Hoosiers to take on No. 6 Gators

Riding a 3-0 record into the weekend, the Hoosiers will face No. 6 Florida Gators (3-0) at 1 p.m. Friday in Bill Armstrong Stadium.

They will then travel to Mercer (1-1-1) in Macon, Ga. on Sunday.  

This season marks IU’s best start since 2000 when the team began with a 5-0.

The Hoosiers traveled to Gainesville in 2007 and lost 1-0. However, the two teams could not be any different in 2009.

Florida has a majority of freshmen and sophomores, while IU returns mostly upperclassmen.

The key to Friday’s matchup will depend on which team’s defense holds up.

Florida senior defender Lauren Hyde will return to her home state. It will be the first time the All-American from Carmel has played in Bloomington.

Mercer is a team IU women soccer coach Mick Lyon said the Hoosiers should not overlook this season. They’re coming off a weekend where they tied No. 16 Georgia.

Like IU, Mercer’s goals have come from a variety of different players. The Bears averaged one goal in each of their three contests, each coming from a different player.

Friday will not only feature the Hoosiers looking to upset the Gators, but it will also look to extend their consecutive shutout streak of more than 600 minutes. IU has been dominant at home under Lyon, going 42-16-6 at Bill Armstrong Stadium.