Hoosiers take on defending champs

After traveling through New England last weekend and returning with two victories, the IU field hockey team hits the road again this weekend traveling to North Carolina to take on Appalachian State University tonight and three-time defending national champion Wake Forest University Sunday. \nThe Hoosiers are brimming with confidence after their successful kickstart to the 2005 season, in which they defeated the University of New Hampshire and perennial powerhouse Northeastern University. But IU coach Amy Robertson said it's important her team doesn't look past Appalachian State, even with Wake Forest looming in the background. \n"Appalachian State is always a good team, and they're particularly tough at home, so it definitely proposes a challenge," Robertson said. "We gained a lot of confidence from last weekend's games, but we can't overlook Appalachian State." \nIU junior forward Lydia Schrott expressed similar sentiments.\n"We're definitely looking forward to playing Wake Forest on Sunday, but we can't overlook Appalachian State at all," she said. "We don't want to be doing the same thing to them that Wake Forest might be doing to us."\nSchrott was recently named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for her four-goal performance last weekend, particularly her three-goal outing against Northeastern. Technically, it marks the second straight week a Hoosier has been named the conference's offensive player of the week, as sophomore forward Frederique Meeuwsen also won the award in the last week of the 2004 season. \n"It's definitely an honor and cool to win it, but I wouldn't say it's the highlight of my career," Schrott said. "Beating Iowa last season was probably the highlight so far." \nWith last weekend's goals, Schrott became IU's all-time leading goal scorer with 16, passing Erica Nilsson in the Hoosier record books.\nAfter this evening's contest with Appalachian State, the Hoosiers will head to Winston-Salem to take on the Demon Deacons Sunday, a challenge Robertson said she believes the Hoosiers are ready for. \n"I think that for the first time in our program's existence, we realize we are capable of playing with them, and I'm very confident in our chances against them," Robertson said. \nThe Deacons are currently 2-0 after defeating Iowa and Michigan last weekend in the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge.\n"Hopefully we'll be the team that upends them this weekend, but I feel like we can't lose either way by playing a team with such a great reputation," Robertson said. \nSenior midfielder and co-captain Lesley Wiler said she believes her team is more than excited to take on the Wake Forest dynasty. \n"Our team is so pumped to play Wake Forest," Wiler said. "It's going to be the best competition we face all year, so we need to focus on the things we have been learning in practice and play with confidence." \nThe last time the Hoosiers and Demon Deacons squared off was Nov. 1, 2003. Wake Forest handed IU a 6-0 loss. Wake Forest's lopsided victory in that contest provides a reason why Schrott said she believes the Demon Deacons will underestimate her team this time around.\n"We're a completely different team this time, and I don't think Wake will be prepared for how good we are now," Schrott said. "We're very confident that we can return with a win"