Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Ready for the RedHawks
10/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 15, 2008
Weekly IU Field Hockey Notes 
| Weekly Big Ten Field Hockey Notes
Indiana plays the third game in a three-game homestand on Friday, taking on the RedHawks of Miami. The game is slated for a 3 p.m. ET start at the IU Field Hockey Field.
The Redhawks come to Bloomington at 9-4, coming off of a 3-1 victory at Ball State. The Hoosiers have won the last six in the eight game series with Miami. The last two meetings have resulted in 2-1 victories for IU.
Indiana is riding high after defeating the rival Wolverines of Michigan on Sunday, Oct. 12. Defense keyed the Hoosier win in the 2-1 contest. The win was the first at home for IU this season, as the Hoosiers hold a 1-2 record at the IU Field Hockey Field on the year. The facility is hosting four regular season games and the Big Ten Tournament this season.
THE COACHES
Amy Robertson is in her ninth season at the helm of the IU field hockey program, where she has a record of 74-85. Robertson's players have found success on and off the field. She has coached three All-Americans at Indiana, and 77 Hoosiers have earned Academic All-Big Ten honors under her watch. In 2003, she was named Big Ten Coach of the Year, and in 2005, she was named Midwest Region Coach of the Year. Robertson graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1988.
Jill Reeve is in her fifth year leading the Redhawks. She has compiled an overall record of 37-49 and a 18-22 mark in the MAC. In her time at Miami, 14 players have earned all-conference honors, including a co-MAC player of the year in 2004. Reeve played for 12 years on team USA, including at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Reeve is a 1993 graduate of Old Dominion.
DEFENSE KEYS WIN OVER RIVAL MICHIGAN
The Hoosiers used a strong defensive showing and a big second half, to record their first Big Ten win of the season on Sunday. The Hoosiers got second half goals from juniors Meg O'Connell and Alina Valenti en route to a 2-1 win over the rival Michigan Wolverines.
The Wolverines came into the game at 2-0 in the Big Ten, defeating the Buckeyes of Ohio State in their last contest. That hot streak continued in the game's first half as they took a 1-0 lead into the half on an early Meredith Way goal.
The Hoosier defense was stout after the early goal. Led by key plays from sophomore Mutsa Mutembwa and junior Lucy Ireland, the Hoosiers held the Michigan scoreless for the game's final 71:05.
Indiana got on the board when O'Connell scored her seventh goal of the year off a penalty corner in the 53rd minute. The ball was sent in and stopped by Mutembwa, then sent toward the goal by senior Danitra Castro. O'Connell's deflection beat Michigan keeper Paige Pickett to knot the game at 1-1.
Valenti's goal came on an exciting play, with sophomore Katie Griswold taking a fast break all the way to the end line on the left of the cage. Griswold sent the ball back to Valenti in front of the goal, where the Lehighton, Pa. product put it home. The goal was Valenti's third of the season.
In the closing minutes, with Michigan possessing the ball inside the Hoosier's circle, Ireland came up with a big intercept to start an Indiana fast break that nearly ended in another goal by Valenti and ran out the clock for the IU victory.
Head coach Amy Robertson was very pleased with her team's performance in the game.
"Our goals coming into the game were to communicate, to have good effort and attitude, to control the controllable, and to never give up. I think the turn around for us was in our constant communication. Our defense showed grit and determination. The goal for our defense was to communicate more on the field, and they nailed that today," Robertson said.
HOOSIERS FALL TO THE BUCKEYES
The Hoosiers fell to the Buckeyes of Ohio State by a score of 5-0 on Friday. The Buckeyes were led by Linda Haussener's two goals and two assists.
Indiana had several unfortunate misses in the game. With seven minutes left in the first half, Meg O'Connell found Alina Valenti in the middle of the circle, who spun around and sent a ball to Mutsa Mutembwa. Mutembwa's shot was just wide right. At the game's conclusion, the Hoosiers had a penalty corner that led to a Haley Funk deflection into the cage that was whistled a non-goal after the ball hit her foot.
Ohio State got two goals from Haussener, two goals from Emily Mikac, and one from Rachel Hunter.
O'CONNELL SCORES GAME-WINNER IN OT
Two days after losing the team lead in goals and points to Haley Funk, Meg O'Connell reclaimed her lead as Indiana's top scorer, recording her third game-winning goal on the season in the process. IU downed the Chippewas of Central Michigan on O'Connell's overtime tally, breaking a scoreless tie.
Sophomore goalkeeper Alex Mann kept the cage empty for almost 80 minutes, recording 14 saves in the game. Mann recorded a total of 22 saves on the weekend in Michigan.
O'Connell's goal came at the 79:52 mark, with junior Alina Valenti sending the ball her way off a penalty corner. The St. Louis native's shot from the top of the circle got past Chippewa keeper Melinda Curran for IU's sixth win of the season. O'Connell has six goals on the season to lead the Hoosiers. The junior captain also has 13 points in 2008, also a team high. The game-winning goal is her third on the year, which also leads all Indiana players.
