No. 8 Field Hockey Ends the Regular Season at Home – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 24, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio -The No. 8 Ohio State field hockey team will return home for final regular season game of 2001. The Buckeyes will play host to the Indiana Hoosiers at 3 p.m. Friday. Ohio State enters the game with a 12-4 overall record, 4-1 in the Big Ten.
Final Home Game for The Seniors
The game Friday will mark the final time the seniors will play on the Woody Hayes North Turf Field. Kimberley Reedy, Diana Kuser, Marije van Nouhuys and Allison Blanton have been a part of four winning seasons and have helped the Buckeyes to an overall record of 48-27.
A Chance to Clinch
Ohio State can clinch its first Big Ten Championship in program history with a win over Indiana Friday. OSU is tied with Michigan State for first. The Spartans play No. 16 Iowa Friday. If both teams win they will share the championship.
Big Ten Tournament Next Weekend
Ohio State will travel to Evanston, Ill. next weekend for the Big Ten Tournament. The winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes have a chance to be the No. 1 seed meaning they would receive a first round bye. The seeds will be announced early next week.
Van Nouhuys Into The Record Books
Marije van Nouhuys moved into the Ohio State record books during her senior season. With 12 goals this season, she is now No. 4 in career goals with 36. Van Nouhuys would need to score 17 more to move into the No. 3 spot occupied by Danielle Dayton (1989-92). Van Nouhuys is close to moving into the record books for career points. Van Nouhuys needs to tally three more to move into the No. 6 spot occupied by Sue Freed (1978-80). Another Shutout for Blanton
In the win over Richmond Oct. 6, goalkeeper Allison Blanton earned the eighth full shutout of her career. She has recorded 8.5 shutouts overall. Blanton moves into the No. 4 spot in the Buckeye record book. She is tied with Reagan Kopetz (1991-93). Blanton needs four more shutouts to move into the No. 2 spot occupied by former keeper Kim Willis (1985-87).
Immordino and Van Nouhuys Ranked Nationally
Sophomore Vanessa Immordino and senior Marije van Nouhuys are ranked nationally in several offensive categories this week. In fact, they are tied in every category because they have identical stats. Immordino and van Nouhuys are No. 11 in the nation for total goals and goals per game with 12 and .800, respectively. They No. 15 for points per game with 1.8 and are also No. 17 in total points with 27 apiece.
Buckeyes in The Stats
As a team, the Buckeyes also appeared in the national stats. OSU is No. 11 in the country for scoring offense by averaging 2.88 goals per game. They are No. 15 in winning percentage with an 11-4 overall record and an .733 win percentage. Ohio State also is No. 20 in the margin of victory category, beating its opponents by an average of 1.21 goals.
Buckeyes in The Polls
The Ohio State field hockey team moved up a spot to No. 9 in the STX/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll of 2001. It is the second time this season OSU has been in the Top 10. The Buckeyes debuted in the poll at No. 15, but moved into the Top 10 with wins over then-No. 9 Iowa and then-No. 11 Penn State. Ohio State also jumped in the NCAA Field Hockey Poll. Last time it was released, Oct. 9, the Buckeyes were No. 10. This week they move up two spots. Four other Big Ten teams join OSU in the polls, No. 5 Michigan, No. 6 Michigan State, No. 10/13 Penn State and No. 16/18 Iowa.
Buckeyes vs. Ranked Teams
The Ohio State field hockey team has played against nine ranked teams so far in 2001. They have compiled a 5-4 record against those teams.
Doto Makes an Impact
Sophomore midfielder Jenee Doto scored two goals in the 3-1 win over Miami Oct. 16. Her first goal came with 19:34 remaining in the first half. Two and a half minutes later she netted her second goal of the game. Doto is third on the team in total points with 15 on five goals and five assists.
Todd Comes Alive
Junior forward Stacey Todd scored two goals in the 4-0 win over Richmond Oct. 6. Her first goal came with 4:50 remaining in the first half. Todd then opened the second half quickly, scoring less than four minutes in. Todd scored her first goal as a Buckeye this season, sealing a 4-0 win over Pennsylvania Sept. 9.
