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(09/28/07 4:22am)
Other than being the first game of the Big Ten season, Friday night’s game against Northwestern will have extra meaning for the IU women’s soccer team. \nLast year, Northwestern snapped IU’s 13-game unbeaten streak during which the Hoosiers had accrued a 9-0-4 record. After the loss, the Hoosiers’ season took a nose dive, and the team went from being ranked in the national top 25 to losing their three remaining games of the season. They then lost in the first round of the Big Ten tournament and did not qualify for the NCAA tournament.\n“We definitely have to go out there and redeem ourselves,” sophomore defender Jessica Boots said. “We need to start out with a high intensity and try and play our game and put the pressure on them.”\nThe Wildcats have a 5-2-2 record, and IU coach Mick Lyon said that they are a budding and respectable program.\n“They made a coaching change two years ago and have done a super job with their program,” Lyon said. “They have nice soccer players. We need to pounce on them and play in the back line like we have been.” \nMuch like last year, the Hoosiers have built up momentum in the games leading to their contest with the Wildcats. In their last seven games, IU is undefeated with six wins and one draw.\n“The girls definitely have pep in their steps,” Lyon said. “We put them through a tough, physical training session on Tuesday and they responded really well. We have been working on building up confidence in training sessions, and now we just need to take the confidence and put in on the pitch come game time.”\nOne athlete who has some “pep in her step” is sophomore midfielder Christie Kotynski. She is the team leader in goals and assists at five and four, respectively. \nLast week alone, Kotynski added three goals and an assist to her season total. \nAgainst Butler on Sept. 19, she had a game-tying goal in the 62nd minute of play, which gave her team the momentum it needed to score another goal and win the game 2-1.\nThen against Evansville on Sunday, Kotynski scored two more goals and added an assist as the Hoosiers went on to win the match 4-0.\nBecause of the week she had, Kotynski was named the Big Ten Player of the Week and was named to the Soccer Buzz Elite Team of the Week. Soccer Buzz is a magazine dedicated to collegiate women’s soccer.\nAmidst the accolades, Kotynski remained humble. \n“(Receiving this recognition) is cool,” Kotynski said. “It’s surprising though. There are so many good players out there that I’m surprised I was chosen. But it’s definitely cool.”\nKotynski is currently tied for second in the Big Ten with 14 points this season, one behind conference leader, Lindsey Schwartz of Minnesota.\nA point is a statistic that assigns a numerical value for goals and assists. A player gets two points for a goal and one for an assist.\nAfter Northwestern, the Hoosiers will continue Big Ten play as they host Wisconsin at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Badgers come to Bloomington after dropping a game to in-state foe UW-Milwaukee 1-0. The Badgers’ record currently sits at 3-3-1. They will face Purdue on Friday afternoon. \nLyon stressed that both Big Ten games this weekend and every Big Ten contest in the future are very important to the team.\n“Every game from here on out is important,” Lyon said. “We want to get wins out of every weekend.” \nThe Hoosiers will try to get their first win of conference play at 7 p.m. Friday as they host Northwestern at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
(09/26/07 11:48pm)
The IU women’s soccer team is slotted to finish sixth in the Big Ten, according to the Big Ten coaches’ preseason poll, and out-performing that prediction may prove to be difficult. \nThe Hoosiers will have to face all five ranked Big Ten teams on the road. \nIn preparation for their tough schedule, IU coach Mick Lyon made sure to test his players before the conference season. For their lone preseason game, the Hoosiers traveled to Missouri, where they lost 5-0.\nLetting up so many goals against Missouri served as a wake-up call for a team comprised of players who last year set a school record for least amount of goals allowed in a single season. After the match, Lyon said defense would become his team’s focus for the season.\n“Games can be won on defense – certainly I know we have to score goals – but defending your own goal and stopping the other team from scoring is going to be our primary starting point,” he said. “I certainly expect us to be ever-dominant in the back as we have been. I don’t know that we will set a school record again, because it is difficult to set a record every year, but we will be extremely competitive in the defensive unit for sure.”\nSince that game, the Hoosiers have let in five goals in four games and have established a record of 6-1-1, including a 1-0 loss against then-No. 14 Florida and two overtime, come-from-behind wins against Jacksonville and then-No. 13 USC.\nAt Jacksonville, the Hoosiers were down twice after gaining an early lead. In overtime, sophomore midfielder Christie Kotynski scored the game-winning goal off of a pass from senior forward Suzie Teixeira.\nIU didn’t score until the 90th minute against USC when freshman forward Leigh Anne Cummings scored her first career goal and sent the game into overtime at a goal apiece. Sophomore forward Kristin Arnold then won the game 49 seconds into overtime with an opposite-foot shot.\nCummings said the win over the Trojans gives the team confidence heading into conference play. \n“It was definitely an important win for our program, because it got us pumped up and now we know we can beat ranked teams,” Cummings said. “We know that we are right up there with them, that we should be ranked up there, too, and that no matter what, even if we are down, we can pull together and get the win.”\nLyon said facing tough teams like Missouri, Florida and USC will help his team as they enter Big Ten play.\n“You’ve got to play a tough schedule if you want to get prepared for Big Ten games,” Lyon said. “All 10 of our Big Ten games are incredibly tough, whether we are playing Penn State, who ranks at the top, or Iowa, who is at the bottom.”\nLyon said there is a different style of play in the Big Ten, but it is not a style he likes to see his team play.\n“Everyone says that the Big Ten is physical and direct, which I don’t think that is the case with us,” Lyon said. “I think we are becoming physical in the sense that we match challenges. The way we have kind of changed is that we look for through balls and bumps and flicks that let us look for first and second chances.”
