Hoosiers kick off season this weekend

After a strong preseason performance, the IU women's soccer team is ready to carry its momentum to where the points count and the wins matter.\nThe Hoosiers beat Kentucky 2-1 at the IU-Purdue University Fort Wayne Soccer Showcase and then disposed of Western Kentucky 2-0 Sunday at Bill Armstrong Stadium.\nThis weekend, the Hoosiers open up the regular season as the team heads north to compete in the Milwaukee Cup, where they will play the Marquette Golden Eagles Friday followed by a match Sunday with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.\nThe coaching staff and the players said they do not know a great deal of information about their opponents but feel their hard training this week will have all their bases covered.\n"We played Marquette in the spring. They're a well-balanced team. Milwaukee we played last year in an exhibition," IU coach Mick Lyon said. "Knowing both of their coaches, they'll have their teams fired up. They'll be well-organized, and Wisconsin teams always play with good heart and always seem to be very physically challenging teams." \nThe squad has been training all week in preparation for this weekend, hoping to use what they have learned from their preseason matches to help put a pair of victories in the win column come Monday.\n"We've been working hard all week," senior midfielder Kim Grodek said. "So we're just trying to take what we got from last weekend -- some things we learned that we've been working on in practice. So it should be a good weekend to get some good games in."\nPlayers and coaches agree that this year's offense is the best it has been in recent years. Lyon said he believes his team has the size, speed and creativity necessary to put the ball into the back of the net. \nSophomore forward Megan Pipkens said in order for the Hoosiers to be successful this weekend, a strong offensive attack will be required.\n"We're going to have to take it to them and not let up," Pipkens said. "The forwards this year are very good, very solid at our feet. Good stuff is going to happen. Last year, we had a hard time putting the ball into the net. I think this year is going to be a lot different."\nHowever, Lyon said he feels the team's defending is still not quite up to par, which was of the main targets of this past week's training, and the team will look toward fixing the problem this weekend. \n"We've been working hard on defensive shape and combinations between the midfield and the forwards," sophomore defender Jenna Babcock said. "Our scoring looks better than last year, so we'll be alright there. We just need to win balls in the air and keep our defense tight."\nOn another note, Lyon is pleased with the overall general fitness of his team, which, he said, usually means that players will remain healthy throughout the season. \nLyon said he is also excited about how well the incoming freshmen have adjusted socially as well as their talent level with the rest of the team.\n"(The freshmen) are starting to understand what it takes to play college soccer," Lyon said. "This weekend will be a baptism for them."\n-- Contact staff writer John Fischer at jbfische@indiana.edu.