IU outshoots IUPUI 32-2, wins 1-0

Junior goaltender Jay Nolly posted consecutive on-the-road shutouts this weekend over Wisconsin and Northwestern. Nolly's efforts reeled him in Big Ten defensive player-of-the-week honors. \nBut that's not his only catch.\nNolly hails from Littleton, Colo., a town between the mountains full of streams where he learned the art of fly fishing. At IU, Nolly is a dedicated fisher and was a member of the 2001 Big Ten champion Bass Fishing Club. \nAfter the 3-0 shutout of the Badgers, the Hoosiers bussed down to Northwestern but made a quick stop on the way. As IU coach Jerry Yeagley directed the troops to the food court, Nolly landed his eyes on a gold mine -- a bass fishing store -- and decided to shop. \nBuried in bass heaven, Nolly soon saw some of his teammates, now into the sport, follow their bass admirer into the store. Nolly left the pro shop with fishing equipment, proudly wearing a Bass Pro Shop hat, while some teammates left more knowledgeable -- thanks to their goalie. \n"The coaches said for everyone to go in (the mall) and eat, but there was the Bass Pro Shop, so I said 'I'll see ya' and five minutes later I saw the team walk in," Nolly said. "It is pretty good to walk around the store and show the guys some of the stuff. They were pretty interested."\nNolly had been a member of the IU Bass Fishing Club the past three years, but soccer travel caused him to miss the fishing tournaments. Nolly later decided to focus strictly on soccer, but still supports his fellow fishermen. \n"Coming from Colorado, I've grown up fishing and when I got to IU I found out there was a bass team here, so I joined," Nolly said. "I couldn't do it this year, but I still support them and when I have the free time, I get out there and do my bass fishing."\nThe junior leads the Big Ten with a 0.76 goals against average and is tied for the conference lead with four shutouts. Nolly credits the focus needed for fishing with part of his success on the field. \n"People think it's funny, but there is a lot of focus involved and that carries over into soccer," Nolly said. "That's where I get all my focus, because if you're fishing in a bass-finishing tournament you need to focus for six or eight hours compared to 90 minutes on the soccer field."\nUnlike the self-reward of fishing, Nolly has 18 teammates that are rewarded each time he makes a play in front of the net, but the 6-3 stopper and a few teammates find nothing more challenging then a tough day on the water.\nJunior forward Greg Badger and sophomore defender Chris Pomeroy got hooked on the sport through watching and listening to Nolly dedicate so much time to something other than soccer.\n"I went out there with him one time and just found it to be so interesting," Badger said. "It relaxes us a lot off the soccer field."\nAt first, Nolly said he received some flak from coaches and teammates about his love for fishing, but, since players have become more intrigued and involved in fishing, the jokes have weltered. \nAlthough Pomeroy is one to go out on the fishing trips with Nolly, he still manages to find humor in his goalie's love for fishing. \n"He still has his bass fishing hat and jerseys around his room," Pomeroy said. "So, we'll still try to take them and wear them out."\nThe jersey hanging in Nolly's room is from the IU Bass Fishing Club, which brought back a Big Ten championship win this year. \nAfter this year, Nolly hopes to get Yeagley involved in bass fishing, something he thinks would be a nice post-career hobby.\n"He's always talked about coming to me and taking him fly fishing," Nolly said. "Hopefully, one of these days we will be able to hook up and go fishing."\nAs for now, Nolly hopes to continue his success on the field and afterwards concentrate more on fishing.\n"I've been told I'm a pretty good fisher," he said, "but I think I'm a better goalie."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.