Hoosiers kick off 2002 season with Lyons

The IU women's soccer team kicks off their 2002 campaign tonight in the Nike/Tiger Invitational, hosted by the Missouri Tigers. The two games are the first of the regular season, and begin the tenure of new coach Mick Lyon.\n"It's always important to get off to a good start and set the tone for the season. Of course this team is looking to come away from the weekend with two wins, but just as important, we want to come away from the weekend an organized and invigorated team" coach Lyon said in a press release.\nIndiana will face the Kentucky Wildcats at 5 p.m. on Friday and then play tournament host the Missouri Tigers Sunday at 7 p.m.\nThe Hoosiers lead the all-time matchup with the Wildcats 4-3-1. The last meeting of the teams was in Lexington and the game ended in a 2-2 draw. The Hoosiers have only one victory over the Tigers, but it came in their last season as Big Ten Champs, in 1996. \nBig Ten foe and 23rd ranked Illinois will also compete in the weekend tournament. This weekend also marks the 10th season of women's varsity soccer at IU.\nThe Hoosiers went 1-0-1 in the preseason with a 1-1 tie against Valparaiso and a 6-1 victory over IPFW. The exhibition provided a team with a new head coach and eight freshman players the opportunity to find their identity. Freshman forward Kristen Zmijewski took three shots in the Hoosier's opener against Valparaiso and scored a pair of goals against IPFW. Freshman Kristin Limburg, sophomore Kim Grodek and seniors Kara Bryan and Kristen Sprunger each also scored for the Hoosiers in the victory.\nLyon said those games and the team's training camp have helped to foster a positive outlook for the season.\n"The preseason training camp has been a success," Lyon said in a statement. "It seemed like everyday we learned a little bit more about ourselves as a team and we grew as a team and as individuals. The two exhibition games taught us a lot. There were significant developments from the first to the second game. The big thing we took away from the Fort Wayne game was our ability to create scoring chances and convert on them. The defensive unit seems a lot more compact and secure. We want to continue to develop and grow those qualities through the weekend"