Hoosiers looking to end six-game skid

Having lost six straight games in the Big Ten, the IU women’s soccer team is looking for some comfort from Sunday’s trip to Iowa City, Iowa, during which the Hoosiers (4-10-1, 0-6) will play Iowa, which is also looking for its first Big Ten win.

In last Sunday’s action at home, the Hoosiers lost to Michigan, 2-1. The two teams committed 31 fouls in the 90-minute physical contest. Sophomore forward Orianica Velasquez’s penalty kick goal in the 72nd minute helped IU avoid the shutout.

IU coach Mick Lyon arranged normal practice for the team on Tuesday and Wednesday. During Thursday’s practice, Lyon invited a sports psychologist to give the Hoosiers some mental refreshment.

After a 45-minute review film session going over past views, Lyon led the team to Memorial Stadium to do some intense sprint practice.

“It’s good sometimes to break things up.” Lyon said.

Lyon said though he is faced with a difficult stretch, he and the players will not let themselves down. To win at Iowa, Lyon said, it will take efforts made by both coaches and players.

“Once the kickoff starts, I will only have a limited effect in the game,” Lyon said. “I will put that on the players and charge them on.”

Lyon said winning a Big Ten game requires a lot of work for the Hoosiers.

“The focus for us to try to win is a mental approach,” Lyon said. “We are going to find a way to win. We need to work harder on our sets of play and things changing with that both offensively and defensively.”