Indiana University Athletics
IU Awaits Battle Against Purdue
10/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Purdue Game Notes in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Oct. 25, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana women's soccer team finishes its regular-season schedule at home on Thursday, Oct. 27, against intra-state rival Purdue. The Hoosiers currently sit seventh in the Big Ten standings and need a win or a tie against Purdue to clinch a conference championship berth.
•HEAD COACH Mick Lyon's PREVIEW AGAINST PURDUE•
"It's the yearly rivalry game that the team gets pumped and excited for," head coach Mick Lyon said. " It is a big game for us in many ways. We need a win to clinch an outright Big Ten tournament berth. We have not beaten the Boilermakers in six years, but every year the game has been decided by one goal, so both teams have played extremely well.
•SCOUTING PURDUE•
Indiana is 1-7-0 against the Boilermakers since beginning the intra-state dual in 1999. Every game between the two schools has been decided by one goal. The last time the Hoosiers came out on the winning side came in 1999 on a 1-0 victory.
Purdue is coming off a victory over Illinois in its last outing. The Boilermakers looked to rebound from its devastating loss to Iowa in its previous Big Ten match when it faced the Fighting Illini and did just that, disposing of Illinois, 3-1.
•THE GOLDEN BOOT•
Indiana and Purdue play for the Golden Boot this Thursday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. The Boot is awarded to the winning team of the regular-season contest. For each win, an emblem of a `P' or an `I' is added to the trophy. After winning the first meeting 1-0 in 1999, IU has lost seven in a row in the series, including two matches in the Big Ten Tournament. Its sole win came in Bloomington in 1999.
The rivalry between IU and Purdue also continues with the 2005-06 Crimson & Gold Cup, presented by SBC. The overall winner of the contest will be awarded a trophy at the end of the season.
Each sport can earn one point toward the overall championship. A total of 20 points can be won. The winner of regular season head-to-head competition earns the point for its institution. Should the teams split or tie in regular-season competition the point is split between the two institutions (i.e. if each team wins two games in baseball the point is split). If the two institutions do not compete in head-to-head regular-season competition, the team that places higher at the Big Ten Championship will earn the point. Should they tie in conference championship competition the point will be split. In the sport of track & field three-way meets that are scored as dual meets do not count as head-to-head competition. IU won last year's title 12-7 and currently trails Purdue in 2005, 0.5-0.
•BECKWITH FOR THE WIN•
With just her second goal of the season, freshman forward Molly Beckwith's game-winning goal against Iowa lifted the Hoosiers into Big Ten tournament contention. The Worthington, Ohio, native enters the record book as only the 17th Hoosier to notch a game-winner in Big Ten action and the first freshman to tally two game-winners in her debut season since Kim Grodek notched a pair in her maiden year. Beckwith's first career goal also served as IU's first goal of the season.
•MCCARTHY FOR ONE•
Sophomore forward Lindsay McCarthy found the back of the net for the first time this season and the sixth time in her career in the Hoosiers 3-1 victory over the Hawkeyes. The Galloway, N.J., native now has four points on the season off one goal and two assists. McCarthy's second assist came against Iowa in the game-winner as she setup freshman Molly Beckwith with the score off a cross from the near side of the field.
•STATE CHAMPIONS•
The unofficial title is up for grabs this weekend as Purdue and Indiana meet on Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. Indiana has been perfect against intra-state competition, defeating Valparaiso and Butler by scores of 3-0 and 2-1, respectively.
Purdue also has been perfect against the Hoosier state by downing Butler 2-1 in its only other meeting against an Indiana foe. The Hoosiers look to take the title with a win against the Boilermakers, which would mark the first time a Hoosier squad has defeated the Black and Gold since 1999.
•END OF AN ERA•
The Hoosiers will say goodbye to a talented senior group this Thursday on Senior Night. Robin Barker (2002-pr.), Lauren Fabbro (2003-pr), Courtney O'Bryan (2003-pr) and Kristen Zmijewski (2002-pr.) will all say goodbye to Armstrong Stadium on Oct. 27 with the team's last regular-season match and last contest at home.
•BACK-TO-BACK PERFORMANCE•
Indiana looks to repeat its success against ranked opponents as its faces nationally-ranked Purdue this week. In 2004, IU topped then-No.24 Auburn before tying then-No.24 Illinois in Big Ten action. A repeat performance of last year's success, with an upset win over then-No.22 Michigan this year already in the books, is all the Hoosiers need to make the Big Ten tournament. A win against Purdue is an automatic bid into the conference championships.
•GETTING IN•
There are only two games that affect the Hoosiers and their chances of getting into the Big Ten tournament--its game against Purdue and the Northwestern vs. Wisconsin match.
If Indiana wins or ties this Thursday against the Boilermakers, it is automatically into the Big Ten tournament. If Indiana loses, the only way it can make the tournament is if the Northwestern vs. Wisconsin match ends in a tie. If Northwestern or Wisconsin wins, either team takes the final spot in the tournament.
•DEBUT STAR•
Freshman Molly Kruger's third goal of the season against Iowa gives the forward a the highest point output since Kim Grodek tallied 14 her freshman season. Kruger's nine points overall came off three goals and three assists.
•IN THE CLUTCH•
The Hoosier women have won two or more of their last three regular-season matches seven times in program history. Indiana hopes to use its ability to play in tight situations to earn its eighth overall trip to the Big Ten tournament.
•SENIOR STYLE•
Senior Kristen Zmijewski, who leads the team in goals and points with five and 12, respectively, tallied her first game winner in the Hoosiers' win against Wisconsin. The goal came late in the game to give the Hoosiers their second win in Big Ten play and first on the road.
