Friday, October 28
University Park, PA
6 PM
Indiana University
at
Penn State
Hoosiers End Regular Season at No. 6 Penn State, No. 2 Syracuse
10/27/2016 5:30:00 PM | Field Hockey
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Hoosiers head into their final weekend of the 2016 regular season on the east coast with a pair of road games. Indiana will travel to No. 6 Penn State for their final regular season Big Ten game on Friday, October 28 at 6:00 p.m. ET, before heading north to face No. 2 Syracuse on Sunday, October 30 at 1:00 p.m. ET on ESPN3.
It's a unique weekend for the Hoosiers (8-9, 3-4), who will face top-10 competition in back-to-back away games for the first time in program history.
Indiana head coach Amanda Janney loves the way this weekend sets up the Hoosiers for the upcoming Big Ten Tournament, which commences this time next week in College Park, Maryland.
"We couldn't ask for better preparation, playing against two really talented teams," Janney said. "This is what we need to get ready for the Big Ten Tournament, so we want to be playing our best hockey entering next week. I think this team plays well against Penn State, and that's the team who ended our season last year so we're coming in with some extra motivation to see if we can get one more Big Ten win before the tournament."
To get ready for such a rigorous weekend, and eventually the Big Ten Tournament, the Hoosiers have put their noses to the grindstone in this week's training sessions. On the offensive end, the Hoosiers are working on cranking up the pressure against some formidable back lines.
"We've worked on our attacks, trying to get our three forwards to get the ball up and sustain attack," said junior forward Maddie Latino. "We're also working on our shooting, our plays outside the 25, and our defensive corner unit. We know Penn State has a really strong corner unit with a great straight shot, so we need to be able to counter that."
The Hoosiers are well aware, however, of the keys to Penn State's success this season. The Nittany Lions' front line boasts a dynamic group, with five players scoring nine or more goals this season. Leading the way for Penn State is junior Moira Putsch, tallying 44 points between 14 goals and 16 assists in 2016.
"They have a lot of speed and smart passing," Janney said. "It's awesome to see opponents in our conference playing as well as they are, but for us it's something where if we're playing smart hockey, we'll be in good shape. We have to find ways to limit their shots. Our defense is playing so strong back there, so we know our strength in the backfield will make for a good matchup."
The Indiana back line may face their toughest examination this weekend, but they've done well to contain their previous attack-minded opponents. The unit—Malia Fujisawa, Nora Aucker, and captain Elle Hempt—have taken care of business in the final 25 this season, and they want to continue that momentum as they ready for the postseason.
"We're working on shutting them down with our midfielders, along with improving our outlets with quicker inside-out passes," said Hempt of the Penn State attack. "This is the best weekend we could have prior to Big Tens because it prepares us for the speed of play and the talented players we'll face in the tournament. That's especially true with Penn State, who is one of the top teams in the conference."
Indiana's game on Friday will air via live stream on GoPSUSports.com, and is set to begin at 6:00 p.m. ET under the lights at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex. Sunday's game at the defending national champion Syracuse Orange will begin at 1:00 p.m. ET on ESPN3 and ACC Network Extra. Additionally, fans can follow all of the Hoosiers' action this weekend on Twitter and Instagram @HoosiersFH.
It's a unique weekend for the Hoosiers (8-9, 3-4), who will face top-10 competition in back-to-back away games for the first time in program history.
Indiana head coach Amanda Janney loves the way this weekend sets up the Hoosiers for the upcoming Big Ten Tournament, which commences this time next week in College Park, Maryland.
"We couldn't ask for better preparation, playing against two really talented teams," Janney said. "This is what we need to get ready for the Big Ten Tournament, so we want to be playing our best hockey entering next week. I think this team plays well against Penn State, and that's the team who ended our season last year so we're coming in with some extra motivation to see if we can get one more Big Ten win before the tournament."
To get ready for such a rigorous weekend, and eventually the Big Ten Tournament, the Hoosiers have put their noses to the grindstone in this week's training sessions. On the offensive end, the Hoosiers are working on cranking up the pressure against some formidable back lines.
"We've worked on our attacks, trying to get our three forwards to get the ball up and sustain attack," said junior forward Maddie Latino. "We're also working on our shooting, our plays outside the 25, and our defensive corner unit. We know Penn State has a really strong corner unit with a great straight shot, so we need to be able to counter that."
The Hoosiers are well aware, however, of the keys to Penn State's success this season. The Nittany Lions' front line boasts a dynamic group, with five players scoring nine or more goals this season. Leading the way for Penn State is junior Moira Putsch, tallying 44 points between 14 goals and 16 assists in 2016.
"They have a lot of speed and smart passing," Janney said. "It's awesome to see opponents in our conference playing as well as they are, but for us it's something where if we're playing smart hockey, we'll be in good shape. We have to find ways to limit their shots. Our defense is playing so strong back there, so we know our strength in the backfield will make for a good matchup."
The Indiana back line may face their toughest examination this weekend, but they've done well to contain their previous attack-minded opponents. The unit—Malia Fujisawa, Nora Aucker, and captain Elle Hempt—have taken care of business in the final 25 this season, and they want to continue that momentum as they ready for the postseason.
"We're working on shutting them down with our midfielders, along with improving our outlets with quicker inside-out passes," said Hempt of the Penn State attack. "This is the best weekend we could have prior to Big Tens because it prepares us for the speed of play and the talented players we'll face in the tournament. That's especially true with Penn State, who is one of the top teams in the conference."
Indiana's game on Friday will air via live stream on GoPSUSports.com, and is set to begin at 6:00 p.m. ET under the lights at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex. Sunday's game at the defending national champion Syracuse Orange will begin at 1:00 p.m. ET on ESPN3 and ACC Network Extra. Additionally, fans can follow all of the Hoosiers' action this weekend on Twitter and Instagram @HoosiersFH.
Players Mentioned
Defender/Midfield
/ Field Hockey
Defender
/ Field Hockey
Defender
/ Field Hockey
Forward/Midfield
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