Hoosiers victorious in own tourney

For the first time since 1998, IU captured the 21st annual adidas/IU Credit Union Classic this weekend by beating No. 17 California 3-0 Friday night and battling Alabama-Birmingham to a 0-0 draw Saturday. \nThe win and tie over the weekend earned IU four points for the tournament, one ahead of Notre Dame (3), UAB (2) and Cal, who lost both games over the weekend. \nThe Hoosiers earned their ninth Classic win in their 21 years of holding the competitive tournament and are now 1-0-1 for the season. \n"It was fun to finally win our Classic," coach Jerry Yeagley said. "Even though we won 3-0 last night, I thought we played better tonight, especially defensively." \nAfter Notre Dame's overtime victory over Cal in the first game Saturday night, IU either needed a win or a tie against UAB. The latter came true for the Hoosiers as junior Jay Nolly posted his second shutout in as many games finishing in a 0-0 tie with the Blazers. \nIU was pressured from the start by a quick and tough UAB squad, which needed a victory by more then one goal to win the Classic after ending in a draw with the Irish the night before. \nThe first true scoring chance came off the foot of senior Vijay Dias. It was tipped just right of the post 13 minutes into the game. Sloppy play continued throughout the contest as foul after foul was racked up, totaling 27 by the end of the first half. \nThe Blazers and Hoosiers continued to fight into the second overtime, when with seven minutes left freshman Jacob Peterson was alone in front of the net, but his shot was deflected by goalkeeper Alberto Robles just left of the far post. \nUAB responded with a shot that smashed the right post just out of Nolly's reach with two minutes left in the game. The post conserved the victory for IU and earned them the Adidas/IU Credit Union Classic Championship.\n"I think we figured out that we have a very strong defense," Nolly said. "I feel I am playing at the top of my game and feel very comfortable especially with two shutouts."\nIf coach Yeagley held any doubts about how his team would start the season, they were quickly and convincingly erased as IU came out firing on all cylinders by scoring one minute and eight seconds into their season on a goal by Dias assisted by junior Ned Grabavoy.\nThe Golden Bears responded a minute later with a point blank shot blasted by Alex Martinez but was saved by Nolly as he dived to his right.\nWith 14 minutes remaining in the half, Grabavoy extended IU's lead to 2-0 with a low line-drive kick into the lower left corner past the diving Brian Walker, finding the back of the net. It was the first goal of the season for the junior who contemplated playing in Europe with Monaco but chose to stay in Bloomington.\nJust over five minutes later, the Hoosiers padded their already safe lead, as once again Grabavoy ignited a scoring flurry with a shot off the goalkeeper. It bounced back outside the goal box to sophomore Brian Plotkin, who landed it just outside the reach of Walker for his first goal of the season.\nThe Hoosiers would go into the locker room with a 3-0 lead and would cruise through the second half on their way to an opening day shutout of the Golden Bears. The game was initially delayed an hour and 17 minutes due to lightning in the first matchup between Notre Dame and UAB.\n"Our play at times was great but at other times was inconsistent throughout this game," Grabavoy said. "But we got a 3-0 win and that is what's important. \nThe Hoosiers take their Adidas/IU Credit Union championship to Storrs, Conn., for the UConn classic, beginning on Friday evening against Georgetown.\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.