Senior Courtney O'Bryan notched her first career goal against Ohio State (10/7/05) to equalize the match, 2-2, against the Buckeyes. Ohio State went on to win the affair 3-2 off a late goal. O'Bryan's goal marked the second time a back has tallied a goal this season as fellow senior Robin Barker netted one against Bowling Green (9/18/05).
•DEFENDING HOME•
Indiana is 5-3 at home this season. IU looks to defend its stomping grounds as it hosts Purdue on Thursday. The Hoosiers have garnered two wins when it has faced three straight opponents (last: Xavier, Butler, Bowling Green) at home and looks for that same result with a 1-1 record so far in the current three-game home series (Illinois, L, 1-0; Iowa, W, 3-2; Purdue).
•NINE IS A CROWD•
The Hoosiers have become what head coach Mick Lyon called, "a multi-headed monster," as Indiana has scored from every position on the field, minus goalie.
Sophomore Lindsay McCarthy recently joined the Hoosiers scoring brigade with her notch against Iowa in the Hoosiers' 3-2 victory. The score served as her first of the season and sixth of her career.
Seniors back Courtney O'Bryan (1), back Robin Barker (1) and midfielder Kristen Zmijewski (5), junior forward Megan Pipkens (1), sophomores forward Kristin Radcliffe (3) and midfielder Katy Stewart (1) and freshmen forward Molly Beckwith (1) and midfielder Molly Kruger (1) round out the 2005 scorers.
•RANK AND FILE•
For the first time in three tries, the Hoosiers dethroned a ranked opponent in No. 22 Michigan at Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium. Indiana battled to a 2-1 victory against the Wolverines on Sept. 30 for its first win against a ranked foe. This is the highest ranked opponent to fall at the Hoosiers' hands since Mick Lyon took the reigns of the program four years ago.
Last year, the Hoosiers took down then-No. 24 Auburn (Sept.11, 2004) before tying then-No. 24 Illinois (Oct. 17, 2004), 1-1, in Big Ten action.
•LARGE AND IN CHARGE•
Senior Kristen Zmijewski was named the 2005 team captain for the Hoosiers and has taken the role to heart. As an on- and off-the-field leader, Zmijewski has led the Hoosiers to a 7-9-1 record, while scoring five of IU's 19 goals and two assists.
Zmijewski currently leads the team in points with 12, and entered the IU record book with 13 goals in her career to rank tied for sixth all-time. The Aurora, Ill., native also ranks tied for sixth in game-winning goals, with five in her career.
•SHUTTING OUT THE COMPETITION•
The Hoosiers have held an opponent scoreless three times in the 2005 campaign, the first coming in a 0-0 tie against Loyola Marymount in the season opener, followed by a 1-0 victory against the Iowa State Cyclones. The most recent shutout came against Bowling Green, as the Hoosiers handed the Falcons a 2-0 defeat at home.
•FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH•
Freshman Molly Beckwith and Molly Kruger have teamed to be two of IU's most talented feet on the field. Beckwith (two goals and two assists) currently has six points to her name on the season, while Kruger has tallied a team-best three assists and three goals, leads all Hoosiers with 49 shots and 20 on goal,0 and is second on the roster with nine points. Kruger also recently scored her third career goal against Iowa in the Hoosiers win over the Hawkeyes.
Kruger has started every match for Indiana at the midfield or forward position, while Beckwith has remained a solid reserve at forward, registering action in every game as a valuable substitute.
•THE BARKER FILE•
Against Northwestern (10/14), senior Robin Barker notched five shots for the Hoosiers in their 1-0 loss to the Wildcats in Evanston, Ill., the highest mark for a back this season. Barker scored her third game-winning goal of her career against Bowling Green Sept. 18 to rank 10th all-time in the category. The Brownsburg, Ind., native has scored six goals over her four-year career, all coming from the back position. The senior has been able to turn the solid IU defense, which has forced three shutouts this season, into a formidable offense.
•BIG TEN ACCOLADES•
Sophomore defender Beverly Markwort earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors for the week ending Sept. 16. This recognition is Markwort's first-career conference honor, while it is Indiana's first selection since senior goalkeeper Lauren Fabbro garnered defensive honors on Sept. 27, 2004.
Markwort earned the conference accolade by contributing to a back unit that led Indiana to a 2-0 weekend. The sophomore defender led an Indiana defense that allowed just six shots on goal over the weekend and 10 shots overall over two matches. The Hoosiers downed Butler, 2-1, on Friday and shut out Bowling Green, 2-0, on Sunday. The victory over Bowling Green is Indiana's third shutout of the season.
•HOOSIER HONORS•
Seniors Kristen Zmijewski and Courtney O'Bryan represented the Indiana Hoosiers on the 11-player Hoosier Classic All-Tournament team after leading IU to a 1-1 record over at the Classic. Zmijewski, a midfielder, and O'Bryan a defender, made the first ever all-tournament list as IU hosted the inaugural Classic, inviting then-No.18 ranked Marquette, Miami (Fla.) and Xavier to the event. Marquette took home the tournament title with a 2-0 record, while Miami (1-1) finished second, followed by Indiana (1-1) and Xavier (0-2) in third and fourth.
•GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY•
It was the freshmen duo of Molly Beckwith and Molly Kruger who teamed up to notch the Hoosiers' first goal of the season against Iowa State (9/11). The feat came in the 37th minute of action against the Cyclones, as Beckwith moved toward the goal, collecting a dish from Kruger to knock the ball in for Beckwith and Kruger's first collegiate goal and assist, respectively. IU, which had gone scoreless in its first four contests, could not be denied in its offensive domination of Iowa State, posting a 13-4 shot advantage.
