Hoosiers take unbeaten streak on the road to Michigan

With a seven-game winning streak and a nine-game unbeaten streak on the line, the IU women’s soccer team will have targets on their backs as they travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., today to face the Michigan Wolverines.\nThe streak is the longest for the Hoosiers since winning 14 in a row from Oct. 3, 1993, to Sept. 14, 1994. IU has not dropped a game since its first contest of the year against then-No. 13 Florida on Aug. 31. The team’s record currently stands at 8-1-1.\n“Last year was pretty rough, because we beat the top Big Ten teams and then lost to low ones,” senior midfielder/forward Lindsay McCarthy said. “So, any team we play is going to be hard. ... Just like coach (Mick Lyon) said, ‘We are on a pedestal, and what are people going to want to do? Knock you off.’” \nIU coach Mick Lyon wants his players to use the streak as motivation, but not get so wrapped up in their success that they forget their overall team goals.\n“If you ask anyone, whether it is a baseball player or a football team, you try not to focus on (streaks),” Lyon said. “But at the same time, you use it as a little extra motivation. It is finding that balance between the two. Our season is not based on how many games we win in a row. It is based on how well we are doing at the very end.”\nLast year, IU had a similar streak for 14 games after losing its first match of the season.\nDuring that streak, the team gathered a 10-0-3 record – not counting the loss – before Northwestern knocked them down. The team never recovered, losing its last three regular season games, all on the road in the Big Ten. IU then lost to Michigan in the Big Ten tournament.\nThe Big Ten coaches’ preseason rankings had Michigan slotted to finish fifth in the Big Ten, one spot ahead of Indiana.\nDespite being ranked higher than IU at the beginning of the season, the Wolverines have struggled, and IU now ranks higher. The Hoosiers are receiving votes for the Top 25, but by the amount of votes they’re ranked 28th.\nThe Wolverines (2-6-1) have lost their last three contests, including two Big Ten matches against Minnesota and Iowa, who were slotted to finish 10th and 11th respectively in Big Ten preseason rankings.\nBut Lyon said he knows that any game in the Big Ten can be difficult, especially on the road.\n“Even in soccer, playing away from home is a tough venture,” Lyon said. “Just with the environment, they are more comfortable. When you are traveling on the road ... you have got to make sure you stay focused on what the trip is about. It’s about winning soccer games.” The Hoosiers are currently tied atop the Big Ten after winning their first two conference games last weekend. Led by the co-Big Ten Player of the Week Kristin Arnold's five goals, the Hoosiers downed Northwestern 4-3 and Wisconsin 2-0 last weekend. \nAgainst Northwestern, Arnold, a sophomore forward, had IU’s first hat trick since McCarthy scored three goals against Oakland in 2004.\nArnold then added two more goals to her weekend tally as IU defeated Wisconsin 2-0.\n“(Being named co-Big Ten player of the week) feels good,” Arnold said. “A lot of it, though, has to give credit to the team. There were a lot of good through balls that I’ve gotten, which is something we have really talked about. So, I mean, while I finished them, I definitely had some really good balls played to me and not finishing them would be doing a disservice to the team.”\nThe Hoosiers play Michigan at 8 p.m. today. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.