Hoosiers looking to extend win streak against U. of Evansville

When the team bus for the IU women's soccer team rolls into Evansville on Wednesday afternoon, the driver probably won't need a map to figure out where to go. At least four people on the bus will know the area fairly well.\nThe Hoosiers (7-2-3) will head to the alma mater of IU coach Mick Lyon, who was the head coach for the University of Evansville from 1993-2001, when they take on the Purple Aces tonight. IU assistant coach Ian Rickerby was an assistant coach under Lyon at Evansville from 1994-1999, and two Hoosier players, junior defender Jenna Babcock and sophomore forward Ashley Seib, are from Evansville.\n"I'm so excited," Babcock said about playing back in her hometown. "All my family will be there, and a bunch of my friends stayed in town to play, so I'm really pumped."\nIU is in the midst of a 10-game undefeated streak, the second longest in program history. It is 4-0 in the Big Ten following wins against Michigan State and Michigan on Friday and Sunday, respectively.\n"Every game is huge for this team right now," Lyon said. "That's what we said Friday, that it was the most important game of their lives as they pursue the Big Ten title. And we told them again that (last Sunday) became that next game of being the most important game that they will play. And we're going to approach it the same way on Wednesday."\nEven though Wednesday's game against Evansville is a nonconference game, the Hoosiers still feel it is a key game on their schedule.\n"We know it's really important game, a game that we have to win," senior forward Carrie DeFreece said. "We're looking to get into the NCAA Tournament, so we need to win the games we're supposed to win."\nFor the second week in a row, a Hoosier women's soccer player received national recognition. Babcock was named to the topdrawersoccer.com National Team of the Week, an honor that was given to senior midfielder Ali Brown the previous week. Babcock was also named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after leading a defense that allowed only one goal in two conference games during the weekend. Babcock is the second Hoosier to be named a Big Ten Player of the Week this season after DeFreece, who was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 11. But Babcock isn't letting herself get distracted by personal recognition.\n"We're pretty hyped up about (being) 4-0 in the Big Ten," Babcock said. "But I've been reminding everyone that first of all, they're a tough team. They're going to come out hard 'cause this is their biggest game. And we need every win we can get for the bid to the NCAA (Tournament). You can't bank on winning the tournament; you need a solid record going in. So we need to take every game as seriously as a Big Ten game."\nLyon said he will always have respect for Evansville, a school that gave him a scholarship and an opportunity to come to the United States from England to play soccer. But for Wednesday night, he only has one thing on his mind.\n"It's going to be a very special occasion to play there," Lyon said about the game. "That won't distract from the fact that I'm going in to win the game"