Hoosiers win 9th straight regular season title

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- John Michael Hayden came through for the fourth straight time for No. 8 IU men's soccer team (11-3-1 overall, 5-1 Big Ten) as he scored the game-winning goal in the Hoosiers' 1-0 win against Ohio State (7-5-2 Overall, 3-1 Big Ten) yesterday at Jessie Owens Memorial Stadium.\nHayden started his streak with the game winner against Michigan Oct. 10, then scored the only goal against Wisconsin, and just this week scored in the 69th minute against Butler Wednesday.\nPrior to the start of the season, the Big Ten coaches picked IU to win the conference with Penn State receiving a first place vote and picked to finish second. However, the Big Ten officially classifies the winner of their postseason tournament as the conference's champion. \nBut because the game against OSU was IU's last Big Ten regular season contest, IU was in a must win situation Sunday to secure the Big Ten regular season title and the bye in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament because of the team's 1-0 loss against Northwestern last Sunday.\nThe win Sunday gave IU the Big Ten regular season title for the ninth straight time, and their 11th regular season title overall. IU and Wisconsin are the only teams to win the Big Ten regular season title in fourteen seasons of Big Ten men's soccer.\n"That was a big win," said IU Coach Mike Freitag. "I keep on saying, 'It's not easy.' The Big Ten is stronger and stronger and the boys know that. I thought we were a little sluggish the first half. (Retired) coach (Jerry Yeagley) may have had a little aneurysm at halftime, but the boys came out and responded in the second half."\nWith IU's win, the Hoosiers secured the first round bye in the Big Ten Tournament, which takes place Nov. 11-14 in Ann Arbor, Mich. IU hosted and won the tournament last season in Bloomington.\nHayden's goal came in the 51st minute as he scored on a low-line shot from 25 yards out off an assist from junior Brian Plotkin.\n"The past few games, I've been wanting to go (across the top of the 18-yard box) with my right foot and finally I got that chance to go across the top of the 18 -- just put my head down and smacked it," Hayden said. "I know Ray J (OSU keeper Ray Burns Jr.) very well (being) from Louisville. It was nice to get one on him."\nFreitag said as Hayden gains more confidence, he'll become an outstanding player.\n"John Michael should change his initials from JMH to GW -- game winner," Freitag said. "It's just the tip of the iceberg with that young man."\nFreitag continued saying that Hayden has come a long way since last season when he tied the game against UCLA -- his only goal last season -- in the third round of the NCAA tournament. Freitag said Hayden has improved his play within the "physical tussels" of the game.\nHayden's goal marked the first time OSU surrendered a goal in Big Ten play this season.\nAt this point in the season, senior goaltender Jay Nolly said the team is getting some bounces its way heading into the final three games remaining.\n"That's what we need going into Big Ten's and the few (regular season) games," Nolly said. "We need to start getting some goals. One thing that happened last year (was) we weren't getting our goals until the end of the season and that's what it's looking like this year too."\nIf OSU secures second place in the Big Ten regular season standings with wins in their two remaining road games against Northwestern Oct. 29 and Michigan Nov. 6, IU and OSU could meet again in the championship game of the Big Ten tournament if both teams win their tournament games.\n"There's no easy game in the Big Ten and everybody -- at least I think maybe this year -- thinks they do have a shot at knocking Indiana off and that's good and that's healthy," said Ohio State Coach John Bluem. "I'm sure that the conference tournament will be very interesting and very difficult."\n-- Contact staff writer Steve Slivka at smslivka@indiana.edu.