(09/26/07 11:45pm)
As a freshman starter last year, Jessica Boots didn’t have to be a leader. She just had to do her job. But now, she is being called upon to lead early in her career.\n“(Being a leader) is a big challenge and is definitely something I am having to step into and take day-by-day, game-by-game,” Jessica Boots said. “Last year, we had a senior in the back line so she did a lot of the talking. Now I am having to step over and take her position.”\nJessica Boots started at defense in all 20 games last year for the IU women’s soccer team and was instrumental in the defense that allowed a school record-low of 15 goals against.\n“(The leadership in last year) is night and day,” IU coach Mick Lyon said. “She came in last year as one of two freshmen starting, so she just did her job last year. (Boots) was very proficient in what she did, but she wasn’t vocal. This year she has just taken over.”\nThe transition to becoming a leader started for Jessica Boots over the summer when she invited IU forward Kristin Arnold and midfielders Nikki Bonacorsi, Christie Kostynski and Natalie O’Bryan to play on her club team in Carmel, Ind.\nBoots’ father, Ron Boots, was the manager of that team, so he worked closely with the coach in organizing practices and road trips. Ron Boots said each of the players grew over the summer from the rigorous practice and competition.\n“The six that are playing for the IU team now each got different things out of (playing on the club team),” Ron Boots said. “Natalie O’Bryan got playing time, for example, and practice against really good players. Nikki Bonacorsi is coming back from foot surgery, so it gave her an opportunity to really work hard over the summer and play against good teams. It allowed Boots, Kotynski and Arnold to play together more, and play off of each other and understand where they like to receive the ball and what to expect out of them.”\nThe club’s defense, anchored by Jessica Boots, only allowed four goals in as many games on its way to winning the U-19 United States Youth Soccer Association National Championship.\n“I think (playing on the club team) gave us a chance to get to know each other better,” Jessica Boots said. “Obviously we’re here with 30 girls, but on that club team, there is a lot more one-on-one time, and I got to know the girls more than I ever did here.”\nJessica Boots’ leadership on the back line will be vital to the Hoosiers’ success during the tough Big Ten season.\n“Every game is going to be a challenge, and that’s why I’m excited for it,” Jessica Boots said of the Big Ten season. “It will really test our team to see how well we are and if we can come back day-after-day and prove to ourselves and everyone else around us that we can really do (well).”\nJessica Boots said the game she is looking forward to the most in the Big Ten season is IU’s rivalry game with Purdue, because a lot of her family went there, including her father.\n“Actually, I did (go to Purdue), my wife went to Purdue, both my brothers and my father-in-law played football at Purdue,” Ron Boots said. “In Jessica’s case, soccer was involved. She just felt like this was a good fit for her from a soccer point-of-view as well as from a school (point-of-view), and it has been a good fit, both academically and soccer.”\nRon Boots said he always pulls for the Hoosiers instead of the Boilermakers, at least when the women’s soccer teams and his daughter are on the field.\n“Of course, I know who butters my bread,” Ron Boots said. “I catch so much grief. If I go to West Lafayette, I catch grief. If I come to Bloomington, I catch grief.”\nThe first game of the Big Ten season is Sept. 28, when Northwestern comes to Bill Armstrong Stadium.
(09/24/07 4:06am)
With an offensive flurry in the second half of Sunday’s game against Evansville, the IU women’s soccer team extended its winning streak to seven games.\nGoing into the game, the Hoosiers had a goal to play intelligently and score off of set pieces, IU coach Mick Lyon said. A set piece refers to an opportunity in which a team has either a corner or a free kick toward its opponent’s goal, allowing to place players in certain spots they feel will give them the best chance to score. By the end of the match, IU had scored three goals off these plays.\n“It was one of our goals to get goals off of set pieces,” sophomore Christie Kotynski said. “And we were able to finish off of them, which was awesome. We reached one of our \ngoals today.” \nKotynski opened the scoring for the Hoosiers early in the second half with a goal off of a corner kick from forward Kristin Arnold. Kotynski would later add another goal off of a corner and an assist to advance the Hoosiers past the Aces 4-0.\nFreshman goalkeeper Lauren Hollandsworth picked up her second shutout of the year, the first coming in a draw against Loyola Marymount \non Sept. 7.\nHollandsworth said the shutout was a team effort.\n“(The back line) was definitely key,” Hollandsworth said. “There wasn’t too much for me to do in the game. I mean I was picking up balls here and there, but they were making the big tackles and shutting them down outside the 18 (yard box).”\nThe back line did come up big for the Hoosiers. Led by sophomore Jessica Boots and senior Katy Stewart, the line allowed only three shots the entire game, whereas the Hoosiers managed 21 shots – 11 of which were on goal.\n“Our confidence level goes up when we start scoring goals and we get stronger in the back,” Hollandsworth said. “We see that we are up and know that we have to keep the shutout. I think our confidence level was a lot higher this game.”\nLyon was pleased with how well his Hoosiers played. Scoring so many goals allowed him to play some of the less experienced members of the team and get a feel for how they would play in more strenuous game situations.\n“(Playing more players) is what you strive to do when you are two or three goals ahead and have complete control the game,” Lyon said. “It does two things: It rewards them for the effort they are putting in every day in training, but also gives me a little look that when the game is tight, are they going to be part of the squad playing.”\nThe Hoosiers’ winning streak is now up to seven games, all in September. Their overall record is 6-1-1, and the team hasn’t lost a game in the month of September since Sept. 25, 2005, a 2-1 overtime loss at Minnesota. Since that game, the Hoosiers are 13-0-4 in the month.\nIU will return to action 7 p.m. Friday as they host Northwestern in the conference opener for the Hoosiers.
