Being away from home for a long time is inevitable in college sports, but there is nothing like the feeling of returning home - especially when your in-state rivals are waiting for you.

This will be the case when the No. 13 Michigan water polo team returns to Canham Natatorium today at 7 p.m. to play against Michigan State in an exhibition game. Coming off a strong road trip in Grove City and Slippery Rock, Pa., the Wolverines are hoping to continue their seven-game winning streak.

In most other sports, such as football or basketball, the rivalry between the two schools is evident. But as to Michigan senior captain Delia Sonda said, Michigan vs. Michigan State in water polo is just another game.

"In the past few years, there has not been a very intense rivalry between us and Michigan State, but they are a good team and it's always fun to play a game against hard-working and talented girls," Sonda said. "(But) it isn't really a rivalry at all."

Michigan and Indiana are the only Big Ten schools with varsity women's water polo. The Spartans are a club team, and have been blown out by the Wolverines in their meetings in the last two seasons - the most recent being a 20-8 exhibition win by Michigan at home on Jan. 26. But, even though the game itself will have no impact on Michigan's overall record, the outcome can still influence its ranking in the National Collegiate Poll.

So far this season, the Wolverines (10-0 Collegiate Water Polo Association, 12-10 overall) have had their share of ups and downs. Before coming back to win their last seven games, the Wolverines - led by a relatively young roster - lost eight of nine matches against traditional Western powerhouses such as No. 3 Southern Cal. and No. 8 San Diego State. Still, Michigan coach Amber Drury-Pinto feels this season has been a success.

"The West is tough and we're a young team that needs seasoning," Drury-Pinto said. "But we are a good team. (The games we lost) were tight games."

Drury-Pinto also believes that playing at home for the second and final time this season will be a good experience.

"This game will be a motivator for the team since we don't get to play at home much," she said. "We will get to honor the seniors before the game and friends and families can come to cheer on the team."

For the seniors, this will be the final home game of their Michigan careers.

"It hasn't really hit me that this is my last home game because there is still so much of the season to go," Sonda said. "I'm sure that closer to the end of the season I will start to reminisce about the past four years of water polo, but right now I am just excited to be playing and (spending) time with my team."

In looking beyond this game, Drury-Pinto believes that Michigan's games at Indiana next weekend will be very important as Michigan ends its regular season. The road to the division conference, and possibly the NCAA Championship, will have to go through Bloomington.

"The games in the next two weeks will be a good measure of our place in the conference," Drury-Pinto said.

"I am really looking forward to going to Indiana," said Sonda. "We are going to have two big games there against teams like Princeton and Indiana that we will have to beat at the end of the season to get to (the NCAA Championship)."