wrapped up in their success that they forget their overall team goals.\n“If you ask anyone, whether it is a baseball player or a football team, you try not to focus on (streaks),” Lyon said. “But at the same time, you use it as a little extra motivation. It is finding that balance between the two. Our season is not based on how many games we win in a row. It is based on how well we are doing at the very end.”\nLast year, IU had a similar streak for 14 games after losing its first match of the season.\nDuring that streak, the team gathered a 10-0-3 record – not counting the loss – before Northwestern knocked them down. The team never recovered, losing its last three regular season games, all on the road in the Big Ten. IU then lost to Michigan in the Big Ten tournament.\nThe Big Ten coaches’ preseason rankings had Michigan slotted to finish fifth in the Big Ten, one spot ahead of Indiana.\nDespite being ranked higher than IU at the beginning of the season, the Wolverines have struggled, and IU now ranks higher. The Hoosiers are receiving votes for the Top 25, but by the amount of votes they’re ranked 28th.\nThe Wolverines (2-6-1) have lost their last three contests, including two Big Ten matches against Minnesota and Iowa, who were slotted to finish 10th and 11th respectively in Big Ten preseason rankings.\nBut Lyon said he knows that any game in the Big Ten can be difficult, especially on the road.\n“Even in soccer, playing away from home is a tough venture,” Lyon said. “Just with the environment, they are more comfortable. When you are traveling on the road ... you have got to make sure you stay focused on what the trip is about. It’s about winning soccer games.” The Hoosiers are currently tied atop the Big Ten after winning their first two conference games last weekend. Led by the co-Big Ten Player of the Week Kristin Arnold's five goals, the Hoosiers downed Northwestern 4-3 and Wisconsin 2-0 last weekend. \nAgainst Northwestern, Arnold, a sophomore forward, had IU’s first hat trick since McCarthy scored three goals against Oakland in 2004.\nArnold then added two more goals to her weekend tally as IU defeated Wisconsin 2-0.\n“(Being named co-Big Ten player of the week) feels good,” Arnold said. “A lot of it, though, has to give credit to the team. There were a lot of good through balls that I’ve gotten, which is something we have really talked about. So, I mean, while I finished them, I definitely had some really good balls played to me and not finishing them would be doing a disservice to the team.”\nThe Hoosiers play Michigan at 8 p.m. today. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
(10/04/07 4:00am)
"I Ran"
(10/01/07 4:19am)
With five goals this weekend, sophomore forward Kristin Arnold outscored both opponents the IU women’s soccer team faced.\nOn Friday, Arnold scored three goals as the Hoosiers overcame a second-half surge from Northwestern to win 4-3. She netted two more in the Hoosiers’ 2-0 win Sunday over Wisconsin.\n“I had some really good balls that were played into me,” Arnold said after the game Friday. “Tonight was just my night. It’s a really good feeling to look back and know that we won 4-3, and three of the goals came from me.”\nThe Hoosiers came out firing against the Wildcats with Arnold’s first goal coming in the 11th minute of the match.\nFreshman midfielder Chloe McKay played a through-ball down the middle of the field that left Arnold one-on-one with Northwestern goalkeeper Lauren Johnston. Arnold faked a shot that sent Johnston to the ground and then played an uncontested shot into the goal.\nSenior forward Lindsay McCarthy then added her first goal of the season in the 16th minute with a header from a corner kick by McKay.\nAfter halftime, the scoring continued. Only then, it was the Wildcats who were doing the scoring.\nKelsey Hans recorded her fifth and sixth goals of the season, and teammate Shannon Schneeman recorded her sixth goal as the Wildcats went up 3-2.\n“One of the big things we talked about going into the game and again at halftime is that we have always struggled in the first half,” Arnold said Friday. “But today, we went up two to nothing and then came out in the second half and played like crap for 20 minutes.”\nShortly after Hans’ second goal in the 73rd minute, Arnold recorded her second of the night with a turnaround blast from well outside the 18-yard box that soared past Johnston to tie the game at three goals apiece.\nArnold then scored the winning goal in the 86th minute, when she caught the Northwestern defense off guard after a Wildcat goal was negated by an offsides penalty.\nAfter the win Friday, Arnold said the team needed to work on coming out and playing mistake-free.\nSunday, that is exactly what IU did as they defeated the Wisconsin Badgers 2-0. Arnold continued her great play by adding her fifth and sixth goals of the season, both in the first half. \nSo again, IU went into halftime with a 2-0 lead. But instead of looking flat in the second half, the Hoosier defense only let up four shots on goal, two of which forced freshman goalie Lauren Hollandsworth to leave her feet.\n“We have been talking about playing the whole 90 minutes of the game, because it only takes one minute where we lose concentration to let a team back into the game,” sophomore defender Jessica Boots said.\nBoots attributed the strong defense to cooperation between defenders and the rest of the team, in that forwards and midfielders dropped back to help play balls out of Hoosier territory.\nWith the two wins this weekend, IU is now 2-0 in the Big Ten and is riding a nine-game unbeaten streak complete with a seven-game winning streak. Their record now stands at 8-1-1. \n“It’s great momentum, and I’m very happy for the girls,” coach Mick Lyon said. “They have really put together a nice string of wins. And I don’t think we’ve stolen too much either; I think we have earned everything we got.”\nThe Hoosiers finished the entire month of September without a loss and haven’t lost in September since Sept. 25, 2005.\n“I’m hoping I’m not going to be known as ‘Mr. September,’ because we need to be known as the October team,” Lyon said. “We need to now take the next month and win seven in a row.”