Friday, August 25
Louisville, KY
2 PM
Indiana University
at
Louisville
Hoosiers Open Season Against Two Top-10 Teams
8/24/2017 7:47:00 PM | Field Hockey
Indiana faces their interstate rival before taking a shot at the defending NCAA champs
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – It has been 295 days since Indiana's field hockey team took the turf for their final game last season, but the drought ends tomorrow.
The Hoosiers (0-0) commence their 2017 season, the third under head coach Amanda Janney, with an unprecedented weekend pair of contests. For the first time in program history, Indiana will face off against two top-10 opponents in the first weekend of action. They face their Ohio River rivals, No. 9 Louisville, on Friday August 25 at 2:00 p.m. ET. The next day at 1:00 p.m. on Louisville's turf, the Hoosiers encounter No. 3 Delaware, the reigning NCAA champions.
Coach Janney wouldn't trade this opportunity for any other setup. She wants to play the best.
"Louisville has done a great job to revamp their program and stepping up to play like an ACC team, so having that first test will be a great measuring stick," Janney said. "We scheduled Delaware before they won the whole thing last season, so we're excited to play them again this year. It will be a good way for us to see what we need to work on and what we're doing well."
The season opener with Louisville has become a tradition of sorts, as the Hoosiers and Cardinals meet annually near the beginning of the year for their "Battle of the Border" rivalry game. Last year's game against Delaware—a 5-4 Blue Hens win that featured a valiant comeback effort by Indiana—was a contest that found greater meaning after the end of last November.
"We didn't know they would be NCAA champions when we played them last year, but knowing how close we got was really motivating," said sophomore Ciara Girouard. "We hope to come back this season and finish stronger than last year."
The start to the regular season brings a new set of challenges every year. For the Hoosiers, that involves finding goal-scoring solutions in place of recent graduate Kate Barber. Barber set school records for goals (18) and points (40) on her way to Indiana's first All-American first team selection since 2005.
"This year we have a few different hitters, so we have different people stepping up for us," Janney said when asked about the new look of the Hoosiers' corner unit. Ciara, Elle Hempt, and Kelsey Giese give us a variety of scoring options on the corner, so it'll be nice to see who can step up early for us."
Janney's plan for this first weekend is to work with the Hoosiers' deeply talented senior class, which has experience in big games against opponents of this caliber. Hempt, Maddie Latino, and Taylor Pearson carry loads of playing experience as two- and three-year starters. Cameron Gibson and Abby Urbanek will bolster the forward line as they move up from the midfield. And fifth-year senior Katie Johnson, who waited in the wings for the last four seasons, will get her first opening day start between the posts.
"KJ is really working hard and making some great saves," Janney said. "Having that experience of being a fifth-year senior with the hunger of a first-year starter is invaluable to us."
Most of all, the Hoosiers are excited to begin a new year with these new challenges. But they're not headed to Trager Stadium to give a valiant fight and show pride against tough competition.
They're going for wins.
Corner Hits:
Breaking in with the Battle
There's no better way to start the regular season than with a showdown against your interstate rival. The Hoosiers and Cardinals square off in the "Battle of the Border", the annual showdown between two programs closest to one another in Division-I field hockey.
Friday's game marks the 16th meeting in the Hoosiers' 17-year history. Indiana has a 5-11 all-time record against Louisville, and they seek their first series win since 2012. The Cardinals won last year's encounter, 5-1, in Bloomington
The Champs Are Here
The Hoosiers will have a quick 21-hour turnaround before facing an even tougher challenge in the defending NCAA Champions, No. 3 Delaware, at Trager Stadium. The Hoosiers and Blue Hens are meeting for just their second all-time meeting this weekend, after opening up their series last year in Newark.
That first game in 2016 was intense, and the Hoosiers gave a valiant fight at the end. The Blue Hens held a 4-0 lead at the break before Indiana mounted a comeback effort, ending the score line at 5-4 in Delaware's favor.
Six Pick Up Sticks
Indiana's robust senior class will begin their final collegiate seasons on this road trip. Two fifth-year players, Elle Hempt and Katie Johnson, lead the way alongside longtime starters Maddie Latino and Taylor Pearson. Abby Urbanek and Cameron Gibson made offseason transitions to the forward line, adding depth and firepower to Indiana's attack.
Bluegrass Beginnings
For two Hoosiers, the opening weekend carries additional significance as they begin the season playing in their hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Senior Maddie Latino (Sacred Heart) has played four games at Trager Stadium over her four-year career, but Friday's game will be just her second against Louisville on their home turf. Hoosier newcomer Claire Dickinson (Kentucky Country Day) will make her career debut in her hometown after winning Kentucky's Miss Field Hockey, given annually to the top hockey player in the state.
Worth Noting...
• The Hoosiers selected their trio of captains in the offseason. Fifth-year senior Elle Hempt returns for her second year with the band; joining her in captaincy are senior Taylor Pearson and junior Nora Aucker.
• The Hoosiers will open the 2017 season against three top-15 opponents for the first time in program history. Only once have they played two top-20 teams in the opening weekend, back in 2013 against No. 10 Duke and No. 17 Drexel.
• Indiana returns seven starters from their end-of-season lineup to this year's season opener: Nora Aucker, Kelsey Giese, Ciara Girouard, Elle Hempt, Andi Jackson, Maddie Latino, and Taylor Swope.
• The Hoosiers will play their first home game of the season on Friday, Sept. 8 against Central Michigan, followed by a Sunday, Sept. 10 home game versus Miami University.
Follow Indiana Field Hockey on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter.
