Sports

1st conference win, home win come in 2-1 defeat of Michigan

With two goals in the second half and a defensive effort not seen in previous Big Ten conference games, the IU field hockey team defeated Michigan 2-1 Sunday afternoon in Bloomington. Junior midfielder Meg O’Connell deflected a shot from senior back Dani Castro into the goal midway through the second half to tie the game 1-1. Junior forward Alina Valenti added a goal with eight minutes remaining in the game to give IU (7-6, 1-3) a lead it would not relinquish. “We fought and scratched and clawed our way in that game, and we never gave up,” IU coach Amy Robertson said. “The key element today was our communication. It was really strong on defense and on attack. It was just a full team effort.”

Hoosiers snap scoreless streak but go 0-2 in weekend’s games

Coming into the weekend’s match-ups with Wisconsin and Northwestern, the IU women’s soccer team was still looking for its first conference win. Without two of their starting forwards, things where complicated for the Hoosiers. Junior Liz Holby, who leads the team in points and goals, and freshman Carly Samp did not play because of injuries.

Hoosiers swing and miss

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Not after last season’s mountainous climb to a bowl game. As speedy as the IU football program spiked in 2007, it’s plummeted even faster in 2008.   We lamented on how scrawny, how spare, how sub-par the Hoosiers’ non-conference schedule is. And, while skeptics said early wins were a must, IU’s three straight conference losses proved their theory correct. Michigan State was strike one. Minnesota, strike two. Iowa, strike three. The Hoosiers are out.

Floundering IU squad shut out in road loss to Spartans

Facing the top goal-scorer in the Big Ten, the IU men’s soccer team knew it needed to contain Michigan State senior forward Doug DeMartin from the opening whistle. The Hoosiers held DeMartin in check until the 82nd minute, when he gave the Spartans a late lead. Michigan State freshman midfielder Domenic Barone put the game’s final goal away just 39 seconds later to upset the Hoosiers 2-0 in East Lansing on Sunday. IU coach Mike Freitag said his team’s loss resulted from slow play on the field.

Lynch: Iowa ‘beat us just about every way’ Saturday

Following a 45-9 loss to Iowa in Bloomington, IU coach Bill Lynch played it straight. “You have to do something in the kicking game. Go get a turnover, do something offensively” he said. “They beat us just about every way.” It would be hard to disagree. On offense, IU capped off only two drives in a dozen with scores, and the Hoosiers were only in Hawkeye territory five times.

SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS

Bill Lynch sat at the podium as he began to search for a way to grasp the loss his team just suffered. He didn’t find anything. Last year, playing a team like Iowa was business as usual. But as evidenced by the half-empty Memorial Stadium in the third quarter, the deflated IU sideline and the 45-9 loss on Saturday, the promise the program displayed in 2007 continues to quickly fade away. “We have to play better,” Lynch said. “That’s what we’ll go back to working on.” “You have to do something to turn it. You have to do something in the kicking game, go get a turnover, do something offensively. ... They beat us just about every way.” The boos started to come out as early as the first quarter, and halfway through the third, the fans had had enough. As the game got out of hand, the student section dissipated as quickly as Iowa running backs Shonn Greene and Jewel Hampton hit the gaping holes in the IU defensive line. Greene and Hampton provided the force – the duo ran for 229 yards and four touchdowns – while quarterback Ricky Stanzi picked apart the IU secondary. Stanzi threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns while the Hoosiers displayed a penchant for giving up the big play.

Hoosiers drop fourth in a row

For the fourth straight week, the IU football team found itself leaving the gridiron on a sour note as the Iowa Hawkeyes stormed into Bloomington and downed the Hoosiers with ease. Last year, playing a team like Iowa was business as usual. But as evidenced by the half-empty Memorial Stadium in the third quarter, the deflated IU sideline and the 45-9 loss, the promise Lynch instilled in the program last year continues to slowly fade away.

LIVE: Indiana vs. Iowa

The IU football team kicks off against Iowa at Memorial Stadium at noon. Follow the game as IU football reporters Lee Hurwitz and Ryan Gregg and columnist Dave Leno provide continuous updates at Under the Rock.

Despite 3-game skid, Lynch says ‘stay the course’ against visiting Iowa

Bill Lynch stood in front of his team after practice Wednesday ready to address them in one of his final pep talks before Saturday. But the man in the faded gray sweatshirt did something he rarely ever does. He began to emphatically scream. Attempting to convey to his players the importance of their game against Iowa this weekend, Lynch broke out of his reserved demeanor because the disappointment about the past three weeks needs to end.

Women's soccer has lost last 4 games by 1-0 decisions, but coaches remain positive

Do-it-all Dan: sophomore willing to play any position for the soccer team

IU soccer plans to dominate Spartan resistance

Hoosiers head east

IU set for road tests at Iowa, Minnesota

Some students dissatisfied with Lynch

Post Hardy, football still looking for answers to offensive quandries

WEB ONLY: Campillo shoots final round of 63 to claim championship

WEB ONLY: Field hockey team searches for 'spark'

My life from the top step

The last time I picked up a baseball bat in competition, I was 7 years old. We had all moved past hitting off a tee, but we still weren’t allowed more than one base at a time. So when IU coach Tracy Smith asked earlier in the fall if my fellow beat writer Ryan Gregg and I wanted to manage one of his team’s intrasquad Cream against Crimson fall games, the words “natural fit” came to mind. After all, those who can’t do, coach, right? Maybe not.

Let’s talk Hoosier basketball

Thanks to six months of preparation, Tom Crean is ready. The problem is, he’s not sure what for. “I think, probably like every other program in the country, we’re excited about getting started,” he said, pausing for effect. “Unlike most every other program in the country, we have no idea what to expect.” After spending the past two evenings answering students’ questions, Crean sat down Wednesday with national and local media for the program’s media day. His usual self, Crean tackled every question with his trademark enthusiasm.VIDEO: IU Basketball Media Day