The Penn State field hockey team will soon learn if it is a pretender or contender for the Big Ten title.

Gone are the creampuff games against small Philadelphia schools. Gone is the only unranked Big Ten opponent, Northwestern. Gone are the opportunities to play half-heartedly and still clamp down a victory.

Starting this weekend, the Nittany Lions will start the toughest stretch of their season, as they travel to Michigan to take on the Wolverines at noon Sunday at Phyllis Ocker Field.

Penn State's remaining schedule contains six out of seven nationally ranked teams, five of which are in the Big Ten conference. Four of those six games will also be played on the road.

The Big Ten fields just seven college field hockey teams, but six of those seven are in the top 15.

While No. 7 Penn State (11-1, 1-0 Big Ten) is ranked the best team in the conference, it holds the lead by only a slim margin -- Indiana, Michigan State and Ohio State round out the top 10. Not far behind is No. 13 Michigan, followed by No. 14 Iowa.

"I don't know when the last time was that we had that bunching from the Big Ten conference teams. I think that speaks a lot for the conference," Penn State field hockey coach Char Morett said.

On Wednesday, Penn State defeated an unranked Syracuse team 3-0, but Morett felt the team went into cruise control after an early goal by Annelise Legel.

Morett said the team will not feel the pressure as long as they continue to play a solid passing game. Recently Morett has noticed the team getting into bad habits carrying the ball, rather than taking advantage of the strongest part of their game.

Heading into this weekend's matchup, the Lions are riding an 11-game win streak. The Wolverines will try to defend their home turf and continue their own winning trend, as they have been victorious in six of their last seven games.

Penn State leads the all-time series against the Wolverines, 19-8, but lost last season, 1-0.

Because of the strength of the conference thus far, Michigan is tied for last in the conference, even with a 6-4 record. All four losses have come against ranked opponents. The first three losses came to the top-three teams in the country.

Morett said Michigan has lost a lot of talent since last season, and has been changing direction a little bit in their style of play.

"Michigan is still going to be a very tough game," Morett said. "Any conference game on the road is quite a challenge."

As of Wednesday, Michigan forward Katie Morris was seventh in the Big Ten in points and points per game with 19 and 1.9, respectively.

Outside of Morris, the Wolverines have lacked firepower, ranking last or next to last in the Big Ten in all team offensive statistics.

Morett said she was more worried about the recent return of U.S. Under-21 team center midfielder Lori Hillman.

"She missed a couple of games, but she's someone who can really step up the entire play for Michigan," Morett said.

Although many teams say that road weariness can be a distraction, Morett said the Lions usually bond on the road.

"This team is very resilient; they have good chemistry on and off the field."