IU in search of Big Ten win

The IU women's field hockey team will head east to Columbus, Ohio, this weekend to face off against the No. 18 Ohio State Buckeyes. The Hoosiers (7-6, 0-4 in the Big Ten) head into this weekend's match still looking for their first conference win of the season. On Sunday, the Hoosiers will return home for their final home game of the season against the Louisville Cardinals. \nSenior Molly Pulkrabek believes this is going to be a big weekend for the Hoosiers. \n"This is a big weekend for us. Last year the games against these two teams were real good," she said. "This weekend will help us determine where we are in the Big Ten standings for the Big Ten tournament." \nIn last year's matches between the Hoosiers and these two teams, IU recorded their first ever Big Ten win with a 3-2 win over the No. 20 Buckeyes. However, the Hoosiers were unable to beat the No. 9 Cardinals and fell in overtime 2-1.\nAlthough the Hoosiers played extremely well in both of those games, IU coach Amy Robertson doesn't want to compare last year's game to this year's. \n"As a rule I try not to compare teams from the year before," Robertson said. "Also, this is another really big weekend, but I know if we play as well as we can, we can beat any team in the country."\nIn last year's game against the Buckeyes, the Hoosiers got their goals from now-sophomores Nikki Orciuch and Mallory Reabold as well as senior Erica Nilsson. Nilsson is excited for her last home game at IU and she is hoping for a final home win. \n"I am real excited for the weekend," she said. "Both of the programs are very strong and we know we can compete with them and they are good competition. I believe if we play our game we will come out on top."\nThe game Sunday will be the culmination of a great careers for four Hoosier seniors. Pulkrabek, Nilsson, Ginna Irwin and Jamie O'Pray will be playing their final home game for the Hoosiers. Nilsson, Irwin and Pulkrabek have all been on the team since the inaugural season in 2000. All of the seniors have played key roles in starting the program. Nilsson has been a four-year captain for the team and currently holds the all-time record for goals by a Hoosier. Irwin has started all but one game since her freshman year and holds the record for most starts by a Hoosier with 61. Pulkrabek has also set some records of her own, as she currently holds the record for most shutouts in a season as well as being the only member in team history to be named "Defensive Player of the Week." O'Pray currently holds the team record for highest shooting percentage in a season.\nSaturday's game against the Buckeyes will begin at noon, and the final home game against Louisville Sunday will start at 1 p.m. at John Mellencamp Pavilion.\n-- Contact staff writer Andrew Rosen at ajrosen@indiana.edu.