Women focus on defense during two-game weekend

Call him stubborn. Call him old school. Whatever you do, just don't try to change his style.\nCoach Mick Lyon and the Hoosiers have been busy preparing for Ohio State and Penn State this week, and Lyon insists he will never radically alter the formation the team uses on the field.\n"A lot of teams we play against tend to have a very direct type of back and it's kind of unsophisticated, and it's kind of crude," Lyon said. "There's quite a few teams in the Big Ten that play that way, and they get some success from it. I would prefer if we don't play that way because maybe I'm more of a purist for the game. We try to play what I like to call good, attractive soccer."\nSophomore defender Ryan Hanley said the defense tries to shutdown opposing teams scoring opportunities through the middle.\n"We work on pinching the middle and applying pressure so that the other team has to adjust and play out wide," Hanley said.\nThe formation is more of a defensive-based formation where the midfielders have a lot of freedom to move up and down the field depending on what is happening. The offensive part of the formation allows the wingers almost as much offensive freedom as the forwards have. The team works on trying to widen the field in attempt to increase its scoring opportunities. Lyon said one of the team's strength is its speed out wide.\n"Right now, from the way we're playing, our strengths are good speed out wide and creative players," Lyon said. "I think (junior midfielder) Kim Grodek, (senior defender) Carly Everett and (senior defender) Erin Hesselbach give us real good strength down the spine of the team by winning tackles and headballs, and not getting beat. For the most part, we have no conceded goals right down the middle of the field."\nComing off two Big Ten-opening losses, the Hoosiers schedule doesn't get any easier when they face Ohio State Friday night and then Penn State on Sunday. Ohio State comes in ranked No. 11 in the country with a record of 6-0-1 (0-0-1). The Hoosiers will need to find a way to shutdown Ohio State's potent offense, which has already scored 22 goals on the season.\nPenn State is no pushover either, being ranked No. 13 in the country before their victory over James Madison last Tuesday. On the season, they have compiled a record of 7-1-2 (1-0-0). The Hoosiers will have a tough time defending Joanna Lohman, who is the Nittany Lion's leading scorer with 19 points. Lohman is also currently a candidate for the national player of the year award. IU senior forward Shelly Gruszka said the team is anticipating two physical matches this weekend.\n"Both Ohio State and Penn State are leaders in the Big Ten," Gruszka said. "We're expecting very physical play from both teams. We drive ourselves to be able to compete with Penn State."\nThe Hoosiers take on Ohio State Friday night at 5 p.m. at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Sunday the team hosts Penn State at 1 p.m. at Bill Armstrong Stadium.\n-- Contact staff writer Cory Steger at csteger@indiana.edu.