Winning streaks at stake when No. 7 IU visits No. 9 Ohio State

There's a lot on the line today when the No. 7 IU field hockey team travels to Columbus, Ohio, to take on the No. 9 Ohio State Buckeyes.\nAt stake in this showdown of top 10 Big Ten rivals is both teams' unbeaten conference records, an IU win streak of nine games, a Buckeye win streak of 11 games and seeding implications for next month's Big Ten tournament.\n"This is definitely a showdown of two of the Big Ten's best," IU coach Amy Robertson said. "These are two teams having two great seasons -- this is a very important game."\nThe 12-1 Hoosiers are coming off a hard-fought contest against Louisville Tuesday night in which the Hoosiers won on a last-minute goal. Robertson said she believes the emotions and adrenaline that fueled Tuesday's victory will travel with them on the road, where they have a 5-1 record on the season.\n"That win really showed us what we're made of," Robertson said. "We gave up a lead but we didn't let their momentum defeat us. It proved that we're strong and we're never going to give up."\nAfter starting the season 1-2,\nthe surging Buckeyes have reeled off 11 straight wins. The Ohio State offense is led by senior Lucy Clayton, who has recorded 12 goals on the year. IU sophomore goalkeeper Haley Exner said she believes clamping down on Clayton and the Buckeye offense will be key to a Hoosier victory. \n"If we play like we have been playing, and keep putting pressure on OSU's defense and putting the ball in the net, we will be fine. We need to stay tight on defense and shut them down offensively," Exner said. \nWith only four games remaining in the regular season for the Hoosiers, both Robertson and senior co-captain Lesley Wiler said they believe physical preparation takes a backseat to mental preparation, particularly with a Big Ten rival like Ohio State.\n"At this stage, our preparation is based more on the mental aspects of the game rather than the physical," Robertson said. "We have to be aware of the areas where we can improve."\nWiler agreed with her coach that the team is going to have the right mindset heading into Columbus.\n"We have been preparing mentally for this game and I think we are all very excited to see what the outcome will be," Wiler said. "I have so much confidence in our team and I know we should be able to come through with a win"