Hufford Nets First Goal as Buckeye
Junior defender McKenzie Hufford scored her first goal as a Buckeye in the 3-2 win over Ohio. Hufford’s goal tied the game at one and gave the Buckeyes the momentum they needed to pull off the win. She joins teammate Stacey Todd, who scored her first goal as a Buckeye this season.
Freshmen Continue to Contribute
Freshmen midfielders Lorena Margni and Lucy Clayton have made an immediate impact in their young Buckeye careers. Margni is fourth on the team in total points with 14 on four goals and six assists. Her first career goal came in the 2-1 overtime victory over Drexel, while her first assist came in the win over Southwest Missouri State. Clayton is fifth on the team in points with ten on three goals and four assists. Her first career goal came on a penalty corner against Southwest Missouri State. She added her first assist in the win over Pennsylvania.
Margni, Immordino and Van Nouhuys Earn Conference Honors
The Big Ten Conference announced Monday, Oct. 16 Lorena Margni as co-offensive player of the week for field hockey. Margni helped boost the Buckeyes to sole possession of first place in the Big Ten, tallying the game-winning goal to knock off No. 2 Michigan on Friday. Margni added another goal and a pair of assists in the overtime loss to California on Sunday. Margni is fourth on the team in total points with 14 on four goals and six assists. Her first career goal came in the 2-1 overtime victory over Drexel (Sept. 8), while her first assist came in the win over Southwest Missouri State (Sept. 3). The Big Ten Conference announced Monday, Sept. 24, Vanessa Immordino as its offensive player of the week. The sophomore forward helped lead Ohio State to wins over No. 11 Penn State and No. 9 Iowa. She registered 15 points in the three games, including three goals and an assist in the 4-1 win over Iowa. Immordino has recorded 27 points on the season on 12 goals and three assists. She was the second-consecutive player of the week award-winner for the Buckeyes. Marije van Nouhuys was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week Sept. 11. She helped guide OSU to a pair of wins against Drexel and Pennsylvania. Van Nouhuys registered seven points in the two games, including two goals and two assists in the 4-0 shutout of Penn. On the season, she has 27 points on 12 goals and three assists. There was no award given Sept. 17.
Scouting Indiana
The Indiana Hoosiers have compiled an overall record of 1-13 and 0-4 in the Big Ten. The lone win came against Ball State. The Hoosiers are led by Kimberly Nash and Erica Nilsson. Nash has recorded nine points on the season on four goals and one assist. Nilsson has seven points on three goals and an assist. In goal, Indiana is led by Katie Kanara. She has recorded 80 saves and allowed 26 goals. Amy Robertson is in her second season at the helm of Hoosiers. She has compiled an overall record of 2-25. Robertson joined the Hoosiers after serving as an assistant coach at Wake Forest for three seasons. In 1999, she helped lead the squad to an 18-4 record, a No. 3 ranking, and a trip to its first NCAA tournament.
Indiana-Last Time Out
The Hoosiers battled their final non-conference opponent of the year on Saturday against SW Missouri State. The Bears scored a goal early in the match and hung on to defeat Indiana 1-0. The game began with the Bears dominating the attack zone early. Junior keeper Molly Pulkrabek fought of a number of shots in the early going. At the 21:35 mark into the match, SMS forward Leah Postorino capitalized on a fast break opportunity as she beat Pulkrabek to the goal. The second half began with neither team able to get much offense going. Pulkrabek again fought off numerous shots and penalty corners. She tallied 11 saves on the day for the Hoosiers. SMS totaled 23 shots for the game.
OSU vs. Indiana
The game Friday will be the ninth meeting between Ohio State and Indiana. OSU leads the all-time series, 6-1-1. The last meeting between the teams was last season when the Buckeyes beat the Hoosiers, 8-0, in Bloomington, Ind.
Last Week vs. Miami
The Ohio State field hockey team topped the Miami RedHawks (2-14 overall, 0-7 MAC), 3-1, Tuesday in Oxford, Ohio. Miami got on the board first when Beth Young found an open Cheryl Iozzi at the 23:21 mark. OSU answered at the 19:34 mark when Jenee Doto took a feed from Lucy Clayton to score her fourth goal of the season. Two and a half minutes later, Doto scored her second goal of the game when she took a pass from Lorena Margni to put the Buckeyes ahead, 2-1, at the half. The Buckeyes outshot the RedHawks, 15-1, in the half. Ohio State continued to put on the offensive pressure in the second half. At the 31:14 mark Marije van Nouhuys put a shot past Miami goalkeeper Marie Vaughn to net her 11th goal of the year. The Buckeyes finished the game with 28 shots to Miami’s two. The Buckeyes also had 17 penalty corner opportunities, while giving up none to Miami. Vaughn finished the game with 17 saves, while Ohio State keeper Allison Blanton made one.