(09/21/07 4:30am)
The story line for the women’s soccer team in September has been to go out and find ways not to lose. With a record of 5-0-1 in September to date, they’re on a familiar track.\nLast September had the same story line, as the Hoosiers notched a record of 6-0-3 for the month. Unfortunately, October brought a plot twist worthy of a Stephen King novel that crippled their season. The Hoosiers started October last year 3-0-1 before a 1-0 loss to Northwestern. IU then lost four more one-goal games to finish their season, including a 2-1 lose to Michigan in the Big Ten tournament.\nWith Evansville coming to town Sunday, the Hoosiers have a chance to improve their record in September to 6-0-1 (6-1-1 on the season) with a win. After Evansville, IU will begin the Big Ten season and try to avoid the same outcome as last year.\n“Looking from last season when we lost our first game, it definitely sent us down the wrong path,” sophomore defender Kelly Lawrence said. “If we can get a good result against Evansville and get a bit of confidence for the team, we’ll be in good shape for the Big Ten.”\nEvansville will be the third straight in-state foe for the Hoosiers. IU topped Ball State at home Sunday and Butler on the road Wednesday. Senior defender Katy Stewart said that beating another Indiana team means more than other non-conference teams of the same caliber.\n“We are looking to come and just put them all away,” Stewart said. “We have had a little bit of a difficult time the last two games, so we are looking to come out right away and put them on their heels and show them what it means to play at Indiana.”\nThis weekend’s game does have a little more incentive for the squad. IU coach Mick Lyon played for Evansville and coached the Aces before coming to IU.\n“There is no doubt (an added incentive to beating Evansville),” Lyon said. “I’m not going to get beat by my alma mater, that’s for sure.”\nWith their strong month, the Hoosiers have climbed to eighth in the Great Lakes Region poll by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. They have also received votes for the national top 25 in the last two polls.\n“It is nice to get on a run, but unfortunately, you can break at the end of it,” Lyon said. “And last year, we had a brilliant run in the month of September, which is great when you can get in that kind of situation, no doubt about it. But we need to make sure we don’t get preoccupied by it like we did last year.”\nAfter the Aces, IU will open their Big Ten season next Friday at home against Northwestern, the same team who started last year’s misery. Lawrence said that conference play is when the real season for the Hoosiers starts.\n“Definitely, every game counts, (because) it helps toward the NCAA tournament,” Lawrence said. “But when it comes to Big Ten games, it really is the next level, and every game is more important than the last.”\nThe Hoosiers take on Evansville at 2 p.m. Sunday at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
(09/20/07 4:00am)
"Hi, my name is Rachel, and I hate sex because it's smelly and drippy."\nOK, not quite, but that is how I introduced myself at my Pure Romance party. Our consultant had us write down our most-despised chore and the reason we hate it, then replace the chore with "sex" (Mine? Taking out the garbage). The icebreaker was necessary to dispel the frigidness suffocating my guests, thanks to the intimidating spread of lubricants, dildos and vibrators splayed on the hot-pink tablecloth in my living room. Whether "smelly and drippy" is a legitimate reason for disliking sex, Pure Romance probably has a remedy.\nPure Romance parties are women-only get-togethers (sorry, guys) with a consultant who brings an array of products for women to purchase and discuss in a supportive environment. There's something for everyone, from pheromone-based perfume to anal beads. The parties often serve as an educational tool about sexuality, with consultants answering age-old questions about achieving orgasm, masturbation and general sex inquiries. The parties are far from pornographic, with pink labeling on the items and cutesy names (vibrators named "Lilylicious" and "B.O.B.," a.k.a. "Battery-operated Boyfriend").\nThe presentation began innocently enough, as our consultant, Tricia Miracle (yes, it's her real last name), came around and demonstrated products on our arms. We started with perfumes and lotions and gradually moved to the main attractions. By the end of the evening, we had been dusted with sparkly pink powder, tasted edible lubes and shaken hands with a vibrator. The hands-on demonstrations -- with explanations using clever rhymes (ahem, "what's good for your lips is good for your nips!") -- made for a fun, easygoing atmosphere.\nAfter browsing through the user-friendly pink booklet of products, we were invited to privately place orders with Miracle in another room, where bins of toys, lotions and accessories were stacked.\nMiracle said that women often are apprehensive to come because they have misconceptions about the manner of the parties.\n"(They think) it's all about sex toys," Miracle said. "They're afraid that we're just selling sex."\nAnd that's true, to an extent. But as Miracle states during her hour-long presentation: "We're here to help you." \nMiracle, who has been in the business for three years, has already changed countless lives at her parties. Women who have never orgasmed have come to her later and thanked her for helping them discover their bodies more intimately. \n"In-home sex toy parties definitely offer a unique outlet for women to talk about sex in a space that feels comfortable to them," said resident sexpert Debby Herbenick, an IU sexual researcher and educator. "They might learn from each other."\nHerbenick and the IU Department of Applied Health Science work closely with Pure Romance to learn more about the women who attend the parties and what kind of information they pick up at them. Typical questions include how to locate the G-spot, fluctuating desire and problems with partners. One of the most beneficial factors of sex toy parties is that they openly explore female masturbation, Herbenick said. Witnessing close friends purchase sex toys makes women feel more comfortable about their own sexuality. Masturbation tends to be kept hush-hush, and Herbenick still finds women who are fearful of sexual myths.\n"If they're worried that masturbation is going to cause them any physical ailments, we certainly have enough data to suggest that nobody's going blind or growing hair on their palms," Herbenick said. "And some people still believe that, and it's not that they're stupid or uneducated but they were raised -- like everyone else -- in a culture that doesn't talk about sex."\nIronically enough, sex toys have been around for quite a while. The Kinsey Institute has Japanese dildos made from animal horns dating back to the 19th century. Catherine Johnson-Roehr, curator of art, artifacts and photographs at the Kinsey Institute, said the dildos used to be filled with warm water to make them "feel more real." In the late 19th century, doctors used electric vibrators to treat "hysteria" (usually stress and anxiety problems only found in women). Until a few decades ago, these "stress-relieving massagers" were sold in Sears catalogs across the country but were never acknowledged as a masturbation tool, because sex was only considered to be a penis penetrating a vagina, \nHerbenick said.\nGone are the days of ordering from a Sears catalog or visiting the doctor for treatments. Sex toys are more accessible than ever and can be purchased in the comfort of your own home. Pure Romance has about 20,000 consultants across the nation ready to put on free parties at your convenience. So gather up the girls, make some cupcakes and visit www.pureromance.com for more information on how to have a fabulous girls' night in.
