6-0 at home, IU ready for 2 home games

After experiencing a minor speed bump in their strong start to the season last weekend, the Hoosiers (8-3-0) return home this weekend to play No. 20 Michigan State on Friday and Illinois on Sunday.

IU’s No. 19 ranking also took a hit, as they fell off the rankings after suffering two loses on the road against Northwestern and Wisconsin to begin Big Ten play. With eight games remaining in the regular season, the team isn’t close to panicking.

“I don’t see any of that during practice or in the locker room,” senior defender Kelly Lawrence said. “I think we played well enough to win last weekend, so we’ll go out there Friday and get a couple more wins at home.”

Undefeated No. 20 Michigan State (7-0-2) will get a taste of what playing at Bill Armstrong Stadium is like, where the Hoosiers are 6-0 on the season.

The Spartans return their top-two points leaders from 2008.

Laura Heyboer, the 2008 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year as a freshman, is leading the team with 19 points in 2009.

Another player to keep an eye on is senior forward and Second-Team All-Big Ten Lauren Hill, who is second on the team with 18 points.

It will take an impressive defensive effort to slow down the Spartans’ attack. They come into Friday’s contest leading the Big Ten in assists and goals per game.

“We just have to make sure they receive passes in bad positions,” IU coach Mick Lyon said about Heyboer and Hill. “We’ll have to keep them wide and push them away from attacking the goal."

 In 2008, the Hoosiers held the Spartans to one shot on goal en route to a 1-0 win at Bill Armstrong Stadium.

On Sunday, IU will look to wrap up the weekend with a win against Illinois (5-3-2). The Hoosiers upset the then-No. 25 Illini in 2008 at home in a 1-0 victory. Illinois made it to the third round in last year’s NCAA tournament before being beaten 3-0 by North Carolina.

Goalkeeper Alexandra Kapicka returns for her senior year after recording a 0.80 goals allowed average in 2008.

“To win these next eight games, we need to perform at our highest level and take care of the details,” Lyon said. “That’s the difference between being good and being very good.”