Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Prepare For Ball State and Southwest Missouri State
9/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Indiana Hoosiers vs. Ball State Cardinals
Friday, September 5, 2003 • 3:00 p.m.
BSU Artificial Turf Stadium
and
Indiana Hoosiers vs. Southwest Missouri State Bears
Saturday, September 6, 2003 • 12:00 p.m.
BSU Artificial Turf Stadium
Head Coach Amy Robertson's Thoughts on this Weekend
"Both the Ball State and Southwest Missouri State game don't need extra motivation to get prepared for.
The Ball State game is huge for this team. Over the last three years it has become an in-state rivalry. This game brings bragging rights for the next year.
I am excited to play Ball State. Both Ball State and Indiana are 2-0 and off to successful starts. It should be a quality match-up.
We haven't played Southwest Missouri State since 2001 and I look forward to seeing how much progress we have made as a team since we last played them."
Record Setting Weekend
Indiana shattered several records in its games against Central Michigan and Miami (Ohio).
Most notably, Indiana set a new record for goals in a single game with seven goals in the Miami (Ohio) match. The previous record, four goals, had been matched in three games, including the 2001 meeting between the Hoosiers and Ball State.
Indiana's victory against Central Michigan marks the first time in the program's four-year history that Indiana has won its home-opener. With its win against Miami (Ohio), this is Indiana's first-ever 2-0 start.
Junior Kayla Bashore opened the season in breakout fashion. Her two goals against Miami (Ohio) tied the Indiana record for individual goals in a game. Bashore moves into second in career goals with eight, first in career shots with 63 and tied for first in career points with 22.
Senior Jamie O'Pray and sophomore Nikki Orciuch also tied the Indiana record for most assists in a single game with two.
Ball State Information
Annette Payne begins her head coaching career at Ball State this season.
Ten returning letterwinners, including five seniors, three juniors and two sophomores, return for Ball State. Six of the players served in full-time starting roles last season and helped Ball State register three victories over top-20 opponents on the way to receiving votes in the national poll on six different occasions. The team, which ended the season with a double overtime loss in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament, logged a 9-10 overall mark, including a 5-5 league slate.
Leading the charge of returnees is senior forward Afton Hess, a 2002 First Team All-MAC and Second Team All-West Region selection. A full-time starter in all three of her seasons at BSU, Hess tallied a career-high 11 goals and five assists last fall to lead the team with a 1.42 points per game average.
The Cardinals opened the 2003 season 2-0 with wins against Radford, 4-0 and James Madison, 2-0. Top goal scorers were Afton Hess and Chantello Isaac with two goals each.
Ball State vs. Indiana Previous Meetings
Ball State leads 3-1 in previous meetings.
10/25/00 - Away L, 0-8
9/26/01 - Home W, 4-3
9/6/02 - Home L, 0-3
9/21/02 - Away L, 1-0
Southwest Missouri State Information
The Bears lost five starters from the 2002 team including 15 of the team's 23 goals and SMS makes a move from the Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference East Division to the more challenging West Division.
The strength of the SMS field hockey team this season will be in the middle. The Bears return a pair of all-conference caliber players in junior Gabby Gomez and sophomore Liz Miyashita. Gomez was a first team all-NorPac selection in 2002, a second team all-west region pick, and she finished third on the team in scoring with two goals and two assists (six points).
Miyashita was the NorPac East Division Rookie of the Year in 2002 and finished the season with one goal and one assist.
The Bears also should be strong at the center of the defense. Senior Betsy Anderson and junior Amanda Hanson each return after handling the center back duties for most of the 2002 season. Anderson and Hanson each had a defensive save in 2002 and Hanson added two goals and an assist.
Junior goalie Jessie Lininger will also join Anderson and Hanson at the center of the Bears' defense. Last season, Lininger ranked third in the NorPac in saves (5.50 per game) and she was fourth in goals against average (1.82).
Up front, the SMS offense will be led by senior forward Abbey Rolfe. In the last two seasons, Rolfe has scored a total of 11 goals. Of the other players competing for a spot, junior Bryndis Henrikson has the most collegiate experience. Henrikson played in 18 matches with two starts in 2002 and she had a goal in the Bears' 3-0 win over Davidson (9/28/02).
Southwest Missouri State opens its season Sept. 3, against Lindenwood.
SMS vs. Indiana Previous Meetings
Southwest Missouri State leads 1-0 in previous meetings.
10/20/01 - Iowa City, Iowa L, 0-1
Match Notes
• Indiana is off to its first-ever 2-0 start.
• The first time the program has had back-to-back wins.
• Indiana has only had four shutouts in the three previous years.
• Indiana set a new team record for goals scored in a game with 7 against Miami (Ohio), 8/31/03.
• Indiana will be looking for its third straight win against a MAC opponent.
• Indiana holds a 1-3 record against Ball State.
• Indiana holds an 0-1 record against Southwest Missouri State.
• The prior Indiana vs. Southwest Missouri State match was also played at a neutral site, Iowa City, Iowa.
• Indiana set a single game record for goalkeeper saves with 17 vs. Ball State, 9/12/02.
• Indiana assistant coach Gina Lucido is a 1995 Ball State graduate and was a four-year member of the Ball State field hockey team.
