Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Prepare for Homestand
10/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 8, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
| Complete Release in PDF Format
The Hoosiers are back in Bloomington for only the second homestand of the 2008 schedule, hosting the Buckeyes of Ohio State and the Wolverines of Michigan. Indiana will battle with the Buckeyes on Friday, Oct. 10 at 3 p.m. ET and take on the Wolverines on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
IU is coming off of a overtime 1-0 win at Central Michigan that saw Alex Mann record 14 saves, the highest total in the Big Ten this season. Ohio State and Michigan played on Oct. 5 with the Wolverines coming out with the win, 3-2.
Indiana has won five of the last seven matchups to OSU, tying the series at 5-5 all-time. Ohio State took the 2007 game by a 2-1 tally. Michigan has the series advantage over Indiana, leading 8-1. In 2006 and 2007, the Hoosiers fell to the Wolverines 1-0.
THE COACHES
Amy Robertson is in her ninth season at the helm of the IU field hockey program, where she has a record of 73-83. 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.
Anne Wilkinson is in her 13th season at the helm of the Ohio State field hockey program and in her 22nd overall as a head coach. She holds an all-time record of 229-133 and a 142-94 record at Ohio State. Wilkinson graduated from Delaware in 1986.
Nancy Cox is in her fourth season as the Michigan head coach after spending five seasons as a Wolverine assistant. Michigan has gone 73-49 with Cox at the helm. She is a 1982 graduate of Western Michigan.
O'CONNELL SCORES GAMEWINNER IN OT WIN
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.
HOOSIERS DROP ONE TO THE SPARTANS
Indiana was unable to keep up with the Spartans as they fell to Michigan State by a score of 9-1. Junior Haley Funk tallied her fifth goal on the season, providing the Hoosiers only score in the game.
The Spartans were led by Floor Rjipma who recorded four goals in the contest and three in the second half. Michigan State also picked up two goals from Jantine Steinmetz and two goals and two assists from Gwen Riley in the win.
Funk rebounded a shot off a penalty corner and put it home at the 47:48 mark to record Indiana's lone goal. Funk's fifth goal matched junior Meg O'Connell's total for the team lead and made her the points leader for the Hoosiers.
INDIANA FALLS TO THE HAWKEYES
The Hoosiers were not able to keep up with the sixth-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes, dropping the first game of the Big Ten season by a score of 1-6. Sophomore Lena Grote recorded the Indiana goal, her second of the season.
Iowa got two goals from senior Lauren Pfeiffer, and senior Caitlin McCurdy recorded her 10th goal on the season. Five Hawkeyes scored in the contest.
Grote's goal came on a rebound of a Meg O'Connell shot. The score came in the game's 60th minute. Grote's second goal on the season doubles her total from last year.
