Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers to Face Michigan in Big Ten Tournament Opener
10/30/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 30, 2006
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Setting the Scene
Indiana kicks off its fifth consecutive trip to the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m. EST. The Hoosiers enter the tournament as the No. 4 seed, their highest seeding since 1998, when IU entered the tournament as the third seed and received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. In Mick Lyon's previous four trips to Big Tens, the Hoosiers were the sixth seed in 2002, 2003 and 2005 and were the eighth seed in 2004.
Big Ten Tournament History
This will be the Hoosiers' ninth appearance overall in the Big Ten Tournament and fifth in a row. Indiana made it to the conference tournament each year from 1994-98. IU has a 5-8 all-time record in the tourney, with its lone championship coming in 1996. In that year, the Hoosiers entered as the No. 7 seed and knocked off second-seeded Penn State, third-seeded Northwestern, and top seed Wisconsin to advance to their first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Last Time Out
Jessica Okoroafo scored two goals as Purdue topped Indiana 2-1 on a rain-soaked pitch at Varsity Soccer Complex on Friday, Oct. 27. Indiana finishesdthe regular season with a 9-6-4 mark overall and a 5-4-1 mark in Big Ten play. The Hoosiers will enter the Big Ten Tournament as the fourth seed and will face Michigan in the first round.
Okorafo got the game's first goal at the 5:08 mark to jump ahead 1-0. Christy Riggle took possession deep in the 18-yard box and crossed a pass right in front of the goal to a streaking Okoroafo, who put it past Stacey Van Boxmeer to give the home squad a 1-0 lead.
Purdue extended its lead to 2-0 in the 46th minute on a goal off a corner kick. Parissa Eyorokon sent the ball into the box, and Shauna Stapleton headed it to Okoroafo. Okoroafo shook loose and blasted a shot into the left side of the net for her seventh goal of the season.
The Hoosiers trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the 72nd minute on Christie Kotynski's fourth goal of the season. After a scramble in front of the net, the ball came to Carrie DeFreece deep in the six-yard box. The senior wound up a shot that was saved by a Boilermaker defender, but the rebound came right to Kotynski, who booted it home to trim the lead to one.
Media Information
Indiana Athletic Media Relations Staff Assistant Matt Brady is the primary media relations contact for the women's soccer team. He can be reached at his office (812-856-0215), via cell phone (413-222-2788) or e-mail (mlbrady@indiana.edu).
Using Her Head
Christie Kotynski has had a stellar season for the Hoosiers in the air in 2006, netting four goals, three on headers. Kotynski put home her fourth goal of the season in the 2-1 loss to Purdue on Oct. 27, booting home a rebound in the 72nd minute. Kotynski has also shown a flair for the clutch, as two of her four tallies have gone for game-tying goals and her goal against Michigan on Sunday, Oct. 1, was the game-winner. All four of Kotynski's goals have come in the final 20 minutes of regulation, and all have been the final goal of the game.
Inside the Box
Junior keeper Stacey Van Boxmeer picked up her seventh shutout of the season against Wisconsin on Friday, Oct. 13, which was her third shutout in a row. After a week in which she registered two shutouts, she was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week by the conference on Monday, Oct. 9. She became the second Hoosier in as many weeks to bring home the honor, with Jenna Babcock taking home the hardware on Oct. 2.
Van Boxmeer's seven shutouts this season tie her for second on IU's single-season list with Monica Cox, who had seven in 1993. The junior has nine career shutouts, which places her fourth on the all-time Hoosier list. Her season goals against average is now 0.65, which puts her on pace to post the best GAA in school history. Chrissy Heubi's 0.70 average in 2001 is the lowest in program history.
Climbing the Ladder
Several Hoosiers are approaching individual milestones, including senior forward Megan Pipkens. Pipkens is tied for sixth on the Hoosiers' list in career assists (12) and is seventh in career shots (126). The Holt, Mich., native is tied with Kris Fosdick for sixth and is one behind Carrie Watts for fifth place on the all-time assists list. Pipkens played in her 76th game against Purdue on Friday, Oct. 27, tying her with Robin Barker and Kristen Zmijewski for fifth on the all-time list.
Right behind Pipkens on the career assists list is fellow senior Ali Brown. Brown's assist against Michigan on Oct. 1 was the 11th in her career, which ties her for eighth on the school's all-time list. Brown and classmate Carrie DeFreece each played in their 75th game against the Boilers, which is tied for seventh on the school's career list. Brown has started 65 of her 75 career games, which places her in a tie for ninth in that category. Pipkens and DeFreece finished their careers having played in 40 Big Ten games, tied for the most in school history, while Brown played in 39 conference contests.
Stacey Van Boxmeer's 125 career saves are fifth-most in IU history and her 15 career wins tie her with Lauren Fabbro for fourth. The junior needs nine saves to move past Lauren Fabbro into fourth on the all-time save list list. She now has a career goals against average of 1.04, which is the third-lowest in school history.