Last Week vs. Michigan State
The No. 10 Ohio State field hockey team fell to the Michigan State Spartans (14-4 overall, 4-1 Big Ten), 2-1, Saturday at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich. The two teams are tied for first-place in the conference and both teams have one game remaining on the conference schedule. MSU jumped out to an early lead seven minutes into the first half. Off a failed penalty corner attempt, Annebet Beerman nailed a shot that was tipped in by Alexandra Kyser. The Spartans held onto the lead and led at the break, 1-0. Michigan State held the one-goal lead until Beerman netted a goal at the 25:59 mark in the second half. Beerman took a pass from Judith van Haeringen to record her ninth goal of the year. Ohio State cut the lead to one at the 9:21 mark when Marije van Nouhuys put a shot past Spartan keeper Lauren Hess for her 12th goal of the season. The Buckeyes continued the late pressure, but could not find the back of the net. OSU had seven shots in the second half to MSU’s two. Hess stopped 2 shots, while Ohio State keeper Allison Blanton finished with four saves.
Last Week vs. Ball State
The field hockey game between Ohio State and Ball State Tuesday was cancelled because of inclement weather. After a 10- minute delay in the game’s scheduled starting time, the teams battled to a 2-2 draw at the end of the first half. Another round of lightning at the end of the halftime break resulted in a 70-minute delay and eventual cancellation. The game does not count and will not be rescheduled.
Captains
Goalkeeper Allison Blanton and midfielder Diana Kuser were tabbed as the OSU team captains. Last season Blanton started all 20 games for the Buckeyes. She led the Big Ten with an .831 save percentage and five shutouts. She gave up just 26 goals, while collecting 128 saves. Blanton also earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors and was named to the All-Big Ten Tournament team. Kuser enters her second season as OSU’s co-captain. She has proven to be one of the most versatile players for the Buckeyes. She has received honors at both the defender and midfield positions. Last season Kuser was switched to defense and earned all-region honors.
Head Coach Anne Wilkinson
Now in her sixth year at the helm of the Ohio State field hockey team, head coach Anne Wilkinson has established the Buckeyes as a perennial Top 20 program and as one of the upper echelon teams in the Big Ten Conference. Last season she led the Buckeyes to a record of 12-8 overall, 3-3 in the Big Ten, and a No. 16 ranking in the country. Six players earned postseason honors, including two All-America selections. In six seasons, Wilkinson has compiled a 58-34 (.630) record and is 28-22 (.560) in Big Ten play. Her career record of 149-125-8 (.528) includes nine seasons at American University, where she was twice named the conference coach of the year and once the regional coach of the year. Wilkinson’s athletes have made their mark in the classroom as well. Four members earned Academic All-Big Ten honors last year.
Two New Faces On The Sidelines
Not only did Wilkinson bring in six high-profile recruits, she also recruited two new coaches for her staff. Former player Erin Eusner returns to the Ohio State program as an assistant coach. She played for Wilkinson from 1996-97. Last year, she was the head coach at nearby Grandview High School, taking over a program that was nearly terminated and leading the Bobcats to their most wins in recent history. A native of Wayne, Pa., Eusner graduated from OSU with a bachelor’s degree in communications in March of 2001. Jose Ignacio Puzo (called Inako) also enters his first year as a member of the Ohio State coaching staff, bringing both international and NCAA experience to the Buckeye program. A native of Barcelona, Spain, Puzo served as head coach of the Venezuelan national women’s and men’s teams from 1999-2001. Puzo held an assistant coaching position at American University from 1997-1999. Puzo graduated from Venezuela Central University in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in international relations. He received a master’s degree in social policies in 2000.
Up Next Week
Next week the Buckeyes will travel to Evanston, Ill. to play in the Big Ten Tournament, hosted by Northwestern.
