As this up and down roller coaster of a regular season winds down, only one thing is for sure with this year’s Illini: nobody really knows how good this team is.

The Illini, 4-2-1 in the Big Ten (8-4-3 overall), will try to garner some momentum heading into the Big Ten tournament, as they head to Indiana 2-5-0 (6-8-1) and No. 20 Purdue 6-1-0 (10-5-0), before their last game at home against Iowa next weekend.

This weekend will be key in determining what seed the Illini receive for the Big Ten tournament, as they are currently fifth and only three points away from third place Michigan State.

“Every game from now on, is in preparation for the tournament,” Head Coach Janet Rayfield said. “I don’t think this team has peaked yet, which I think is a really good thing for us. But these next three games will really help us get to that point and develop the one or two things that will push us over the hump.”

The Illini could have pulled ahead of the Spartans last Sunday when they met at the Illini Soccer Stadium. The Illini dominated the proceedings for most of the game but could not find that elusive goal as the game finished in a 0-0 tie.

“We were not necessarily disappointed, but we could have done a few things better,” sophomore goalie Lindsey Carstens said. “The defense played amazing, and it was a great feeling to have a shutout. Now, we’ve just got to learn to put offense and defense together.”

The team started off the weekend with a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory against Michigan last Friday, as they scored two goals within the first five minutes of the second half to take the game away from the Wolverines.

“It was pretty exciting. Just coming back and winning the game was very positive for us,” freshman midfielder Marti Desjarlais said. “We made some adjustments on the field after the first half and also came out and played with more heart in the second half.”

The team should be prepared to face a challenge from the Hoosiers who are battling to stay in the Big Ten tournament. They are currently in eighth – the last position that qualifies – and only two points ahead of Northwestern and Wisconsin. The Hoosiers need three points in their final three games to clinch the spot.

“They’re exceptionally dangerous, because they’re extremely athletic. Their backs are up against the wall, and they’re at home,” Rayfield said. “It’s going to be a tough game for us. There is no game in the Big Ten that is a ‘gimme,’ and you put those three things together for Indiana, and they are going to be a formidable opponent.”

The Boilermakers will be a stiffer challenge, as they are riding a five game-winning streak, and are second in the Big Ten standings. They are ranked second in goals scored and third in goals allowed in the Big Ten.

“They were exceptionally talented, but young last year,” Rayfield said. “That talent has matured, and this is the team that I expected Purdue to be. It’s going to be another tough game, and it could be the last home game for their seniors, so there will also be a lot of emotions.”

The Illini will have to learn how to take advantage of scoring opportunities as they lead the conference in shots, but have failed to score goals at the most inopportune times this season.

“We’ve got to be more consistent in terms of finishing,” Rayfield said. “We’re leading the conference in shots, which we take as a positive, and if we finish a couple of those, the sky is the limit for us.”

The Illini have already clinched a berth in the Big Ten tournament, but that will be little consolation if the team cannot build on its previous success.

“There really hasn’t been a game this year that we couldn’t have won,” Rayfield said. “You can look at that as disappointing, or you can look at that as a positive for our team, in that we’ve played a great schedule, and a lot of good teams, and there’s not a game out there that we couldn’t have won. When it comes down to tournament time, it’s just one game at a time, so if you have a chance to win every game, you have a chance to win a National Championship.”