Tough opponents await IU out west

The IU men's soccer team will take its undefeated record out West to New Mexico this weekend for the adidas/Crescent Financial Solutions Classic. The event will mark the final two games before conference play begins for the No. 1-ranked and defending champion Hoosiers. \nBut this trip to the Southwest will be no vacation for the Hoosiers, as two teams ranked in Soccer America's top 15 await them.\nIU (5-0) will square off against No. 3 University of California-Santa Barbara Saturday and then No. 14 University of New Mexico Sunday. From there, the Hoosiers will get a week-long break before starting conference play at undefeated Michigan State.\n"The Big Ten is right up there as one of the best conferences in the country," IU coach Mike Freitag said. "It was ranked No. 2 last year, and I think its better this year."\nBefore hitting the meat of its schedule in the Big Ten, where physical play is commonplace, IU will have to endure two equally tough opponents.\n"Santa Barbara is a team that everyone's told me is not a fun game," Freitag said. "They are big and strong and physical, and they've got an attitude. We'll have to rest up from (the Notre Dame) game and be ready for a real battle on Saturday."\nThe game against UC-Santa Barbara also will feature two players recently named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week; both IU junior defender Drew Moor and UCSB goalkeeper Dan Kennedy made the squad. Moor becomes the Hoosiers' third player to make a team-of-the-week in just two weeks.\nThe Hoosiers cruised past No. 5 Notre Dame Wednesday night, 2-0, the first game in a string of three against ranked opponents. The game against the Fighting Irish served as some revenge for IU, as Notre Dame was the last team to beat the Hoosiers.\n"I think we just need to prepare mentally," sophomore forward Jacob Peterson said. "After coming off a big win (against Notre Dame), I think we just need to carry that over into the weekend."\nPeterson is tied with junior midfielder Brian Plotkin for the team lead in goals with three each. IU is settling into a new defensive scheme that seems to be working, as the Hoosiers have outscored their opponents by a combined 14-4.\nThe UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos come into Saturday's match with a undefeated record as well, going 4-0-0 on the season. The Lobos of New Mexico are also 4-0-0 this season including a win versus then-No. 13 ranked Virginia Commonwealth University.\nIU has never faced New Mexico and has played UCSB only once, in 2002, winning 3-1.\n-- Contact staff writer Brian Janosch at bjanosch@indiana.edu.