Defense secures 1-0 victory

The grandstands were still in place from the previous weekend’s bike race, but the brisk wind and spotty rain kept the stands nearly empty. The weather could not stop the Hoosiers, though, as they pulled out a tough 1-0 victory over Virginia Tech in their sixth spring season match. \nLast season, Virginia Tech made it to the NCAA Final Four before losing to eventual-champion Wake Forest in the first round of the College Cup. It was the best appearance by the team in school history. \n“We did a lot good today,” IU coach Mike Freitag said. “I like a lot of what these guys are doing.” \nThe Hoosiers dominated the Hokies on offense, out-shooting their opponent 17-6 over the course of the game. For most of the first half, the possession remained in Tech’s territory, giving the Hoosiers several opportunities to set up a score. They were unable to execute, however, as the Hokies’ defense stacked itself deep in the box. \nThe first close call for Virginia Tech came less than three minutes into the game, as junior midfielder Brad Ring got the ball into the six-yard box before having it knocked out just wide. The Hoosiers also utilized passing, especially inside the 18-yard box, which led to another near-shot a few moments later by freshman forward Michael Roach. \nVirginia Tech freshman Michael Munroe got his turn in the goal in the second half but did not record any saves because of the Hoosiers’ defense and control of possession. IU had 13 shots in the second half, with one resulting in a score in the 76th minute. \nSophomore Eric Alexander brought the ball into a crowd of Hokie defenders, and kicked a shot that deflected off the goalie and slowly rolled into the net. \nSeveral freshmen had the opportunity to play against Virginia Tech. Freitag has made a point to have his younger players, although still relatively inexperienced, contribute playing time. \n“We played pretty well today,” Alexander said. “We’re meshing well, but we still have some stuff to work on. Right now, everyone is contributing. The freshmen are really stepping up to fill the spots.” \nAmong these was freshman Tyler McCarroll. McCarroll saw minimal playing time during the regular season but is using the spring season to showcase his skills, campaigning for playing time next season.\n“It’s really great to get experience (during the spring season),” McCarroll said. “It’s giving me confidence for next season and for the game against Mexico.”