Indiana University
Louisville
Hoosiers Host No. 12 Louisville to Open Season
8/25/2016 4:42:00 PM | Field Hockey
Indiana kicks off their 2016 season with the “Battle of the Border”
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After an illustrious first season under head coach Amanda Janney in 2015, the Indiana Hoosiers are anxious for what awaits them this year. Indiana returns their leading scorer from 2015, a NFHCA All-American in the midfield, and one of the best single-season goalkeepers in program history. Joining the fold this season is Janney's first full recruiting class, an eight-player group of young, fresh talent.
The Hoosiers begin their season at home versus Louisville in the "Battle of the Border", followed by an away trip to face the Ohio Bobcats. IU's game versus Louisville will stream online at BTN2Go.com.
Indiana Field Hockey: The Opening Weekend
Game 1: Indiana (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten) vs. #12 Louisville (0-0, 0-0)
3:00 p.m. ET | Bloomington, Ind. | IU Field Hockey Complex
Game Notes (PDF) | Live Stats | Watch: BTN Plus
Game 2: Indiana (0-0, 0-0) at Ohio (0-0, 0-0 MAC)
1:00 p.m. ET | Athens, Ohio | Pruitt Field
Game Notes (PDF) | Live Stats
Hoosier Notes:
Turning the Corner
The Hoosiers are ready to begin the 2016 fall season, Amanda Janney's second year as head coach. In addition, assitant coach/goalkeeper specialist Ayla Halus begins her second season of cultivating one of the top goalkeeping corps in the Big Ten. Janney's addition of assistant coach Kayla May and volunteer assistant coach Emily Rice provided several new dynamics to offseason training.
Oh Captain, My Captain
The Indiana players made their selections for team captains at the beginning of the preseason. Redshirt junior Elle Hempt will join returning captains Kate Barber and Mollie Getzfread to lead Indiana into their 2016 campaign.
Making Their Mark
Four Hoosiers are commencing their senior season this weekend. Kate Barber, Morgan Dye, Malia Fujisawa, and Mollie Getzfread have combined for 16 academic plaudits, an All-Big Ten selection, and an All-American honor.
"The Battle of the Border" Begins
The annual meeting between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Louisville Cardinals has taken on a name: "The Battle of the Border". This intense rivalry, split by the Ohio River Valley, has produced intense competition over their 15 meetings. The Hoosiers and Cardinals met at the beginning of last season, where Louisville won a 3-0 contest.
Bracing for the Bobcats
Indiana closes the weekend with a trip to Athens for a game against the Ohio Bobcats. Ohio, like Indiana, is receiving votes in the preseason polls with aspirations of quickly rising into the national top 20. This all-time series is currently in a 5-5 deadlock, and the winner of Sunday's game will take the series lead. In their last meeting, in 2014, Indiana earned a 1-0 victory in Athens.
Of Note...
• Kate Barber, Morgan Dye, and Noëlle Rother were named to the 2016 Big Ten Players to Watch List.
• Junior Maddie Latino was Indiana's top scorer last year, and she'll aim to build off of that success in the 2016 season. Latino tallied 28 points on 10 goals and 8 assists, ranking 35th nationally in points per game.
• Coming back from a dominant freshman campaign, Noëlle Rother will lead the Hoosier defense between the pipes this season. Rother ranked 23rd nationally in her goals against average last year, and her 114 saves in 2015 was the third-highest single-season total in IU history.
• 2015 All-American Kate Barber returns to Indiana as a key playmaker in her senior season. Barber thrived on attack penalty corners last year, scoring or creating 11 goals from the top of the circle.
• The Hoosiers are excited about the potential of junior Taylor Pearson, who joins Latino up front this season. Pearson netted 11 goals in the spring season and four in their scrimmage last weekend at Ball State. She returns from a season with three goals and three assists, including one game-winner.
• Indiana's game against Louisville will be their first of four games versus ACC opponents in 2016. The Hoosiers will face Wake Forest (9/4) at Ohio State, welcome Boston College (10/9) to the IU Field Hockey Complex, and travel to defending champion Syracuse (10/30) for the final game of the regular season.
