Field hockey falls to Rutgers but rebounds with win over 'Nova

The IU field hockey team (2-4) found out this weekend that what starts badly doesn't necessarily have to finish badly. The Hoosiers, in the Big Ten/Big East Challenge in Syracuse, NY, dropped a heartbreaking overtime thriller 2-1 to Rutgers (2-3) Friday, but rebounded with an impressive 3-1 victory over Villanova (3-3) Sunday.\nFollowing Friday's tough loss, capitalizing on opportunities became a main focus after outshooting Rutgers 13-8 and doubling up 10-5 in penalty corners. IU was drastically outshot and outcornered against Villanova, but coach Amy Robertson said the key to Sunday's two goal win was scoring when IU had chances.\n"The key to our victory today (Sunday) is that we were able to capitalize on fewer opportunities today than we did on Friday," Robertson said.\nFriday, the Hoosiers appeared to have conquered their offensive woes with a dominating offensive performance in the first half. And halfway through the first, sophomore Jamie Baldwin put IU on the board with a goal that deflected off a Rutgers defenseman and whisked past junior goaltender Stacy Gaenzle to give IU the lead, 1-0.\nScarlet Knight coach Ann Petracco quickly called a timeout to regroup. And Rutger's newfound composure showed when junior Julie Speckels fired a shot off of a penalty corner past senior goaltender Molly Pulkrabek to draw even, 1-1, and IU went into the intermission tied.\nRutgers kept the pressure on early in the second half, but IU refused to yield. The Hoosiers began to turn the tide with an offensive barrage in which IU kept the ball for eight minutes in the Scarlet Knights' end. But IU was unable to finish. With just 2:59 remaining, Baldwin received a yellow card to put IU a man down, but the Hoosiers were able to hang on and regulation ended in a 1-1 deadlock.\nEarly in the overtime session, the Hoosiers gave up a penalty stroke chance to the Knights. And Rutgers capitalized when junior Leann Grondski beat Pulkrabek from seven feet out to clinch the Scarlet Knight victory.\nPulkrabek said she couldn't do much but anticipate which way Grondski was going to go.\n"We had seen the girl practicing (penalty strokes) before the game," Pulkrabek said. "And she went the other way that I thought she was going."\nThe Hoosiers were hoping to anticipate the Villanova Wildcats' moves better on Sunday. And IU had plenty of chances to practice as they were outshot 9-2 in the midst of a dominating offensive performance by the Wildcats. But unlike Friday's game, IU was the team to capitalize on its opportunities when sophomore Kim Nash tallied her second goal of the season to put the Hoosiers on top, 1-0. The Hoosiers kept up the intensity for the rest of the half and took their one goal lead into halftime.\nVillanova began the second half much like they began the first by controlling the offensive tempo. But this time the Wildcats got on the board when junior Christina Lugones drove one past Pulkrabek to tie the score, 1-1.\nIU cancelled all plans for a Wildcat comeback on a penalty corner when sophomore Ryan Woolsey found fellow sophomore Kayla Bashore who wound up and sent one past 'Nova senior goalie Meghan Helwig. Bashore said that practice made perfect on her second goal of the season.\n"I've been practicing corners a lot lately," Bashore said. "The goal was from repetition from how I've been practicing."\nThe Hoosiers added an insurance goal with 3:34 remaining when freshman Nikki Orciuch made sure IU wasn't going home empty handed when she scored on an unassisted goal into the right corner of the net. IU's second victory set a record for wins in the third year of the team's existence.\nOffensively, Robertson said a proactive approach proved the difference in the Hoosiers' three goals.\n"We were different breaking into our attack Sunday," Robertson said. "We were much more supportive, and our forwards were playing smarter. We were much more proactive on Sunday and more reactive on Friday."\nBy Sunday, Bashore was tired of all the talk about Hoosier improvement. She was ready to show it.\n"Stop talking and do it," Bashore said. "That was our motto today, and we played much better."\nIU hopes to carry over its success to the next game, a Saturday contest with interstate rival Ball State. IU will be out for revenge after the Cardinals dominated the Hoosiers 3-0 on Sept. 6. \nRobertson said the Villanova win will surely help.\n"It was definitely a bonus for us," Robertson said. "It shows we're capable of scoring, and playing more as a team. We resembled a team today, and I think that will able us to play much better against Ball State"