Aug. 31, 2002
OXFORD, Ohio - On a clear, sunny day at the Miami University Turf Field the RedHawk field hockey team dropped its season opener to a tough visiting Indiana squad 4-1. The Red and White scored the contest's first goal but could not hold off a four-goal rush by the Hoosiers in the second half.
"Today was a tough loss for our team," head coach Lil Fesperman says. "Fortunately everything is fixible that didn't work out today and we will be ready when we travel to Washington, D.C. next weekend."
After battling for much of the first half in a scoreless tie the RedHawks were first on the scoreboard when freshman Jessica Saling (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart) found the back of the cage with 30:15 expired in the period. Saling knocked home her first collegiate goal after finding the ball in front of the goal during a mess in front of the net. Credited with her first career assist on Saling's goal was freshman Keri von Kalinowski (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch).
The two squads played the rest of the first half without any further scoring, but the Hoosiers need only 1:59 in the second stanza to score their first goal of the game. Tying the game at 1-1 with her first goal of the season was senior Erica Nilsson (Lake Forest, Ill.), with an assist coming from sophomore Kimberly Nash (Lake Bluff, Ill.).
Indiana took its first lead of the contest a little over 10 minutes later when sophomore Kayla Bashore (Shoemakersville, Pa.) struck a crisp shot on one of Indiana's three corners to give the Hoosiers a 2-1 advantage. Bashore's goal was the only IU goal off a corner, while the RedHawks were unsuccessful on seven penalty corners.
Two more goals off the sticks of Nash and Nilsson at 16:04 and 21:22, respectively, helped guarantee a 4-1 Hoosier victory. Nilsson led the way for IU with two goals while Nash chipped in with one goal and two assists.
Senior goalie Molly Pulkrabek (Barrington, Ill.) earned the victory for Indiana by stopping 10 shots, five in each period. In goal for the RedHawks was sophomore
Kerri Orr (San Diego, Calif./Serra) who saved three Hoosiers' shots.
"We really needed to play for all 70 minutes and stay focused in order to win this afternoon," Fesperman says. "I think we drifted and got a little bit impatient in the second half. However, I couldn't be happier with how good our corners looked."
The loss drops the RedHawks record to 0-1 while Indiana starts its 2002 campaign off 1-0. The Red and White continue the season next weekend when they travel to Georgetown on Sept. 7, and to UMBC on Sept. 8.
