UNC Notebook

By Micah McVicker | Micah.McVicker

Posted at 2:19 am on December 1, 2012 | | | Comments (2)

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.—The Hoosiers, in the first half, did not attempt a shot. In contrast, UNC attempted four, two of which were on frame. Senior goalkeeper Luis Soffner made the save each time.

“We weren’t as sharp as we’d like to (be) in the first half,” IU Coach Todd Yeagley said. “These guys came into half and they were focused on task, saying ‘It’s going to be one play. Stay tight.’”

IU made the necessary adjustments during intermission.

“We knew they’d spread the field,” Yeagley said. “We were aware of it, and I think our midfield in the second half, we pushed up a little bit higher and were able to take away some of their possessions that led to their wide build-up. We did better in the second half of that.”

Like the Hoosiers 8-2 advantage in first-half shots Sunday at Notre Dame, that stat, by game’s end, was again rendered to a piece of minutiae. The Hoosiers second half performance extended their season.

“This was a really gutsy performance by our players,” Yeagley said.

Corrado Drew Some Tar Heel Fans’ Ire

If this rivalry is not already blossoming, perhaps junior midfielder A.J. Corrado’s play will expedite that. He drew a couple of fouls on his Tar Heel counterparts. The UNC fans rewarded him with boos when he would line up to take a corner, and cheered when he lost possession of the ball for a UNC goal kick.

Perhaps this incident in the first half contributed? I did not see it, but based on when he was booed, I’d say no.

Regardless, Yeagley is not concerned.

“There might have been a tussle under the side which caused them to [boo],” Yeagley said. “That’s what you get from a home crowd. Our guys feed off of it. I wasn’t concerned one bit with A.J. reacting. He dealt with it really well.”

Zavaleta Snubbed

Though omitted from the Hermann Trophy list of semifinalists, Zavaleta said that his team’s success transcends any kind of individual accolade.

“For me, it’s this team’s rolling,” he said. “Whatever individual awards come for me and the rest of the guys is what’s going to come. For me, the honor that we’re going to the final four is much greater than the honor of being on any list. Getting this program back to the final four is a much greater feeling than any other individual accolade I could ever receive.”

Yeagley added that his striker should be on that list.

Lax: The Unsung Hero

Redshirt sophomore midfieler Dylan Lax is not a player who gets a lot of publicity for scoring a lot of goals or making a lot of saves. Perhaps that’s a good thing. I asked Coach Yeagley if Lax was at all similar to an offensive lineman – usually their work goes unnoticed unless they surrender a sack.

The third-year coach chuckled, then said Lax’s role in the midfield is one of an unsung hero because the Columbus, Ind., does so many things that do not appear in a stat sheet.

“Things that are maybe not highlighted for a fan, but from a coaching-to-team standpoint, it’s crucial,” Yeagley said. “Jacob Bushue’s played that role for us and done a fantastic job. We’re using him a bit differently down the stretch.

“Dylan just doesn’t get rattled with anything. He makes plays physically, and plays within himself. He’s an ultimate team player. Dylan’s been a really nice piece here to make us stronger down the stretch.”

Soffner’s Final Thoughts

“It feels good that this, my last year, I finally made it to the final four,” he said. “Like Coach said, it’s tough to get to a final four. It feels good to get the program back on and, being my senior year, I’m hoping that we can keep this run going.”

I cover IU baseball and men's soccer. Send me feedback, via tweet (twitter.com/MicahMcVicker), or email (mmmcvick@indiana.edu). I'll do everything I can to answer your inquiry.

Sections: Men's Soccer | | | Comments (2)