Nittany Lions look for first win in four games against IU

In dorm rooms, apartments and offices throughout "Happy Valley," Pa., Sept. 29 is marked on calendars as the year's biggest soccer game. The defending national champion IU men's soccer team faces No. 2 Penn State 7 p.m. today in State College, Pa.\nFor some, the match is a chance for revenge. The Hoosiers defeated the Nittany Lions three times last season. One IU win came during the regular season, one ended a sudden-death overtime in the Big Ten tournament and one finished Penn State's season in the NCAA Final Eight.\nFor others, the match isn't a true test of what the teams could offer this season. Penn State's star player, senior midfielder Ricardo Villar, has a leg injury and played in two games this season. His coach, Barry Gorman, said Villar won't play tonight. IU senior goalkeeper T.J. Hannig suffered a left knee injury in practice Tuesday, will have surgery today and will be out for three weeks. \nAnd for some, what happened last year no longer matters. Both teams have changed and have different things at stake this year.\n"Revenge is something true soccer people don't dwell on," Gorman said. "Last year is last year. You can't change history. What is important is Friday night's game and both teams put on a show that highlights the quality of Big Ten soccer and two first-class institutions."\nPenn State is ranked No. 2 or No. 3 in most national polls. The Nittany Lions are celebrating 90 years of varsity soccer this season and began the year with seven consecutive wins before losing to Akron 2-0 Tuesday night in Akron, Ohio.\nIU men's soccer coach Jerry Yeagley said the Nittany Lions might have been looking past the Akron game to tonight's game. He said whether Penn State won or lost Tuesday's game, the team would enter tonight's game with the same mentality against the Hoosiers (6-3).\n"I think we're going to be playing a wounded Nittany Lion Friday," Yeagley said. "They're going to be dangerous. I don't think Akron did us any favors."\nGorman said Akron (3-2-3) played well in the first half and was rewarded with the first goal but a botched offside call gave the team the second goal. He said his Nittany Lions played well in the second half but weren't as lucky in goal-scoring.\nMichigan took Penn State to overtime in a 2-1 Nittany Lion win at Ann Arbor, Mich., last weekend. The Wolverines play under varsity status for the first time this year, but the close game doesn't give No. 11 IU any comfort, Yeagley said.\nYeagley, whose former assistant coach Ernie Yarborough now coaches at Michigan, said the game was played on a narrow, bumpy field. The game was played almost entirely in front of Michigan's goal. The Wolverines committed 35 fouls and the Penn State goalie made no saves, Yeagley pointed out.\nThe injury status of Penn State's lineup could give IU a midfield advantage, at the very least. Villar is listed as day-to-day in regard to being able to play, Gorman said.\n"They had a pretty good team last year, but I don't think they were that solid," IU junior midfielder Ryan Mack said. "I think without Ricardo Villar, they're not as well as they've been, and we can take advantage of that."\nWhile both teams are plagued with injuries, both rosters boast All-Americans and National Player of the Year candidates. Mack was voted to Soccer America's Team of the Week this week, his second Soccer America award this season. He scored the winning goal Sunday against Michigan State.\nPenn State junior midfielder Derek Potteiger was voted Soccer Times National Player of the Week for last week's performances. Though the Nittany Lions have lost Villar to injury, they return sophomore defender Jorma Makipaa, who was a medical redshirt last season.\nAbout 50 former Nittany Lion coaches and athletes will attend this weekend's soccer anniversary celebration in State College, a Penn State press release stated. The Nittany Lions play No. 5 South Carolina Sunday afternoon and the former coaches and athletes will be honored at the Penn State-Purdue football game Saturday.\n"They're having a huge celebration," Yeagley said. "They're expecting a record crowd. So it's going to be fun. I wouldn't want it any other way"