There are two ways to look at opening the Big Ten season against No. 5 Indiana: It will prepare the Penn State men's soccer team for the rest of the conference year, or it will be the beginning of a month-long struggle.

"We're certainly not going into Bloomington looking to pack it back in," Penn State men's soccer coach Barry Gorman said.

The Nittany Lions (2-5-2) will look to make a gigantic statement at 8 tonight on Yeagley Field in Bloomington, Ind.

The Hoosiers (4-0-3) are once again primed to win their third straight national championship. The Southern California of men's soccer has one of the best defenses and goalies in the Big Ten. Sophomore goalkeeper Chris Monroe has already accumulated four shutouts in seven games.

The Hoosier forwards are a complete 180 degree turn from Penn State's. Indiana's trio of Jacob Peterson, Brian Plotkin and Lee Nguyen have scored 11 goals on just 37 shots (30 percent), compared to the Lions top three: five goals on 21 shots (23.8 percent).

"I have lot of admiration for what Indiana has done. But they're like anybody else: you can beat them on the day," Gorman said. "You have to believe that. We're Penn State. I take the philosophy that you fear no one and respect all opponents. Games are not won or lost with talk."

But to beat Indiana -- or any team in the Big Ten for that matter -- Penn State must improve its shooting percentage numbers. To try and build up the players' confidence, the Lions coaching staff has begun showing them videotape evidence that they are creating scoring chances. Gorman made a point to show forwards Jason Yeisley and Simon Omekanda what they have been doing in certain situations.

"They're being a little too concerned about giving the ball to someone else," Gorman said. "That's a shot -- you gotta take it. Don't be trying to be selfless. You're a forward, that's your job. It's the old adage, if you don't shoot you don't score."

The natural thought for the Lions would be to score early and then try and control ball possession -- the same strategy used to upset then-No. 6 Maryland -- but Indiana is a much different beast then the Terrapins. Plus, the score-one-and-hold-on philosophy doesn't have a high success rate.

In 2002 , the last time the Lions defeated the Hoosiers, Indiana got burned with that strategy. Penn State ended up winning, 2-1, in overtime, clinching its most recent Big Ten title.

"It was crazy, it was so loud," Penn State midfielder Brian Devlin said. "It was almost like a football game."

That game was played in front a packed Jeffrey Field and a national television audience, the same as they face today. But this time, the Hoosiers have home-field advantage and the travel advantage.

The Lions arrived in Bloomington at 8:30 last night and are leaving at 5 a.m. tomorrow.

Needless to say, the players aren't all that thrilled, but a win would do away with those complaints.

"When you win, [the stress of a trip] doesn't seem as bad," Gorman said. "This is a good team. We have four simple rules; the second big rule is don't whine."

Collegian staff writer Mike Garvey contributed to this article.