Hoosiers ready for home opener

This time of year, IU students are adjusting to new things. \nThe field hockey team's no different. Winning is a new concept the Hoosiers want to keep building on when they face Maine (1-1) 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.\nIU opened its season with a victory against Miami (Ohio) last week.\nA key contribution to the Hoosier victory Saturday was the attacking style of play that overwhelmed Miami in the second half, said coach Amy Robertson. IU's four goals tied a team record.\n"We made some changes in the lineup," Robertson said, "and we were able to get our forwards deep towards their end line. That allowed us to stretch out their defense and get more players in our attack."\nFor IU, the offensive success also resulted from experienced players like sophomores Kim Nash, Kayla Bashore, and Ryan Woolsey to go along with senior Erica Nilsson, Robertson said. But Nash and Nilsson's playmaking combination goes back a little furthur than college. The two Lake Forest, Ill. products combined for three goals and two assists Saturday.\n"They played with each other in high school, and they're very good friends and know each other very well," Robertson said. They combined really well around the defense to put the ball in the back of the net."\nNilsson agrees. \n"Kimmie and I have always played well together up top," she said. "I think we have a similar sense of the game. We read each other well and always know where each other is off the ball."\nRobertson believes that Nilsson's shift from midfield in 2001 to forward in 2002 will help offensive production.\n"Her role on the forward line compliments her abilities to a greater extent and puts her in a position to really help us put the ball in the back of the net," Robertson said. "She can be a little more creative and it gives her more free reign to run all over the field to score." \nAnother key for the Hoosiers will be getting off to a good start, and that was something that did not happen against Miami. IU played tentatively in the first half, and scored all four of its goals in the second half.\n"We only put together one half in our victory on Saturday. So, we'll really be looking to take more control from the start," Robertson said. "We didn't seem to become risk takers in the first game until we had nothing to lose. We have to go out there (Tuesday) with that mentality."\nWhile the Hoosiers were finding that nothing-to-lose mentality, senior goaltender Molly Pulkrabek was keeping IU in the game. Pulkrabek stymied the Redhawks with ten saves while only giving up one goal. But Robertson says Pulkrabek is used to a lot of shots.\n"Molly is used to getting a lot of shots. Last year, she had to make quite a few saves. Games where the opponents take over 10 shots actually favor her because the more involved she is in making plays, the sharper she is," Robertson said.\nIf the offense doesn't produce Tuesday as they did on Saturday, Pulkrabek will be counted on again to give IU a chance. In order to do so, she must stop Maine and Tara Bedard, who has three goals and seven points in only two games.\n"She is very aggressive and calm, and she's definitely not afraid of the ball. She has to build out of that confidence and try to get her defense more involved so she doesn't have to make as many saves," Robertson said.\n"We gained a lot of confidence, and now that we have that feeling of what it's like to win, you know you don't want to lose it," Nash said.