(09/20/07 3:54am)
INDIANAPOLIS – The IU women’s soccer team had to come from behind for the fourth time this season to overcome the Butler Bulldogs 2-1.\nButler scored first as midfielder Courtney Lord soared a shot from 30 yards out that went over a mis-timed jump of Hoosier freshman goalkeeper Lauren Hollandsworth in the 19th minute. That goal would be Butler’s only score.\nIndiana’s first goal came on the board in the 63rd minute as sophomore midfielder Christie Kotynski headed in a shot to the back post, off of a cross from sophomore defender Kelly Lawrence.\n“We were ready to play again,” Kotynski said. “At halftime we came out ready to play, and (we) stepped up and won the game.”\nThe Hoosiers took the lead for good when freshman Leigh Anne Cummings scored off of a rebounded shot taken by freshman Chloe McKay in the 78th minute. Both goals for the Hoosiers were their respective scorers’ third of the year.\n“I was just worried about defending after the goal, and making sure we didn’t give up another goal,” Cummings said.\nThis is the fourth time this year that the Hoosiers have come from behind to win a contest. The first three were against Jacksonville on Sept. 2, USC on Sept. 9 and Samford Sept. 14.\n“Any win is a good win, there is never a bad one,” IU coach Mick Lyon said. “But it is a little disheartening that we don’t come out and establish ourselves immediately.”\nLyon went on to say that he is pleased with how well the team responds to his orders and the orders of his assistant coaches at halftimes of games.\nThe team did listen at halftime, and in the second half, IU poured the pressure on Butler’s goalkeeper Annalise Larkin. Larkin ended up having to deal with nine shots on goal, seven of which she saved. \n“When you play a team that you should beat you have to establish that from the start,” Lyon said. “I don’t think we did that. But in the second half we absolutely dominated and made the game completely ours.”\nThe Hoosiers will return to action Sunday as they host another in-state foe, Evansville, at 2 p.m. at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
(09/19/07 3:44am)
If the IU women’s soccer team is going to extend its five game unbeaten streak, it will have to do it on the road tonight in Indianapolis against in-state foe Butler.\nThe Hoosiers go into the game with an overall record of 4-1-1, with a loss to then-No. 13 Florida and an upset win over No. 19 USC. The Bulldogs of Butler are 2-3-1.\nSophomore forward Liz Holby said contests against in-state opponents are always important.\n“Of course we strive to win every game, but I think (matches against in-state rivals) do matter,” Holby said. “We are their big game, so they are always going to come and give us a strong a challenge.”\nHolby scored the game-winning 86th minute goal against Ball State on Sunday as the Hoosiers won 2-1. Freshman midfielder Chloe McKay had the first goal of the match when she put a shot in from more than 20 yards out. It was McKay’s second goal of the season.\nHolby and McKay haven’t been the only underclassmen making noise this season. The top four point leaders on the team are all underclassmen, including two freshmen: McKay and forward Leigh Anne Cummings.\nMcKay said she is actually surprised at how well she is handling the transition between playing in high school and college.\n“(Being one of the team’s leader in points) feels good – surprising, but good,” McKay said. “Some people say that college is the next step above high school, but I think it’s the next two steps. I am still adjusting to it.”\nPoints are assigned by the statistics players gather during games. A goal is worth two points, and an assist is worth one.\nSophomore midfielder Christie Kotynski leads the team with seven points off of two goals and three assists. Next is McKay with five points from two goals and one assist, and Cummings with four points off of two goals. Sophomore forward Kristin Arnold has three points and rounds out the top four point leaders.\nAfter Butler, the Hoosiers will host Evansville at 2 p.m. Sunday. After Evansville, the Hoosiers will start their Big Ten season, hosting Northwestern Friday, Sept. 28.\nThe team knows every game becomes more important when the Big Ten season kicks off.\n“Every game is going to be a challenge, and that’s what I’m excited for,” sophomore defender Jessica Boots said of the Big Ten season. “To really test our team, to see how good we are and if we can come back day after day and prove to ourselves and everyone else around us that we can really do it.”\nThe Hoosiers square off against Butler tonight at 7 p.m. at Kuntz Stadium in downtown Indianapolis.
(09/17/07 3:11am)
With two hard-fought victories this weekend, the IU women’s soccer team extended its winning streak to five games. The Hoosiers defeated an aggressive Ball State squad 2-1 on Sunday and the Samford Bulldogs Friday by the same score. \nIU coach Mick Lyon said the Cardinals’ style was borderline reckless.\n“They play an extremely high-pressure game that tries to create goals off of your own mistakes, not off of what they create,” Lyon said. “That’s not how I want us to play. There is a difference between playing a physical game in that you are being competitive and making challenges and just playing reckless.”\nCardinal defender Lindsay Martin and forward Kristina Anderson both picked up yellow cards as their team repeatedly pounded into the Hoosiers.\nThe style of play seemed to work for Ball State, however. Even as the Cardinals were down after Hoosier midfielder Chloe McKay scored in the second minute, they seemed to control the match, tallying 20 shots compared to IU’s 10.\n“They play a very high-pressure, all-over-the-field style of play that doesn’t give you a chance to breathe,” McKay said. “It was a very good win – sloppy, but good.”\nBall State tied the game at 1-1 in the 48th minute of the game as midfielder Katelyn Alexander punched a free kick into the goal from just outside of the 18-yard box.\nSophomore forward Liz Holby scored the go-ahead goal for the Hoosiers in the 86th minute after teammate Kristin Arnold placed a perfect through pass that she sent into the back of the net.\nEven though every game is important, beating an in-state team means a lot, Holby said.\n“We are their big game, so they are always going to come and give us a strong challenge,” she said.\nOn Friday, the Hoosiers came from behind for the third time this season to beat Samford. \nIn the 19th minute, Samford’s Cassie Applegate scored off of a perfectly placed cross from teammate Lauren Cook. The goal came on a counterattack after the Hoosiers had multiple corner kicks on which they failed to capitalize.\nIU quickly responded with a tally of its own in the 22nd minute when sophomore Christie Kotynski headed a shot in off a corner kick from senior Suzie Teixeira. The goal was Kotynski’s second of the year.\nThe Hoosiers went ahead for good when freshman Leigh Anne Cummings scored her second goal of the season in the 55th minute of the contest. IU had 14 corner kicks against Samford’s two, while the team forced Samford goalkeeper Cayley Winters to make nine saves.\nThe Hoosiers will look to extend their winning streak to six games this week when they travel to Butler on Wednesday and host Evansville on Sunday to finish the non-conference portion of their schedule.
