Coach looks for 'flawless' performance

IU coach Mick Lyon demands perfection. He also wants his team to have a winning record before the Big Ten season starts. \nLyon hopes both will happen this weekend as the IU women's soccer team (2-3-1) welcomes Butler and Bowling Green State to Armstrong Stadium. Winning both games will give the Hoosiers a winning record before Big Ten play begins next weekend. \n"I demand perfection," Lyon said. "Anything less, and I am not going to be happy. Last week, we lost concentration because the game became easy. We have turned up the intensity in practice. We need to play flawless soccer for 90 minutes straight."\nLyon said things got a little sloppy on the field in IU's last outing, after the Hoosiers took a 3-1 lead over Xavier. While playing two more mid-major teams this weekend, Lyon hopes to avoid a repeat performance.\n"The players may look at playing a mid-major and not have the intensity they should have," he said. "However, once the whistle blows, the name of the schools and the record of the teams no longer matter. We have to prove we are the best team from the first whistle to the last. That mentality helps us put pressure on the other team early and keep it on all game. We have to make them play at our level."\nFreshman midfielder Molly Beckwith has provided IU with quality time off the bench. Beckwith is tied for first on the team in points and assists, and tied for second in goals. She hopes her contributions this weekend will lead to two Hoosier victories.\n"I think we are going to have good competition this weekend," she said. "But I think we can win if we play as a team and make good runs on the goal. We have a lot of quickness and will use that to our advantage to outrun the defense."\nSix games into the season, Beckwith is still carrying the ball bag and performing other freshman duties, but she said that during games, age no longer matters, as her play on the field has earned the respect of her teammates.\nMidfielder Molly Kruger is another freshman making a name for herself. Kruger has started all six games so far and is tied with Beckwith for the team lead in assists. Lyon refers to his freshmen as the new blood that will continue the program's growth. Kruger hopes the team will continue to progress this weekend so it can begin the Big Ten season with some momentum. \n"I think if we come out and play our game we will be successful," she said. "Playing well against these teams will give us a lot of confidence going into the Big Ten season (with a three-game winning streak)"