Hoosiers to play in 2 Big Ten matches

After three road games resulting in three conference losses, IU Coach Mick Lyon said the IU women’s soccer team is happy to return home this weekend to face Illinois and Northwestern.

“The travel last weekend was not the easiest, getting to Iowa and Nebraska,” Lyon said. “It’ll be good to get back home and get a couple of games in this weekend.”

The Hoosiers begin their weekend against the Fighting Illini at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bill Armstrong Stadium.

Illinois, currently registering a 5-4-1 record overall and a 2-1 record in conference play, will be as challenging as any Big Ten team, Lyon said.

“Illinois has had a good start to the year, a strong start,” he said. “They’ve been a good team the last several years, but we’ve always had good games against them. I feel positive.”

The weekend will continue with a game against Northwestern at 1 p.m. Sunday.

The Wildcats have yet to win a Big Ten match and have a 0-3 conference record, identical to that of the Hoosiers.  

“Northwestern will be a little different,” Lyon said. “But if we come out and do what we can do, then we have a strong chance of winning both games.”

Freshman defender Caitlin O’Connor said she recognizes both opponents as challenges for IU, and she and her teammates will have to step up.

“They’re both strong teams,” she said. “We’ll have to come out strong from the beginning.”

O’Connor said the team has improved defensively throughout conference play, and emphasis has been placed on maintaining a cohesive back line.

However, Lyon said one of the team’s main focuses this week was finishing.

“It’s not just working with the forwards,” he said. “It’s the balls that are supplied in. It’s the balls played in on set plays.”

Freshman midfielder Jessie Bujouves said the team has worked on several aspects of the attack, including one-on-one situations and getting the ball into the box.

“It’s just that last step that I think we’re missing,” she said. “We’re getting closer, and I think this weekend, hopefully we’ll put some balls in the back of the net and get a win.”

The attitude in practice has remained upbeat, Lyon said, and playing at home has been something the players have been looking forward to.  

“We finally get to play on our home field against another Big Ten team,” Bujouves said. “We’ll definitely have the advantage because we’re familiar with the field, and friends and family will be there to support us.”