No. 14 Hoosiers extend winning streak to 9 games

Coming from behind in two games this weekend, the No. 14 Hoosiers extended their winning streak to nine games, the second longest in team history.\nIU (9-1) needed double overtime Friday to win its Big Ten season opener 5-4 versus the Northwestern Wildcats.\n"If we would have lost that game it would have been a whole different season," senior back Morgan Miller said. "It would have been really tough to bounce back from that."\nThe Hoosiers were able to come out victorious despite surrendering a season-high four goals.\n"You never like to give up four goals. I think we're a better team than that," IU coach Amy Robertson said. "There were times when we weren't poised in our circle, and we just let it rattle us a little bit."\nBoth teams played on the attack the entire game, with the Hoosiers outshooting the Wildcats 19-17. Up 4-3 late in the second half, the Hoosiers lost the lead to the Wildcats in the closing seconds of regulation.\n"It's tough when you are up with 30 seconds to go and you make one mistake, and the opponent is desperate and are going for it," Robertson said. "They capitalize and get a corner with no time on the clock and score. That is a huge momentum swing in favor of your opponent, and for us to come out of that and step up in overtime really shows some fortitude to finish the game when we were barely walking."\nAll-American senior forward Lydia Schrott led the Hoosiers to victory against the Wildcats with a milestone day. Schrott notched her fourth career hat trick, with her third goal serving as the game-winner in double overtime.\nSchrott -- who is IU's career leader in goals, assists and points -- scored the 100th point of her career on the game-winner versus the Wildcats.\n"That goal couldn't have come at a better time," Robertson said. "She brought the stick back, and it seemed like five seconds passed before she shot it. That was probably the most dramatic goal you could have for your 100th point."\nDespite her coach's praise, Schrott downplayed the personal achievement and instead focused on what it meant to IU field hockey.\n"I think it's great for our program," Schrott said. "To be around only seven years and have someone accomplish it is really great for IU."\nIU's program continued to have success Sunday when the team defeated the New Hampshire Wildcats 3-1 at Mellencamp Pavilion.\nThe Wildcats got off to a hot start against the Hoosiers, scoring off a rebound in the seventh minute. The Hoosiers were able to tie the score by halftime when Schrott converted on a penalty stroke in the 31st minute.\nFreshman Haley Funk scored two goals in the second half, and the Hoosiers were able to win their ninth-straight game. The Hoosiers were also aided by strong defensive play, which held the Wildcats to one second-half shot.\nAfter not playing how they wanted to in the first half, the tri-captain Miller said members of the team were forced to make a mentality adjustment in the second half.\n"We had the mentality of thinking, 'No shots on Haley," Miller said, referring to junior goalie Haley Exner. "As a defense, we needed to knock it out and make sure they weren't getting any shots."\nIU's offense also was forced to make adjustments after seeing a New Hampshire defense unlike any other it has seen this season.\n"They played a different style than anyone we've played," Schrott said. "It was hard for us to get in the holes. Sometimes our backs would think we were open when we weren't."\nThe game featured an abundance of officiating whistles that hindered both teams from finding an offensive rhythm\n"We had to fix what our forwards were doing defensively," Robertson said. "We had a better matchup defensively, which allowed everyone to play their role and not someone else's as well."\nWith a nine-game winning streak in hand, the Hoosiers will look to continue their success versus two Big Ten opponents this weekend. The Hoosiers will host Iowa Friday and play against Ohio State Sunday.