IU faces pair of Pennsylvania teams

The IU women's field hockey team returns to competition this weekend to face off against Penn State and Bucknell University. The Hoosiers come in having lost their last three matches, bringing the team to an overall record of 6-4.\n"The team's three-game losing streak will be broken this weekend," IU coach Amy Robertson said. \nAgainst the Hoosiers, Penn State owns the series 5-0, having beaten IU last season 2-1 in Bloomington. The team from University Park, Penn., comes in with a 5-5 record, one game behind the Hoosiers.\n"We've been preparing all week," senior goalkeeper Katie Kanara said. "We're working on our defense and communication a lot. We're a completely different team this year, and I think it is going to be a completely different game."\nPenn State has been headed for 18 years by coach Charlene Morett, who owns a 287-98-8 record with the Nittany Lions.\nFreshman Shaun Banta leads Penn State's attack. Banta has six goals on the season and 15 total points. Senior Karin Grap backs up Banta with 10 points. Junior goalkeeper Megan Akstin has a 1.19 goals against average this season, stopping 40 shots on goal.\nBucknell has faced the Hoosiers only once, beating IU 4-0 in 2000. The Bison are 4-5 on the season after dropping their Patriot League opener 5-0 to American University.\nAlex Kyzmir leads the team from Lewisburg, Pa. Kyzmir put home 16 points this season on five goals. Junior goalkeeper Liz Jordan has a GAA of 2.51. The Bison's coach Heather Lewis is 103-124 in 13 seasons with Bucknell.\nThe Hoosiers will need wins in Pennsylvania to reach coach Robertson's goal of making the playoffs.\n"We're playing good games; there are just a couple aspects we need to work on," Robertson said. "We're working hard and having fun in practice. It's real easy once you've lost a few games to get really critical. We're playing better hockey, and we're going to build on that."\nThe Hoosiers opened the season winnings of six of their first seven matches, and IU players are looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead, said Kanara. "We're improving everyday. We're excited; we have a little fan base out East," Kanara said. "I think we play as well on the road as we do at home. I hope we come out with two wins."\nThe weekend's two games are the start of a seven-game road trip. After Penn State and Bucknell, the Hoosiers remain on the road to play at Northwestern Oct. 8 and New Hampshire Oct. 9.\nThe Hoosiers last two games were both Big Ten losses, falling to Michigan and Iowa, both winning 4-1.\n"Michigan's last goal was a huge momentum change," sophomore Morgan Miller said of the loss. "I can't tell you how frustrating it was."\n-- Contact staff writer Sam Nissen at scnissen@indiana.edu.