Vollmer’s long throw-in found the head of IU freshman Grant Lillard, who scored the first goal in the 37th minute Tuesday night in ?No. 10 IU’s (7-1-3) 3-0 win against No. 18 Louisville (5-4-1).
Vollmer started his run up from 10 to 15 yards out of bounds sprinting toward the touchline while clutching the ball between his hands. Vollmer raised the ball above his head and prepared to launch it into the center of the box.
As the ball sailed through the night sky in Louisville, Ky., the jostling for position began inside the box. IU held an advantage, though.
It had Lillard forcing himself into position to get a head on the ball. A head perched atop a body that altogether stands at 6 feet 4 inches while the tallest Louisville outfield player stands at only 6 feet.
After Lillard positioned himself underneath the ball, he rose and headed the ball home for the match’s first goal in IU’s 3-0 win against Louisville.
The goal would be the first of three to come from a cross but the only one to come from a throw-in.
“We didn’t think they were a great team dealing with wide services,” IU Coach Todd Yeagley said. “I thought they were very ?vulnerable.”
Entering Tuesday, Vollmer, IU’s long throw specialist, had attempted that play many times, but never had he been credited with an assist for his efforts.
“After trying so many of those it’s great to see one work,” Vollmer said. “We’ve been practicing them every day, so it was good to see (Lillard) get his head on it.”
Vollmer’s long throw Tuesday earned him his third assist this season, which makes him the team assist leader for the time being. The goal was Lillard’s second this season and the first coming off his head.
Just 1:30 into the second half, the pair almost did it again. This time Lillard’s header was saved in a diving effort by Louisville goalie Joachim Ball.
Shortly after that attempt, Vollmer added his name to the score sheet in the 52nd minute, also by using his head. Vollmer headed home the service from IU senior Patrick Doody from the left corner.
The assist was Doody’s third, tying him with Vollmer for the team lead. The goal was also Vollmer’s third, which ties him with IU sophomore Tanner Thompson for the team lead.
“There are so many guys that are going to get goals on this team,” Vollmer said. “It’s good to see we’re getting goals from a wide variety of people.”
Andrew Oliver found the back of the net in the 59th minute for the first time this season to give IU a three-goal lead against a Louisville team that had not conceded three goals any time this season.
The assist came from junior forward Femi Hollinger-Janzen, who delivered the ball from left to right while charging toward the end line.
Tuesday’s match also saw IU get back to doing what it has said is of the utmost importance this season: keeping the opponent from scoring.
IU posted the shutout thanks to six saves from IU sophomore Colin Webb. Webb’s fifth save was perhaps his most impressive, with Louisville junior Ricardo Velazco bearing down on Webb in a ?one-on-one opportunity.
Velazco has scored four times this season but could not add a fifth with his second shot on goal as Webb prevented the ball from sneaking inside his near post.
“He had to make two or three really big saves, and you have to do that against a top team,” Yeagley said. “Giving up no quality chances on goal is a tough task for our defense, so that’s what we needed from him.”
IU had gone four straight matches without keeping the opponent scoreless before posting its fifth shutout Tuesday.
The 3-0 score line was the largest margin of victory for the Hoosiers, who have not lost in six straight matches, the last three matches of that stretch coming against ranked opponents.
“Any time you can put together a good win streak you’re going to feel good about yourself,” Vollmer said. “But we know that nothing’s done here. We’re just going to keep working hard and stay hungry.”
