Hoosiers prepare for road games

One year ago, the women's soccer team finished 7-5-1, but compiled a meager 1-5-1 record in conference play.\nThis season Indiana (6-2-1, 3-1-1) has lost just one Big Ten match and is ranked No. 23 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll. The team attributes its success to a newfound confidence level -- one that helps the Hoosiers enter every contest expecting to win.\n"This weekend (at Michigan on Friday and Michigan State on Sunday) we know we can go in and win both of these games," sophomore goalkeeper Shaunna Daugherty said. "Whereas last year we were getting frustrated individually and as a team and that's just not a factor this year."\nStill, coach Joe Kelley says he isn't entirely satisfied with his team's play. In fact, with the team entering half-way point of its season, if Kelley were forced to turn in a grade for his ranked Hoosiers, he'd give them a "C."\n"I think 'C' is a good grade. There's always room for improvement. That's the sporting world," Kelley said. "That doesn't mean we've been playing poorly by any means. I'm very pleased with how we've been playing, but we can't be satisfied. We have to look for ways to improve. At the end of the season, we'll see what the grade is.\n"It's going to be a very tough weekend up there at the two Michigan schools. But, that's why we play. We like challenges."\nDaugherty maintains that rankings are unimportant to the Hoosiers, whose goal each match is to play well.\n"I don't care if we're ranked, as long as we go out there and play good soccer and win," Daugherty said. "The only thing that matters is the result at the end of the game and end of the season."\nAs far as important games go, this weekend features a pair of them. Michigan (6-5-0, 4-2-0), who the Hoosiers face tonight, owns the top defense in the conference. The Wolverines might be the Hoosiers toughest road test to date. In fact, the four teams the Hoosiers have picked up points against in the Big Ten fill the bottom of the conference standings. Michigan, meanwhile, is tied for second with Illinois.\nMichigan State (5-4-1, 2-3-1) has also been playing well lately. After dropping its first two conference games to Iowa and Illinois, the Spartans are 2-1-1, with their only loss coming to conference powerhouse Penn State.\n"Michigan is obviously a huge game," Daugherty said. "They are doing very well in the Big Ten. So if we can get going and go to their place and beat them, that will prove we are one of the best teams in the Big Ten."\nRed-hot junior midfielder Kara Bryan, who has scored five goals in the team's past five matches, agrees the Hoosiers will be entering this weekend's contests happy to be ranked, but also focused on winning both Big Ten road games.\n"We'd like to be in the top 25 in the country, but it doesn't matter what the polls say," Bryan said. "I think we'll do very well against Michigan and Michigan State"