Team faces No. 4 Washington

A definite trend is forming as to how the men's soccer team spends its weekends. Rather than just relaxing or catching up on some studying as most college students tend to do on their Saturday and Sunday, this group of athletes battles against the elite teams in the country.\nOver the past two weekends, the Hoosiers(1-1-0) have butted heads with four teams ranked in the Top 25 in the nation. This weekend will be no different as they make their first road trip of the regular to Portland, Ore., to compete in the Portland Classic at Merlo Field. They will face the No. 4 Washington Huskies (2-0-0) Saturday and then face the University of Portland Pilots (0-2-0) Sunday. The Hoosiers, who were ranked fourth in the pre-season polls, slipped in the ranks a bit due to their big loss to No.11 St. John's last weekend and are now No.12.\nSaturday's game against Washington is expected to be a grudge match. Last year in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Indiana defeated Washington 2-1 en route to the Final Four. The Hoosiers are 3-0 all time against the Huskies, who are anxious to prove themselves to be legitimate national championship contenders.\n"We are very anxious to be hosting this next game (against IU) and this year the result will be much different," said Washington senior midfielder Mike Casale. "We will bring our best effort of the year and show Indiana that we're a team that won't be beat."\nThey got off to a good start as they defeated the University of Connecticut, the preseason No.1, in Connecticut. IU freshman midfielder Danny O'Rourke said the Hoosiers will benefit from from playing a demanding schedule.\n "I think (playing Washington) is going to be a good test because if we can get through this at the beginning of the season we're only going to get better," O'Rourke said. "If we can prove we're good at the beginning of the season we can only get better in the post-season."\nCoach Jerry Yeagley said because his Hoosiers have beaten Washington in all three of their meetings they have to be more prepared.\n"The last two times we played (Washington) was in the NCAA tournament, and we beat them both times," Yeagley said. "They haven't forgotten that. I've read their press releases. Their gunning for us."\nYeagley said the Huskies, who are favored to win the PAC-10, are as good as anyone this year. He said he is looking forward to the challenge his team will be faced with when they meet. Just as the Huskies haven't forgotten their recent losses to IU, there is one loss the Hoosiers haven't forgotten either. Last season, Portland came to Bloomington and beat IU 3-0. That is something the Hoosiers will be looking to avenge, Yeagley said. He explained that a road trip such as this one is a good test of a team's fortitude.\n"Going on the road to different regions toughens you up," Yeagley said. "I like it early in the season. You find out which of your guys are going to be able to handle adversity in a tough, strange environment. I'm anxious to see who steps up"