(09/14/07 4:47am)
The NCAA tournament has been a goal for the women’s soccer team the last three years, but the Hoosiers have always come up short. This year’s senior class is trying to change that.\nThe six members of the class – midfielders Beverly Markwort and Kate Nierman, forwards Suzie Teixeira and Lindsay McCarthy, defender Katy Stewart and goalkeeper Megan Reinhardt – are hoping that their leadership and four years of experience can propel their team into the postseason.\n“We have 20 games left and we know that,” Stewart said. “So every single game is important to us – whether we are playing at home or on the road or whoever it is. Every single game is important to us all looking forward to making the tournament and would be a great way to cap off our senior year. We know that we are capable of it; we just have to prove it on the field.”\nThe class was originally around eight or nine players deep, Stewart said, and the six that are still playing for the team said that sticking together through the last three years has made them extremely close. \n“We’ve been through a lot, that’s for sure,” Stewart said. “We are a really core group now. There were eight or nine of us that came in our freshman year, and we have all stuck it out together. We all hang out and some live together, so we just have a lot of off-the-field friendships that are important to us.”\nMarkwort echoed Stewart’s sentiments.\n“We have all grown, changed and then come together,” she said. “For me, being here four years, I have seen senior classes, but never really known what it’s actually like to be in one. It feels good, and I’m glad to know we all want the same things: to have our best year and go out with a bang.” \nLast year, the Hoosiers were looking like the best team in the Big Ten, opening conference play with a record of 5-0-1. A loss at Northwestern, however, sent the team’s season into a tailspin they would never recover from. IU lost its last four regular season games and exited the Big Ten tournament with a 2-1 first round loss to Michigan to conclude the season. \nHistory, however, is just that: history. The team is looking for this year to be the year they accomplish their goal of getting to the NCAA tournament.\n“(Getting to the NCAA tournament) means a lot,” Teixeira said. “A lot of us have been playing for 18 years, and it is just crazy that it is our last season. So we want to put everything out there and give it all we can to make the tournament this year, and hopefully go as far as possible.”\nThe senior class knows this year’s team has the potential to make that breakthrough, but it will not be easy to get there. Stewart said it will have to be their leadership late in the Big Ten season that will determine how far IU goes.\n“We have the top four teams in the Big Ten as our last games, which is a hard feat for anyone,” Stewart said. “I think just having the experience going into those games, a lot of us have had a lot of playing time throughout our four years. Knowing Illinois, Purdue, whoever else at the end of the season – we know what it takes to play against them and beat them.”\nThe Hoosiers are currently 2-1-1 and will host a pair of games this weekend on their way to starting the Big Ten season and any postseason thereafter. They will take on the Samford Bulldogs (3-1-0) at 7 p.m. Friday and Ball State (2-2-0) at 2 p.m. Sunday. Both games will take place at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
(09/10/07 4:09am)
The IU women’s soccer team claimed a 2-1 upset victory Sunday afternoon over No. 19-ranked University of Southern California and it did so in a rather dramatic fashion. \nNinety minutes of play passed, and the game was winding down. Bill Armstrong Stadium announcer Jeremy Grey began his usual countdown of the final 10 seconds of regulation. \nTen seconds left, nine seconds – it looked like the Hoosiers might drop a close, hard-fought game at home against No. 19 USC. Eight seconds left – fans began to gather their belongings. Seven seconds, six seconds – the USC defense failed to clear the ball, which had been dancing around the goal for the majority of the second half, and suddenly the ball wound up at the feet of freshman forward Leigh Anne Cummings.\nCummings popped a chip shot toward the goal that casually floated over Trojan goalkeeper Kristin Olsen and bounced to the back of the net, tying the game.\nAfter the game restarted, Grey finished his countdown – five seconds, four, three two, one – overtime.\nThe momentum shift caused by Cummings’ goal was apparent. The USC players lined up for the start of overtime with their heads low and their hands on their waists. The Hoosiers came out clapping and bouncing, excited to play. Forty-nine seconds later, the ball bounced to the left foot of sophomore forward Kristin Arnold, who blasted a shot into the back of the net to win the game with a 2-1 score.\n“The ball was bouncing up, and I think it deflected off one of their players,” Arnold said of her last goal. “I remember taking a touch with my left foot, and I’m not left-footed, but I thought I might as well hit it with my left, and I just hit it and it just kind of went in.”\nUSC’s only goal came during a first half in which they were mostly control. In the 19th minute, Trojan forward Amy Rodriguez scored on USC a counterattack after a shot on goal by IU.\nAt halftime, coach Mick Lyon held his team in the locker room as long as possible, stressing composure and that the game was still in reach at 1-0.\n“Being a very young team, we didn’t deal with the pressure and the style they were playing very well,” Lyon said. “We spent a lot of time at halftime mostly to disrupt the other team. I don’t have to come out of the locker room until the referee comes and drags me out. I’ll take the time we need, and I was really just settling the players down and challenging them to mature and challenging them to the physical aspect of this game.”\nThe win improves the team’s record to 2-1-1 and is their first victory over a ranked opponent since 2005.\n“It was definitely an important win for our program because it got us pumped up and now we know we can beat ranked teams,” Cummings said. “We know that we are right up there with them, that we should be ranked up there too and that no matter what, even if we are down, we can pull together and get the win.”\nThe win against USC meant IU also won the Hoosier Classic, as they finished the weekend tournament with a 1-0-1 record. \nOn Friday night, neither the Hoosiers nor the Loyola Marymount Lions could score, and the game ended in a tie.\nFreshman goalkeeper Lauren Hollandsworth picked up her first career shutout as the Hoosiers and Lions battled to a stalemate Friday night \nin Bloomington.\nBoth teams traded control and momentum throughout regulation and two overtime periods, but spoiled chances mixed with noteworthy goaltending left the game 0-0 after 120 minutes of play. \nThe Hoosiers’ next contest will be Friday at Bill Armstrong Stadium as they host the Samford Bulldogs.
