WINSTON-SALEM

The Hoosiers are looking to avenge an early September loss to the Deacons, where they fell 5-2.

IU has had a remarkable season up to this point. Concluding the season by winning nine of the last 11 games on the schedule, they played strong and finished with a very respectable record, and a good seed in the NCAA tournament.

IU holds an all-time 1-1 tournament record heading into this weekend’s opening round. Indiana is no stranger to the Demon Deacons in tournament play — the Hoosiers’ last tournament game was a 5-0 loss to Wake Forest in 2005, at Winston-Salem.

Indiana is not likely to be fazed by Wake Forest’s lofty record. The Hoosiers have beaten three teams who were ranked among the top 20 in the country this season, including American University, the University of Louisville, and Northwestern.

Wake Forest’s team is undoubtedly talented this season. Three girls were given 2009 All-ACC team honors: seniors Raisa Schiller, Melissa Martin, and Aileen Davis.  Martin led the team in assists this season, while Schiller received her second successive All-ACC team credit.

Wake Forest has played in their share of tough games so far this season. The Demon Deacons are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, one of the tougher conferences in the country. Wake Forest posted a 2-3-0 record in conference play this year. They have beaten a couple top 20 ranked teams; American, and at the time No. 18 Indiana.

The NCAA tournament for field hockey is a 16 team bracket. The play is single elimination until a champion is crowned. This year’s tournament is a tough field of teams, with the number one overall seed being undefeated Maryland (20-0).

IU is one of three Big Ten teams who made this year’s tournament, along with Ohio State and Michigan State. If the Hoosiers advance to the second round they look to face the winner of North Carolina (16-2) and Ohio State (13-6).

The Hoosiers are coming off of a disappointing 3-2 loss to Michigan State in the championship match of the Big Ten tournament on Nov. 7.

Three players on the 2009 roster were given All-Big Ten Honors for their performances this season. Senior Meg O’Connell and sophomore Corey Brautigam were both first-team selections, while redshirt freshman Morgan Fleetwood, who led the Hoosiers with 11 goals and six assists for a combined 28 points, was given second team honors.

The Hoosier field hockey team has a tough task ahead of them, but they are looking to finish strong and make a run going deep into the tournament. IU is looking for their first ever national championship, and they might have the talent to pull it off this year.