Team travels to face Michigan, UMass

Coming off a hard-fought performance of the season against Stanford more than a week ago, the field hockey team looks to get its first win of the season as it travels to Ann Arbor, Mich. The Hoosiers will battle No. 4 Michigan Sunday in their first Big Ten conference game of the season. Prior to meeting the Wolverines, the Hoosiers will face off against the Massachusetts Minutemen Saturday in a non-conference match-up.\nThe Hoosiers were originally scheduled to play the Wolverines Friday and University of Massachusetts Saturday, but because of last week's tragedies the schedule was changed to accommodate UMass' traveling plans. \nUMass had planned to fly to Ann Arbor but is now driving to the event. The schedule change will allow UMass to depart after their game against the Hoosiers.\nCoach Amy Robertson said she believes the prolonged break helped the Hoosiers in more ways than it hurt.\n"It has allowed us to practice a lot and focus on working individually with the players," Robertson said. "We are taking advantage of the layoff and working on things we need to improve. Hopefully, the extra time will allow us to get on the right page."\nTrying to keep their skills in game condition, the Hoosiers held an intrasquad scrimmage Monday.\n"I think it was a really good thing, because everyone had to play a full game and it helped us keep our stamina up," Robertson said.\nRobertson has special ties to the UMass field hockey program because she played there in college and spent five seasons at UMass as an assistant coach. \nNoting that while it will be a special game for her, Robertson said it will also be business as usual.\n"It's just any other game, but it is a little extra special" Robertson said. "There is some sentimentality there, because I still follow and root for UMass. I know several of the coaches and players up there. But every game is important for us and I just want success."\nThe Hoosiers said they believe they can get their first victory if they keep up their energy and confidence.\n"We just want to win. We have been working our butts off and we know that it is going to pay off," junior midfielder Erica Nilsson said. "We need to keep our energy up and our attitude up, and keep pressing our opponents.\n"We are really excited from the job we did against Stanford and we know we are right there," senior back Akila Jones said.\nRobertson said each game will be difficult, and the Hoosiers will have to focus and play their game to get a victory.\n"Michigan is very methodical, they don't force anything," Robertson said. "We will have to play smart, take our attacks when they are there and try to create opportunities to score. Against UMass, we will have to put it all on the line. \n"We need to try and expose them in their weaknesses and at the same time try to protect ourselves from their advantages."\nFreshman forward Ryan Woolsey said that the Hoosiers need to remember what it was like to be so close to victory against Stanford.\n"I think we just need to remember how good it felt to play that well, so we can keep feeling good," Woolsey said. "We need to play off that emotion and let it end in a win"