Indiana Defeats Rutgers, Clinches 3-Seed In Big Ten Tournament

Friday, October 30

Bloomington, Ind.

3:30 PM

Indiana University

(9-9)

Rutgers

(7-10)

RUTGERS

Indiana

Indiana Defeats Rutgers, Clinches 3-Seed In Big Ten Tournament

10/30/2015 7:34:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

The Hoosiers win five Big Ten games for the first time in program history

By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com | @Sam_Beishuizen

By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - When Indiana started spring practice, first-year head coach Amanda Janney practically had no expectations. She saw a team with talent, but it was raw. She immediately recognized that there was work to be done in order to take a last-place Big Ten team where she wanted it.

Eight months later, Janney celebrated clinching a third place finish in the Big Ten with a 2-0 win against Rutgers on senior day. Indiana finished with five conference wins—the most in program history—and will play the No. 6 seed at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament being held at the Indiana Field Hockey Complex.

"I think when we started in the spring, we really didn't know where we'd be," Janney said. "We were trying to make sure we just weren't last. So to come out with a third place finish in the Big Ten just says so much about how hard these players work."

The Hoosiers (9-9, 5-3) defeated the Scarlet Knights (7-10, 0-8) behind goalkeeper Noelle Rother's third shutout in her last five games. The freshman made eight saves, increasing her season total to 106, which moves her into sole possession of third place in the program's single-season save category.

"Speechless," senior forward Rachel Stauffer said when asked about Rother. "She has just come in ehre with such confidence and has just wowed everyone. It's amazing to watch her play. As a senior watching a freshman, it's just incredible."

Rother's clean sheet was more than enough for Indiana's offense, which started to gain momentum late in the first half after a slow start.

Senior defender Sydney Supica scored off a penalty corner in the 31^st minute to help the Hoosiers to a 1-0 halftime lead. Junior Kate Barber later went on to add an insurance goal in the 57^th minute.

Janney said getting the offense jumpstarted in the final game of the regular season was crucial for her team's confidence after back-to-back losses one weekend earlier.

"Last weekend we played great, but we didn't get the results we needed," Janney said. "So to get two goals and again get the corners going just builds our confidence for next week."

The scoring sealed the win, but the defense dominated the conversation postgame.

Rother made a diving save with her stick off a penalty stroke in the 10^th minute and followed it up with a glove save just four minutes later. Her teammates say she's as confident as she's been all season in front of the cage and it's reflecting in her play.

"If we didn't have those saves in the first half, it could have really put us in a different mindset and really slowed us down," Janney said. "To see her make a stroke save, those are so extremely difficult. I don't think I've ever seen a stroke save like that before. She's doing things most goalkeepers can't do."

Indiana won't know who its Big Ten Tournament opening round opponent until Saturday, based on the results of Ohio State-Michigan game. The No. 4-6 seeds are still being determined with Ohio State, Penn State and Northwestern all neck and neck in the standings.

But the Hoosiers weren't as concerned Friday with who their opponent is. They were ready to take the time to celebrate their senior class and their turnaround from last to third place in the Big Ten before worrying about the conference tournament.

Whoever Indiana is matched up with, the seniors said they're ready to make one final postseason run. The Hoosiers have already surpassed even their own internal expectations, but they're not settling quite yet.

"I think just going off last year how the season ended and then how it's continuing this year is just so amazing," Stauffer said. "We'll have that momentum going into the tournament."