Senioritis
The Hoosiers have seen significant contributions from their senior class this season. Three of the top four scorers on the team (Lauren Lamping, Carrie DeFreece and Ali Brown) are all seniors, while Megan Pipkens and Lauren Dieter have combined for two assists on the season. The senior class is the second-smallest for the Hoosiers (there are two sophomores on the team), but the party of five has represented exactly half of IU's points on the season.
Scoring by class:
Seniors: 8-12-28 (50 %)
Juniors: 5-1-11 (19.6 %)
Freshmen: 8-3-17 (30.4 %)
Keeping `em Blank
Northwestern's goal in the 27th minute on Sunday, Oct. 15, broke a string of three straight shutouts for the Hoosiers, and also ended the fourth-longest shutout streak in school history and second-longest this season. Indiana had not allowed a goal since Katelin Spencer scored in the 61st minute of IU's 2-1 win over Michigan on Sunday, Oct. 1, a span of 346:27.
Indiana has now recorded eight shutouts on the season, tying the school record in that category. Indiana's 1993 and 1998 squads each shut out eight opponents. The Hoosiers have allowed 13 goals this season, the lowest in the Big Ten. The 1998 team allowed 18 goals in its 23 games, which is the fewest goals allowed in school history.
When Charlotte scored with just 20 seconds to play in the first half of the Hoosiers' 1-1 tie with the 49ers on Sept. 15, it stopped the second-longest shutout streak in IU history.
Longest scoreless streaks:
808:34 Oct. 2-31, 1993
404:57 Sept. 1, 2006-Sept. 15, 2006
366:39 Sept. 28-Oct. 12, 2003
346:27 Oct. 1-10, 2006
329:38 Sept. 1-18, 1998
Sesquicentennial Celebration
Indiana head coach Mick Lyon had more to celebrate than just picking up three points on Friday, Oct. 13. The 1-0 victory over Wisconsin was the 150th of the head coach's career in his 14th year of coaching. Lyon is 43-40-12 in his five years at Indiana, and is 150-105-30 in his career. Lyon led Evansville to six Missouri Valley Conference championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Golden Boots
Lauren Lamping isn't the only defender who has played a part in the offense this season, as she set up fellow defender Jessica Boots for Boots' first-career goal in the 66th minute of IU's 1-0 win over Wisconsin on Friday, Oct. 13. Boots became the fourth freshman to score a goal this season, joining Chrisie Kotynski, Liz Holby and Kristin Arnold. Boots has started every game on the left side of the defense this season, helping the Hoosier defense allow a Big Ten-leading 13 goals.
End of the Road
Northwestern's 1-0 victory on Sunday, Oct. 15, snapped the Hoosiers' unbeaten streak at 13 games, the second-longest in school history and the longest single-season streak in the program's 14 years. Indiana won 14 games in a row between Oct. 3, 1993, and Sept. 14, 1994. During the 13-game streak, IU outscored its opponents 18-5, and scored the game's first goal in 10 of the 13 contests.
LL Cool D
Lauren Lamping's assist on Friday, Oct. 13, was her fifth of the season, which leads the team. She scored the game-winning goal against Minnesota on Sept. 22, which was her second goal of the season and her career. Lamping has posted career highs in goals, assists and points this year. She has also been a starter on the defense in every game this year and has been a crucial part of a defense that has allowed just 13 goals this year.
Babcock Gains Recognition
Junior defender Jenna Babcock earned her first-career Big Ten honor on Oct. 2, being named the conference's Defensive Player of the Week. Babcock, who was also named to TopDrawerSoccer.com's National Team of the Week and the SoccerBuzz.com Elite Team of the Week, has been a leader of the Hoosier defense this season.
Hey Arnold!
Freshman Kristin Arnold entered the Oct. 1 contest against Michigan as one of the team's leaders in shots, but she had yet to score a point in her IU career. The Beavercreek, Ohio, native responded with a goal and an assist in IU's 2-1 win over Michigan for her first three career points. Arnold is one of six IU freshman to register points on the season, joining Christie Kotynski (four goals), Liz Holby (one goal), Jessica Boots (one goal), Taylor Fallon (one assist) and Kelly Lawrence (one assist).
Watching the Milestones
Against Michigan State on Sept. 29, the Hoosiers recorded the 125th win in the history of the program, with Stacey Van Boxmeer registering the victory in goal. The Hoosiers also reached the 600-save mark in Big Ten play in program history. Additionally, Ali Brown's first-half goal against Ohio State on Sept. 24 represented the 350th point in IU history during Big Ten play. IU reached 400 goals as a program against Wisconsin on Oct. 13 and is just one away from reaching 125 goals in Big Ten play.