(09/07/07 4:41am)
The IU women’s soccer team is fancying a little payback this weekend, IU coach Mick Lyon said, as they host the third annual Hoosier Classic this weekend at Bill Armstrong Stadium.\nAt 7 p.m. Friday, the Hoosiers will square off against the Loyola Marymount Lions. The Lions come to Bloomington with an 0-2-0 record and will also face Maryland (1-0-1) at 11 a.m. Sunday.\nThe Hoosiers will finish their weekend against USC at 1:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon. USC comes in undefeated at 2-0-0 and ranked No. 19 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll.\nThe Hoosiers lost 6-0 the last time they squared off against the Trojans. The match was at USC in 2005, but has not been forgotten by the players and coaches who were there.\n“Any time you play a team that you have played before and lost to, it’s a big rivalry,” senior midfielder Katy Stewart said. “So we’re just going to look to come out and show them a little bit about what Indiana soccer is like now.” \nStewart also said the current Hoosier squad is more prepared than the squad in 2005, a sentiment Lyon shared.\n“We had to make a little bit of changes last time when we went out there and that upset us a little and we really never got into stride and USC really took it to us,” Lyon said. “So we fancy that we ought to give them a little bit of payback.”\nStewart, a co-captain on the squad, said that for preparation, her squad would look at film of USC and talk about them, but believes the Hoosiers will go out and play their own game against the Trojans.\n“We are going to play our game,” Stewart said. “We are doing different things with our lineups and stuff like that, but it’s not because of them, it’s because of the way we want to play against them.”\nUSC comes into the contest with young talent. The Trojans have five starting freshmen on their squad who have all contributed in their first two games, but it is freshman Megan Ohai who made the largest impact. So far this season, Ohai has registered a team high three goals, two of which have been game-winners.\nThe Hoosiers, however, have contributing underclassmen as well. Last weekend, sophomores Kelly Lawrence and Natalie O’Bryan and freshman Chloe McKay each recorded their first career goals in a 4-3 come from behind win against Jacksonville. Freshman goal keeper Lauren Hollandsworth has also contributed significantly goal. \nHollandsworth split time in the Jacksonville match Sunday with senior Megan Reinhardt after playing a full 90 minutes against Florida. Against the now- No. 14 Gators (1-1-0), Hollandsworth only let in one goal and had five saves. \nHollandsworth discussed what it was like to be a freshman goalie on the squad.\n“At the beginning, it was really stressful being around all of the older girls, but now I am really comfortable with them,” Hollandsworth said. “They are all really nice and really good players and when you play with good players it makes you want to step up and play better.”\nUSC will face off against Maryland at 4:30 p.m. Friday, followed by the Hoosiers’ match against Loyola Marymount.
(09/03/07 4:44am)
After falling to No.13 Florida 1-0 in its season opener last Friday, the IU women’s soccer team bounced back with a 4-3 double-overtime victory against Jacksonville Sunday.\nDespite putting numerous shots on goal, the Hoosiers found themselves down 3-2 late in the second half. Then in the 81st minute, sophomore midfielder Christie Kotynski crossed a pass to teammate Kelly Lawrence, who headed a shot past Jacksonville’s keeper to tie the game.\nThe goal not only tied the game, but reminded Kotynski of a similar goal last season. \n“It was kind of funny, it was like a goal last year, only Kelly was sending the ball to me,” Kotynski said. “I cut back, put it to my left foot and crossed it, and she was wide open on the back post and did a perfect header right in. It was amazing.”\nThe score remained tied through the end of regulation and the first overtime. In the 102nd minute of the contest, Kotynski sent in the game-ending goal off of a pass from senior forward Suzie Teixeira. \n“She did a little fake and sent it right to me,” Kotynski said. “I placed it in the bottom right corner with my left (foot).”\nTwo other Hoosiers tallied goals in the contest. Sophomore midfielder Natalie O’Bryan scored in the third minute of play and freshman midfielder Chloe McKay connected in the 28th.\nThe double-overtime win was even more significant considering the team was able to overcome the fatigue from a close battle with Florida two nights before.\nThe Hoosiers were able to put 35 shots on goal against Jacksonville, but were only able to muster four against Florida, none of which hit the back of the net.\nDespite losing to the Gators, IU coach Mick Lyon was happy with how his players performed. \n“We never want the players to be happy in losing, but certainly I thought we played very well and gave Florida everything they could handle,” Lyon said. “We missed a couple of chances towards the end of the game that not only could have tied it, but actually won the game.”\nAnother positive from the weekend for the squad was the play of freshman goalkeeper Lauren Hollandsworth. Hollandsworth made five saves against the Gators in her first collegiate game.\nThis week, IU will be preparing for their Hoosier Classic home opener against Loyola Marymount on Sept. 7 at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The Hoosiers will also face No. 25 USC on Sept. 9.
(08/31/07 4:26am)
Going in head first, the IU women’s soccer team is looking to not only be physically prepared for the start of their season, but also ready mentally.\nThe team will be in Gainesville, Fla., Friday night to start their season with a match against the No. 13 Florida Gators. The Gators will provide a stiff test for the Hoosier squad, one that IU coach Mick Lyon knows will be representative of games to come for his team.\n“We have been letting (the players) know that this is going to be the first game for us,” Lyon said. “It’s going to be a cracking game with high-level competition, and this will be an early example of what it is like to play a top Big Ten game.”\nLyon then said that for his team to be completely prepared for Florida, they have to also worry about the mental side of their game.\n“When you play good teams, you have to remember to be as mistake-free as possible,” Lyon said. “That means execute things to 100 percent, and to do that you have to be completely focused.”\nSenior midfielder Katy Stewart said focusing on the game a few days beforehand really helps her focus while competing.\n“As an individual, you need to think of your role with the team and on the field,” Stewart said. “Just thinking about when you have been successful in the past and trying to make that happen again. Even sometimes just closing your eyes and seeing yourself on the field, so when you actually get there it’s more natural, and you feel more comfortable because you have already thought about it.”\nAfter their match with Florida, the Hoosiers will play Jacksonville University at noon on Sunday in Jacksonville, Fla.\nThough Jacksonville does not rank as high as Florida, the match will still prove difficult, since the Hoosiers have little recovery time between games.\n“(Playing two games in the same weekend) is hard when you have a big game on Friday, because it takes a lot out of you for Sunday,” senior midfielder Beverly Markwort said. “But we have been talking about exercises you can do after the game – stretching and keeping loose will help.”\nStewart echoed her teammate’s sentiment.\n“The way we look at it is we play one game at a time,” Stewart said. “So, Friday night we are going to go out and give everything we have, and work after the game to get ourselves ready to come out at 100 percent again Sunday, because it’s not like we can give half on Friday and half on Sunday. We have to give everything at every game and look at it one game at a time.”\nAfter Jacksonville, the squad will have a week off before hosting the Hoosier Classic the weekend of Sept. 7.
