Indiana University Athletics
IU Aims to Win Big Ten Tournament
11/5/2015 9:25:00 AM | Field Hockey
By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana field hockey has been forced to reevaluate its team goals and expectations regularly this season.
First the Hoosiers wanted to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament. They did in mid-October.
Then they wanted a top-4 seed. Indiana finished third.
Heading into today's first round matchup against No. 6 Penn State, IU's next goal lies clearly in front of them as they ready for a 5:30 p.m. match. The Hoosiers have already surpassed their own expectations time and time again, so they're not about to sell themselves short when the games matter most.
Indiana wants to win.
"Any team that shows up tomorrow can win it all," head coach Amanda Janney said.
In her first season at Indiana, Janney has led the Hoosiers (9-9, 5-3) to their most conference wins in a single season in program history. One of those five wins came against Penn State, a 1-0 win at home last month, which gives Indiana all the more reason to be confident with their first round draw.
"We know that they're beatable, so I think we have confidence knowing we've seen them before and we've seen how they play," senior defender Sydney Supica said. "But it also gives us an opportunity to work on things to help us beat them again and come out on top."
Janney and her staff have made a point of explaining the Big Ten Tournament's significance in training. The Hoosiers, who host the tournament for the first time since 2008, would qualify for the NCAA Tournament if they ran the table and won the conference on their home turf.
There's no reason Indiana can't do just that, Janney said. IU is 3-1 in its last four Big Ten games, losing only to top-seeded Maryland in overtime. The Terrapins' goal in the extra period is the lone score the Hoosiers have allowed in their last four Big Ten games.
"We're kind of clicking at the right time," Janney said. "The fact that we've earned some shutouts in some very difficult Big Ten games is hopefully a sign of more good things to come."
Freshmen goalkeeper Noelle Rother has anchored the Hoosiers down the stretch. She was named Second Team All-Big Ten on Thursday along with fellow second-teamer Supica, who owns just about every program record for defensive saves, and junior Kate Barber, who was named to the First Team.
"We've worked in practice on really focusing on what we can do individually and grow as a team," Supica said. "Just as a unit, we're really clicking and our confidence is building as well."
Penn State's own confidence appears to be building as well. Leading scorer Brook Birosik had a hat trick in the Nittany Lions' final game of the season against Northwestern. Penn State has won three of its last four Big Ten games, with the only loss coming against Indiana.
A typical Big Ten Power, the Nittany Lions (8-9, 4-4) have won more conference tournaments (6) than any other team in the Big Ten since joining in 1992. All of those titles have come under veteran head coach Charlene Morette-Curtiss who has been coaching Penn State for nearly three decades.
If Indiana can defeat Penn State for a second time this season, the Hoosiers will advance to the semi-finals to play either No. 2 Michigan or No. 7 Iowa.
"We're definitely looking to win," sophomore forward Maddie Latino said. "We know that we're capable of it. It's just executing. That's what it comes down to because we know we can do it. It's just doing what we know and what we can."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana field hockey has been forced to reevaluate its team goals and expectations regularly this season.
First the Hoosiers wanted to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament. They did in mid-October.
Then they wanted a top-4 seed. Indiana finished third.
Heading into today's first round matchup against No. 6 Penn State, IU's next goal lies clearly in front of them as they ready for a 5:30 p.m. match. The Hoosiers have already surpassed their own expectations time and time again, so they're not about to sell themselves short when the games matter most.
Indiana wants to win.
"Any team that shows up tomorrow can win it all," head coach Amanda Janney said.
In her first season at Indiana, Janney has led the Hoosiers (9-9, 5-3) to their most conference wins in a single season in program history. One of those five wins came against Penn State, a 1-0 win at home last month, which gives Indiana all the more reason to be confident with their first round draw.
"We know that they're beatable, so I think we have confidence knowing we've seen them before and we've seen how they play," senior defender Sydney Supica said. "But it also gives us an opportunity to work on things to help us beat them again and come out on top."
Janney and her staff have made a point of explaining the Big Ten Tournament's significance in training. The Hoosiers, who host the tournament for the first time since 2008, would qualify for the NCAA Tournament if they ran the table and won the conference on their home turf.
There's no reason Indiana can't do just that, Janney said. IU is 3-1 in its last four Big Ten games, losing only to top-seeded Maryland in overtime. The Terrapins' goal in the extra period is the lone score the Hoosiers have allowed in their last four Big Ten games.
"We're kind of clicking at the right time," Janney said. "The fact that we've earned some shutouts in some very difficult Big Ten games is hopefully a sign of more good things to come."
Freshmen goalkeeper Noelle Rother has anchored the Hoosiers down the stretch. She was named Second Team All-Big Ten on Thursday along with fellow second-teamer Supica, who owns just about every program record for defensive saves, and junior Kate Barber, who was named to the First Team.
"We've worked in practice on really focusing on what we can do individually and grow as a team," Supica said. "Just as a unit, we're really clicking and our confidence is building as well."
Penn State's own confidence appears to be building as well. Leading scorer Brook Birosik had a hat trick in the Nittany Lions' final game of the season against Northwestern. Penn State has won three of its last four Big Ten games, with the only loss coming against Indiana.
A typical Big Ten Power, the Nittany Lions (8-9, 4-4) have won more conference tournaments (6) than any other team in the Big Ten since joining in 1992. All of those titles have come under veteran head coach Charlene Morette-Curtiss who has been coaching Penn State for nearly three decades.
If Indiana can defeat Penn State for a second time this season, the Hoosiers will advance to the semi-finals to play either No. 2 Michigan or No. 7 Iowa.
"We're definitely looking to win," sophomore forward Maddie Latino said. "We know that we're capable of it. It's just executing. That's what it comes down to because we know we can do it. It's just doing what we know and what we can."
Players Mentioned
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