IU Coach Amy Berbary considers the conference schedule its own entity. It stands as a separate test from the rest of the season, she said.
And the Hoosiers are already thinking long-term ?implications.
Berbary and a few Hoosier players have already tossed around the word ?“postseason.”
IU has 13 games to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament and establish itself as a contender for an NCAA Tournament bid.
The Hoosiers begin their 13-game stretch against Ohio State (4-3) at 7 p.m. today at Bill Armstrong Stadium. They will play No. 8 Penn State (4-1) at 1 p.m. Sunday. The Nittany Lions have defeated No. 12 West Virginia, Syracuse, UConn and Duke.
“It’s going to be a really good test for us to see where we’re at,” Berbary said.
“We use nonconference as a separate season to prepare for conference. So this is going to be a good indication of how much we’ve progressed since we first started.”
IU hasn’t beaten Ohio State since Halloween 2010.
Last season, the Buckeyes came out pressuring, scoring three goals in the first half and coasting to a 3-1 win. The loss snapped IU’s nine-game winning streak.
Berbary said the Hoosiers haven’t forgotten.
“Ohio State came out on fire last year, and we weren’t ready for it,” Berbary said. “None of my kids have beaten Ohio State. That’s in the back of our minds.”
Coincidentally, the Hoosiers played at the Buckeyes’ home last weekend in the Ohio State Tournament in Columbus, Ohio.
Although the Big Ten foes didn’t play one another, they did both get a look at one another playing mutual opponents in Dayton and George Mason.
Both teams left the tournament with wins. Ohio State outscored the two opponents 7-2 while IU did so 6-2.
Berbary said a name the IU defense will need to keep tabs on is Ohio State freshman forward Sammy ?Edwards.
The Dublin, Ohio, native is quickly establishing herself as a goal-scoring threat. She recorded a hat trick against Dayton.
“I think we’re just going for it,” senior midfielder Abby Smith said. “We’re at home. It’s our first home game since Indiana State forever ago. We’re just pumped to go back at it.”
IU’s second opponent of the weekend — Penn State — has established itself as a potential National Championship contender.
Through five games, the Nittany Lions have shown the ability to score from almost anywhere on the field.
Penn State’s 12 goals have come from seven different players. Five players have registered an assist.
Freshman defender Taylor Coley — who is getting her first taste of the Big Ten this weekend — said the Hoosiers are eager to prove themselves against one of the nation’s elite in Penn State.
“It’s a huge test — huge,” Coley said. “Playing against the best is exciting because you want to show what you’re made of and show that you are capable of playing at a high level. When it’s time for us to play on Sunday, I think we’ll be ready.”
After struggling through parts of the nonconference, Coley said she’s been pleased with the progress her team has made.
Berbary said the defense has been locking down better, and the offense is converting on opportunities more often.
But those improvements could be on display this weekend against a pair of competitive Big Ten ?opponents.
“Getting two wins out of this weekend or two big results out of this weekend would be huge for us,” Smith said.
