Freshmen take senior lead

For the Hoosiers' water polo team, senior leadership is essential to the success of the team. The Hoosiers' seniors, led by All-American Kristin Stanford, are the backbone of the team. But even the seniors need a little motivation sometimes to keep them on their competitive edge.\n"The freshmen bring a lot of excitement and energy to the team, and this excitement lays down a challenge to the seniors," coach Barry King said. "The seniors have matched the challenge very well, and this is a main reason for us playing so well."\nThe Hoosiers have been playing well lately. The past two weekends they have won two tournaments and are riding a seven game winning streak. The Hoosier freshmen are stepping up at just the right time and are starting to find their role on the team. \n"As a group they have all come along very well and have made good strides in their individual game," King said. "They all bring a piece to the team that makes it complete."\nIn the last game against conference rival Hartwick, freshman Emily Schmitt scored two goals, and fellow freshman Courtney Livak scored with 20 seconds left to give the Hoosiers a victory. Although the Hoosier freshmen have been contributing on the offensive end, King sees the biggest improvement at the other end of the pool, he said. \n"The biggest improvement I see is on the defensive end," King said. "They are all beginning to understand college-level defense."\nBesides Livak and Schmitt, the team consists of four other freshmen, including Clare Meadows, Rachel Lowe, Bridget McKeon and Courtney Thom. All six freshmen play utility except Meadows, who is a two-meter defender. \nThe transition from high school athletics to collegiate athletics is usually the biggest change for most college freshmen.\n"College water polo is a lot different than high school," Thom said. "We have all learned a lot and become better players as we have learned more."\nThe transition for the freshmen has been eased by the help of the older players. \n"The upperclassmen are invaluable to look up to because they have so much experience," McKeon said. "This level is so much different, and they are very important."\nAs well as the older players, Thom said King has helped her with the transition a lot as well. \n"He has opened a whole new door with water polo," Thom said. "He has showed us how to play college water polo."\nThe freshmen are continuing to improve and are becoming more comfortable as the season progresses. \n"My first game I was very nervous, it was very nerve-racking," Thom said. "But I have eased up and started to relax."\nThe freshmen continue to progress and will certainly be a force for the rest of the season.