#GoIU
The Hoosiers (0-0) commence their 2017 season, the third under head coach Amanda Janney, with an unprecedented weekend pair of contests. For the first time in program history, Indiana will face off against two top-10 opponents in the first weekend of action. They face their Ohio River rivals, No. 9 Louisville, on Friday August 25 at 2:00 p.m. ET. The next day at 1:00 p.m. on Louisville's turf, the Hoosiers encounter No. 3 Delaware, the reigning NCAA champions.
Coach Janney wouldn't trade this opportunity for any other setup. She wants to play the best.
"Louisville has done a great job to revamp their program and stepping up to play like an ACC team, so having that first test will be a great measuring stick," Janney said. "We scheduled Delaware before they won the whole thing last season, so we're excited to play them again this year. It will be a good way for us to see what we need to work on and what we're doing well."
The season opener with Louisville has become a tradition of sorts, as the Hoosiers and Cardinals meet annually near the beginning of the year for their "Battle of the Border" rivalry game. Last year's game against Delaware—a 5-4 Blue Hens win that featured a valiant comeback effort by Indiana—was a contest that found greater meaning after the end of last November.
"We didn't know they would be NCAA champions when we played them last year, but knowing how close we got was really motivating," said sophomore Ciara Girouard. "We hope to come back this season and finish stronger than last year."
The start to the regular season brings a new set of challenges every year. For the Hoosiers, that involves finding goal-scoring solutions in place of recent graduate Kate Barber. Barber set school records for goals (18) and points (40) on her way to Indiana's first All-American first team selection since 2005.
"This year we have a few different hitters, so we have different people stepping up for us," Janney said when asked about the new look of the Hoosiers' corner unit. Ciara, Elle Hempt, and Kelsey Giese give us a variety of scoring options on the corner, so it'll be nice to see who can step up early for us."
Janney's plan for this first weekend is to work with the Hoosiers' deeply talented senior class, which has experience in big games against opponents of this caliber. Hempt, Maddie Latino, and Taylor Pearson carry loads of playing experience as two- and three-year starters. Cameron Gibson and Abby Urbanek will bolster the forward line as they move up from the midfield. And fifth-year senior Katie Johnson, who waited in the wings for the last four seasons, will get her first opening day start between the posts.
"KJ is really working hard and making some great saves," Janney said. "Having that experience of being a fifth-year senior with the hunger of a first-year starter is invaluable to us."
Most of all, the Hoosiers are excited to begin a new year with these new challenges. But they're not headed to Trager Stadium to give a valiant fight and show pride against tough competition.
They're going for wins.
Corner Hits:
Breaking in with the Battle
There's no better way to start the regular season than with a showdown against your interstate rival. The Hoosiers and Cardinals square off in the "Battle of the Border", the annual showdown between two programs closest to one another in Division-I field hockey.
Friday's game marks the 16th meeting in the Hoosiers' 17-year history. Indiana has a 5-11 all-time record against Louisville, and they seek their first series win since 2012. The Cardinals won last year's encounter, 5-1, in Bloomington
The Champs Are Here
The Hoosiers will have a quick 21-hour turnaround before facing an even tougher challenge in the defending NCAA Champions, No. 3 Delaware, at Trager Stadium. The Hoosiers and Blue Hens are meeting for just their second all-time meeting this weekend, after opening up their series last year in Newark.
That first game in 2016 was intense, and the Hoosiers gave a valiant fight at the end. The Blue Hens held a 4-0 lead at the break before Indiana mounted a comeback effort, ending the score line at 5-4 in Delaware's favor.
Six Pick Up Sticks
Indiana's robust senior class will begin their final collegiate seasons on this road trip. Two fifth-year players, Elle Hempt and Katie Johnson, lead the way alongside longtime starters Maddie Latino and Taylor Pearson. Abby Urbanek and Cameron Gibson made offseason transitions to the forward line, adding depth and firepower to Indiana's attack.
Bluegrass Beginnings
For two Hoosiers, the opening weekend carries additional significance as they begin the season playing in their hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Senior Maddie Latino (Sacred Heart) has played four games at Trager Stadium over her four-year career, but Friday's game will be just her second against Louisville on their home turf. Hoosier newcomer Claire Dickinson (Kentucky Country Day) will make her career debut in her hometown after winning Kentucky's Miss Field Hockey, given annually to the top hockey player in the state.
Worth Noting...
• The Hoosiers selected their trio of captains in the offseason. Fifth-year senior Elle Hempt returns for her second year with the band; joining her in captaincy are senior Taylor Pearson and junior Nora Aucker.
• The Hoosiers will open the 2017 season against three top-15 opponents for the first time in program history. Only once have they played two top-20 teams in the opening weekend, back in 2013 against No. 10 Duke and No. 17 Drexel.
• Indiana returns seven starters from their end-of-season lineup to this year's season opener: Nora Aucker, Kelsey Giese, Ciara Girouard, Elle Hempt, Andi Jackson, Maddie Latino, and Taylor Swope.
• The Hoosiers will play their first home game of the season on Friday, Sept. 8 against Central Michigan, followed by a Sunday, Sept. 10 home game versus Miami University.
Follow Indiana Field Hockey on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter.
#GoIU
Players Mentioned
Defender/Midfield
/ Field Hockey
Defender/Midfield
/ Field Hockey
Forward
/ Field Hockey
Midfield/Forward
/ Field Hockey
Midfield
/ Field Hockey
Defender
/ Field Hockey
Midfield/Defender
/ Field Hockey
Goalkeeper
/ Field Hockey
Forward/Midfield
/ Field Hockey
Forward/Midfield
/ Field Hockey
Midfield
/ Field Hockey
Forward
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