(08/23/07 4:00am)
The IU women’s soccer team dropped its only exhibition match of the preseason 5-0 to the University of Missouri Tigers on Tuesday night in Columbia, Mo.\nIU let in five goals, despite defense one of the team’s greatest strength. The Hoosiers gave both their goalies chances in the exhibition. Junior Megan Reinhardt guarded the net in the first half, letting up two goals while making one save. Freshman Lauren Hollandsworth subbed in for the second half, letting in three goals but deflecting six Tiger shots.\nThe Hoosier offense only managed four shots on goal the entire match.\nDespite a rough start, the Hoosiers will rely on their experience and defense to be the backbone of the team as they try to prove preseason rankings wrong.\nIU, which had a 5-4-1 record last year, is predicted to finish in the middle of the conference at sixth, according to the Big Ten coaches’ preseason poll. \nBut with 15 team members returning, including six starters, the Hoosiers will field an experienced squad. All of them are looking forward to a challenge. \nLast year’s squad also focused on defense, letting in a school-record low of 15 goals. IU coach Mick Lyon said this year’s squad will also depend on a back line that struggled against Missouri.\n“Games can be won on defense – certainly I know we have to score goals – but defending your own goal and stopping the other team from scoring is going to be our primary starting point,” Lyon said. “I certainly expect us to be ever-dominant in the back as we have been. I don’t know that we will set a school record again, because it is difficult to set a record every year, but we will be extremely competitive in the defensive unit for sure.” \nEven with such a strong defense, improving on last year’s season will be tough considering the schedule the team has been dealt. \nThe squad will face five teams ranked in the preseason top 25. Their season opener will be at No. 13 University of Florida. The Hoosiers will host No. 25 University of Southern California on Sept. 9. \nDuring conference play, the Hoosiers will face the preseason rankings’ top five Big Ten teams on the road, including nationally ranked No. 7 Penn State, No. 15 Purdue and No. 20 Illinois.\n“You’ve got to play a tough schedule if you want to get prepared for Big Ten games,” Lyon said. “All 10 of our Big Ten games are incredibly tough, whether we are playing Penn State, who ranks at the top, or Iowa, who is at the bottom.”\nTo gear up for the tough schedule and to keep fit, many of the Hoosiers participated in club teams over the summer. Five sophomores – defender Jessica Boots, forward Kristin Arnold and midfielders Nikki Bonacorsi, Christie Kotynski and Natalie O’Bryan – played for the Carmel Cyclones.\nWith help from the Hoosier players, the Cyclones won the Under-19 division at the United States Youth Soccer National Championships in July.\n“It gave me a chance to really get to know the other girls on a different level. Not only as just friends, but getting to know their different styles of play,” Boots said. “Being together all summer was just a really good time.”\nLyon said those sophomores and their summer experiences will be instrumental to the team’s season.\n“The sophomore class was very big last year and is outstanding in talent and experience. And that is the group that we are relying on to really help us come through,” Lyon said. \nThe Hoosier’s season will kick off Aug. 31 as the Hoosiers travel to Gainesville, Fla., to take on the No. 13 Gators.
(06/21/07 4:00am)
Even though I lauded "The Departed" as the best film of 2006 -- and it certainly was the best film made last year -- my true No. 1 was Jean-Pierre Melville's "Army of Shadows," from 1969, which finally received a U.S. theatrical release after Rialto Pictures restored it. Thanks to The Criterion Collection, the DVD is available for those who missed it or, like myself, have been dying to own a copy. \nIn the wake of Hitler's occupation of France, numerous resistance factions banded together to topple the Nazi war machine. "Shadows" tells the tale of one of those factions, led by Philippe Gerbier (Lino Ventura), and the complex lives of its members, from the false identities they assume to the backstabbing they commit to save their own hides. \nThe film is dark, moody and has enough atmosphere to suffocate someone -- all trademarks of the Melville style, but also a historical reflection from Melville, who actually fought in the French Resistance. This is one of Ventura's greatest performances, which says a lot, considering he hated Melville and they never spoke on the set. Ventura is so effective at getting into the mind of the character that he remains dead silent most times, only muttering a few lines here and there and letting his supporting cast, which includes the likes of Jean-Pierre Cassel and Simone Signoret, do most of the talking.\nThis is easily one of the best DVD releases of 2007. With an in-depth commentary track by film historian Ginette Vincendeau and on-set interviews with Melville, the cast and even real-life Resistance fighters, the release reveals plenty of information on this almost-forgotten masterpiece. Perhaps the greatest artifact on this compilation, though, is a 1944 black-and-white documentary short which shows footage of the Resistance finally toppling the Nazi regime in the streets of Paris. \n$40 might be a hefty price tag, but filmmaking of this caliber is a rarity. Whether you rent it or blind-buy it, "Army of Shadows" won't disappoint you.
(06/07/07 4:00am)
After "Silence of the Lambs" was released, moviegoers came to a general consensus that each of the following Hannibal Lecter sequels would be OK -- not incredibly awful, but less original and with less shock value (and less Jodie Foster) than the original. And even though it's technically a prequel, "Hannibal Rising" feels as though it fits with its other post-1991 predecessors. \nThe movie begins with 8-year-old Hannibal Lecter and the rest of his family leaving their home in Lithuania during World War II to escape German bombs. German planes suddenly fly overhead and begin shooting, killing everyone on the ground and leaving Hannibal to care for his little sister Mischa.\nBut not long after Hannibal watches his parents die, a group of looting German soldiers storm the cabin they are staying in. Starving and unable to find food, they force Hannibal and Mischa to provied them with sustenance. \nThe plot then fast-forwards eight years to Hannibal living in an orphanage. He never speaks; he only screams during his nightmares. Disturbed and troubled, he is determined to get revenge for what has been done to him and is intent on finding the German men who tore his life to pieces years ago.\nAlthough this film falls in line with the other mediocre Hannibal Lecter sequels, it makes for an interesting viewing because of its sympathy-for-the-devil angle. The movie sheds light on what brought out the monster in Hannibal, and viewers may sympathize with him. Ulliel does a good job of mirroring Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal in a younger form, even if he is never quite as scary. \nThe DVD extras offer commentary from director Peter Webber and producer Martha de Laurentiis, who offer insight into the film and point out little details from each scene. There is also a behind-the-scenes featurette, "Hannibal Rising," trailers and teasers, deleted scenes and a look at how production designer Allan Starski created the sets. The deleted scenes are mainly extensions of other scenes kept in the unrated version of the movie, so there is nothing too extreme like alternate endings here. It would've been interesting to hear from Lecter mastermind Thomas Harris, who wrote the Hannibal novels and the screenplay for this film, in the audio commentary, but like the film itself, the extras fail to rise past mediocrity.
