Indiana University Athletics
Exner, O'Connell Named IU Co-Athletes of the Week
10/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | General
Oct. 2, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - On a weekly basis, IUHOOSIERS.com will recognize the top performances in Hoosier Athletics by selecting an IU Athlete of the Week. For the week ending on Oct. 1, field hockey junior goalkeeper Haley Exner and junior forward Kate O'Connell share the honor. This is the first honor for Exner and O'Connell, while senior forward Lydia Schrott picked up the award Sept. 24. Additionally, the Hoosier duo swept the Big Ten weekly honors as well.
Against the Hawkeyes, O'Connell scored two goals in as many shots, including the game winner for the third multi-goal game of her career. Two days later against No. 5 Ohio State, the St. Louis, Mo., native tallied one shot and scored the Hoosiers' first goal of the contest. O'Connell had a hand in IU's second goal of the OSU game as well. In the 50th minute, O'Connell recorded the assist on senior back Morgan Miller's game winner. For the weekend, O'Connell took three shots, scored three goals, notched one assist for seven points, while contributing to every Indiana score. Currently, she is second on the team in goals (7) and points (20).
Exner turned in an equally impressive performance against Iowa and Ohio State. The San Diego, Calif., native held the Hawkeyes scoreless until 67th minute, recording seven saves in the win. She followed that performance with an even better one, tallying an impressive season-high 11 saves against No. 5 Ohio State. The Buckeyes, who threatened offensively for the majority of the game, outshot IU 14-6 and took 13 penalty corners, but were only able to slip one goal past Exner in 70 minutes.
The 11-1 Hoosiers are back in action on Friday, Oct. 6, as they take on Louisville at Trager Stadium for a 7 p.m. (ET) match. Fans can follow IU live on GameTracker.
Exner and O'Connell were two of many Hoosiers that turned in impressive performances last week, including Jenna Babcock (women's soccer), Jessica Gall (women's cross country), Jordan Kyle (men's cross country), Josiah Sears (football), Erica Short (volleyball) and Darren Yeagle (men's soccer).
Jenna Babcock
D - Jr. - Evansville, Ind.
Babcock led the Hoosier defense to a pair of road conference victories at Michigan and Michigan State on the weekend, where IU held the teams to a combined one goal. Babcock helped the Indiana defense contain two of the conference's top scorers, holding UM's Melissa Dobbin and MSUs Lauren Hill to two shots apiece and no points. Babcock also helped set up Carrie DeFreece˙s game-winning goal against Michigan State with a long pass into the left corner.
Jessica Gall
Sr. - West Lafayette, Ind.
Gall was the Hoosiers' top finisher at the Bill Dellinger Invitational this weekend. Gall placed 11th in the 6K with a time of 20:55.75.
Jordan Kyle
So. - Fishers, Ind.
Kyle claimed his first meet title this weekend at the George Mason Invite. Kyle turned in a career-best 24:45.36 in the 8K leading the Hoosiers to the team's first title of the season.
Josiah Sears
RB - Jr. - Greenfield, Ind.
Led the Hoosiers in rushing this weekend with a career-high 100 yards and one touchdown against Wisconsin.
Erica Short
MB - Jr. - Freeburg, Ill.,
Short tallied 36 kills on the weekend, including 23 against No. 13 Ohio State. Additionally, Short recorded five blocks on the weekend.
Darren Yeagle
MF - Sr. - Louisville, Ky.
Yeagle scored the game-winning goal against Michigan State in the 107th minute to give the Hoosiers their first Big Ten win this season. After a Michigan State defender knocked away an Indiana shot, Yeagle put the deflection into the back of the net. He currently leads the Hoosiers with five goals and 11 points.
