Hoosiers to host Mexico Youth National Team for fourth year

After months of battling other national collegiate teams on the pitch, the IU men’s soccer team will take the game to an international level when it meets the Mexican Youth National Team at 7 p.m. today at Bill Armstrong Stadium. \nFor the fourth consecutive season, the Tricolores will make a stop in Indiana. They are set to face IU today and Notre Dame on Friday.\n“We will be playing a quality opponent,” IU coach Mike Freitag said. “Hopefully we’re peaking right now, and we’re looking forward to playing the best game of the season.”\nMexico holds a winning record against IU at 2-1. Last spring, El Tri beat IU 2-0 in front of about 6,000 rowdy fans in Bloomington – mostly cheering for Mexico. The Hoosiers’ lone victory came in 2006 when they defeated the team 2-0, with one of the goals coming off the foot of junior midfielder John Mellencamp. IU faced the under-17 team for the first two meetings, but battled it out with the under-20 team last season and will do so again today.\nThe Hoosiers are no strangers to the U.S. under-20 team themselves. Freshman Daniel Kelly and Rich Balchan were called to the training camp in February, and former IU player Ofori Sarkodie competed in the under-20 World Cup last summer.\nAlthough the record hangs in Mexico’s favor, sophomore midfielder Eric Alexander said he is feeling good heading into the match. The Hoosiers are currently sitting on a 3-1-2 record this spring, including their most recent victory against last season’s College Cup participant Virginia Tech. \n“We’re feeling pretty confident,” Alexander said. “I think we’ve got a pretty good shot at beating them.”\nWhile Alexander had the opportunity to face Mexico last season, this will be freshman Tyler McCarroll’s first experience – on the field, at least.\n“I’m an Indiana kid, so I’ve been coming to these games for years,” McCarroll said. “It’s a great game. I’m anxious to get to play in the atmosphere.”