(06/04/07 1:11am)
The IU track and field squads will be sending four athletes to the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships this week, with the women’s squad sending three of those four athletes.\nFreshman Vera Neuenswander is the Big Ten champion in the women’s pole vault and is currently the top-ranked freshman in the nation, according to www.trackshark.com. Her outdoor season’s best of 4.12 meters, which she set in Bloomington on May 4 at the Billy Hayes Invitational, has her placed eighth overall in the nation. \nThough only a freshman, this competition will not be Neuenswander’s first chance at being part of an NCAA championship event. On March 10, Neuenswander participated in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, where she came into the meet ranked 14th and finished 12th. Neuenswander said she is hoping her experience at the indoor championships will help her during this meet, where she is seeded 10th.\n“It is exciting to be 10th, but I know at the same time that I can jump higher,” she said. “And going in knowing that anything can happen makes me more confident.”\nNeuenswander’s teammate, senior Jessica Gall, is also no stranger to national meets as she is a two-time cross-country All-American and competed at outdoor nationals last year. She will be competing in the meet in the 10,000-meter run. On May 11, Gall was crowned Big Ten champion, winning the 10,000-meter run, but it was her time of 33:54.65 at the Stanford Invitational on March 31 that has her ranked 22nd in the nation, according to trackshark.com. \n“(The experience) will definitely help,” Gall said. “I’ll know competition and I ran the 10k last year at nationals. It is a grueling race, but I have a great coach who has me peaking at the right time. And this being my last race for IU, I am really motivated.” \nThe last woman who will be representing IU on the national stage is senior Lorian Price. Price will be competing in the 100-meter hurdles at the event. Last weekend at the NCAA Mideast Regional, Price recorded two consecutive personal bests as she improved her qualifying times for the championships.\nFor the 100-meter hurdle preliminaries at the regional she ran a new best of 13.44 seconds, improving on her previous record of 13.56 seconds. Then for the finals, Price knocked even more time off of her best with a run of 13.42 seconds, good enough for eighth place at the regional and an at-large bid to participate at the national meet. Price will go into the meet seeded 24th.\nThe lone men’s competitor from IU will be sophomore Blayne Burkholder, who will be participating in the pole vault. Burkholder earned himself an automatic bid to compete by finishing third at the regional meet with a clearance of 5.06 meters. He will go into the meet seeded 24th with his personal best mark of 5.15 meters set on May 13, en route to earning a Big Ten championship.\nThe event, hosted by Sacramento State University in Sacramento, Calif., begins Wednesday and ends Saturday.
(05/23/07 11:59pm)
The IU track and field squads will take their five Big Ten champions and many other athletes to Columbia, Mo. Friday to compete in the NCAA Mideast Regional. The regional meet is an opportunity for competitors to finish near the top of their respective events and earn themselves a bid to compete at the NCAA Track and Field National Championships.\nIU has a total five Big Ten champions: two pole vaulters, two long jumpers and one distance runner.
(05/15/07 7:18pm)
Despite gathering five Big Ten champions, neither the men nor the women squads of IU track and field could bolster a top five finish at the outdoor Big Ten championships.\nThe women’s team was close, and an observer of the team noted they definitely are improving.\nFreshman Vera Neuenswander’s second place finish at the indoor Big Ten championships, where she battled sophomore Mallory Peck of Purdue for the highest step of the podium, was a surprise to everyone but Neuenswander and her coaches. This time around, however, everyone knew Neuenswander was going to put on a show.\nThe number one-ranking freshman in the nation, seventh overall, battled Minnesota’s standout freshman Alicia Rue. The two hit marks of 3.80 meters and 4.05 meters. Setting the height to 4.10 meters – two-hundredths of a meter shy of Neuenswander’s personal best of 4.12 meters, a school and Big Ten record – the pair missed their first two attempts. Rue was unable to clear the mark on her third attempt as Neuenswander did, earning the women Hoosiers its first Big Ten champion in the Pole Vault.\n“Coach (Jake) Wiseman and coach (Dave) Volz have to be the best pole vault coaching duo in the nation,” women’s interim head coach Judy Wilson said.\nIt is hard to argue with Wilson when sophomore Blayne Burkholder of IU was also crowned Big Ten champion in the pole vault. The competition was sent into a jump-off with Purdue senior John Porter. Burkholder cleared a mark of 5.15 meters in his last attempt as Porter failed to clear the bar, giving Burkholder the title.\nBurkholder’s classmate Jeff Coover finished in third. Both improved their regional qualifying marks to 5.15 meters.\nThe Hoosiers had a pair of Big Ten champions in another event. Seniors Kiwan Lawson and Lorian Price both climbed to the top of the podium to earn Big Ten long jump champion titles. \nLawson cleared 7.79 meters en route to a new personal best, his second Big Ten championship in the long jump this season and third Big Ten championship overall, as he also won the 200-meter dash championship at indoors.\nPrice won the competition, clearing 6.46 meters on her first attempt. The distance was a new personal best for Price, who currently ranks eighth in the nation and comes in at third all-time at IU.\n“Kiwan really competed well,” men’s interim head coach Wayne Pate said in a statement Saturday. “I was really happy and am very excited for him. ... Lorian went out on all cylinders. ... I knew that she was capable of going out and performing at that level.”\nSenior Jessica Gall finished her tremendous track and cross country careers by making a move from third with a lap and a half left in the 10,000 meter run to earn IU another Big Ten title. She finished the race with a time of 34.27.07.\n“An old coach used to say that championships call for championship performances, and we had those,” Wilson said. “That was exactly what Neuenswander, Price and Gall did. And then there are a lot of people in the supporting cast who did a great job. You have to be a good teammate.”\nThe men finished in eighth place, down from fifth place at the indoor Big Tens.\n“We had a bad day (Sunday) when we needed a good one to finish in third,” Pate said. “Our 4x1- disqualified in the first event of the day and that really knocked the wind out of are sails. The kids tried hard, but the chips didn’t fall into place.”\nAll was not totally lost for either squad this weekend, however. Both teams gathered even more regional qualifiers, bringing the total up to 15 athletes in 17 events and an additional three relay squads. The Hoosiers will participate in the Mideast regional meet in Columbia, Mo., on May 25-26, where they will be vying for spots in the NCAA national meet.\n“We had a lot of young kids come and do some things,” Pate said. “The future looks bright and I am excited to have them come through and move up the ranks.”