538 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(12/01/03 5:30am)
Five Hoosiers scored as IU pounded Virginia Commonwealth 5-0 Sunday in the third round of the NCAA tournament, setting up a matchup against No. 1 UCLA this week for a ticket to the final four. \nSunday's win marked the final home game for coach Jerry Yeagley, who is one win from reaching the College Cup for the second time in three years and 16th time overall.\nLast season, Connecticut bounced IU from the tournament in the third round.\nThe Hoosiers and the Rams ended the first half scoreless Sunday, but 10 minutes into the second half, VCU forward McColm Cephas earned a red card for elbowing freshman back Julian Dieterle in the face, forcing the Rams to play a man down the rest of the way.\n"I couldn't be any more pleased with our performance today. (VCU) had a good year representing their conference, but they met the Hoosiers on a day that IU had its A-game -- all the players," IU coach Jerry Yeagley said. "We frustrated them, and as a result of their frustration, they lost a man."\nA man short, VCU broke out of its defensive shell, opening the door for an IU scoring outburst ignited by sophomore midfielder Brian Plotkin's penalty kick goal after junior forward Greg Badger was tackled in the box.\n"With the red card, they had kind of fallen back in, so it opened up a lot of space," Plotkin said. "So we just started finishing."\nEleven minutes later, freshman back Jed Zayner drove down the left side into the box, forcing the goaltender out while centering a pass to freshman midfielder Josh Tudela for the goal. \nInstead of laying back with a two-goal lead, IU buried a fading VCU team with three more goals in a 10-minute span. Freshman forward Jacob Peterson netted his second goal of the tournament from sophomore midfielder Pat Yates, who would score IU's next goal with four minutes left. \n"We have not scored five goals all year, and Plotkin tells me they did not score five goals in a game last year," Peterson said. "So a 5-0 win is what we wanted to give coach in his last possible home game."\nSophomore back Jordan Chirico scored the fifth and final goal with just 16 seconds left in the game. \nIn two tournament games, the Rams yielded seven goals, including two in their 5-2 second round win over Virginia Tech Wednesday. VCU finished the season with a 16-5 overall mark. \n"IU is a very good team, and the better team certainly won today. I was disappointed the way our season ended but in saying that, IU was awfully good," VCU coach Tim O'Sullivan said. "I felt we were very nervous, and I think we played scared. With IU being as sharp as they were, I think it was a matter of time, but I would not have imagined it would have been as bad as it was."\nBehind an offensive explosion without their leading goal scorer (junior Ned Grabavoy) was the Hoosier defense, which shut down a dangerous VCU offense without sophomore defender Drew Moor. \nEven a trip to the College Cup will not likely bring back Grabavoy or Moor as the U.S. U20 National Team won their opening match 3-1 over Paraguay. \n"Right now, more people are picking up the slack. Sure, we would like to have them back, but right now we are playing well as a team," Yeagley said. " Other people are picking up the slack. No one is feeling sorry and looking over their shoulder for Ned or Drew."\nIU beat Kentucky 2-1 Wednesday in double overtime on a corner kick which was pushed in by Badger for his first career goal. Peterson scored the Hoosiers' first goal after IU fell behind 1-0 in the first half.\nThe Hoosiers will now travel to Los Angeles to battle the nation's best who are 19-1-1 and a perfect 10-0 at home. The Bruins road to the quarters featured a 3-2 win over Tulsa and a 2-0 victory against Florida International.\n"We welcome the challenge, and we won't go out there and bunker in. We will just go and tee it up and go toe-to-toe with them," Yeagley said. "It is fun to be here, but our history makes it clear that we are not just satisfied being in the final eight."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(11/24/03 6:25am)
After earning a first-round bye in the NCAA tournament by capturing the Big Ten Tournament Title, the Hoosiers' road to the College Cup begins Wednesday when border rival Kentucky arrives in Bloomington for a second-round matchup. \nKentucky (12-6-1) heads to Bloomington after beating Cincinnati Saturday in penalty kicks (4-2) following a scoreless regulation and overtime.\nThe No. 8 seed Hoosiers are riding a 13-game unbeaten streak, last losing Sept. 18 at Notre Dame, but will play for the first time without points leader Ned Grabavoy and sophomore defenseman Drew Moor, who have joined the U.S. U20 National team. \nThe Hoosiers beat Kentucky 1-0 Nov. 2 in Bloomington on a Vijay Dias game winner in the 45th minute of the match.\n"From past experience, it's difficult beating the same good team twice. On the other hand, it would be the rubber match (one preseason game), but psychologically I think the fact that we beat them and played well last time might be a little bit in their favor," IU coach Jerry Yeagley said. "They will see a different IU team, and what we hope is that our players notch it up, and some of the their players say 'Hey without Grabavoy and Moor, they are not as good.' Maybe they will psychologically take their foot off the pedal."\nSince the inception of a varsity program in 1973, IU has made 28 tournament appearances while posting a dominating 63-22 mark. While the Hoosiers are in the midst of a 24-game home unbeaten streak, in tournament play, they are 40-3 at Armstrong Stadium. \n"Last time we played Kentucky, it was a good match. They fought hard," freshman Josh Tudela said. "Without Grabavoy up top, we don't have someone that can hold the ball like he does, so we'll need someone to go in and be able to hold the ball and keep possession while we get up and make good transition with the ball. We still are just as confident as a team with or without Ned and Drew." \nWith Grabavoy out, IU loses nearly a third of its scoring, forcing the likes of sophomore Brian Plotkin and freshmen Jacob Peterson and Tudela to fill the void. Yet all season IU has relied on fresh faces to step up and play significant roles in the team's success. \nThe Hoosiers own a 16-1-0 all-time record against their neighbors from the South including a 9-1 mark at home. \n"We're going to miss them (Grabavoy and Moor), but we have to cope with it, so I think a lot of guys are starting to step it up in practice. I think the confidence level is about the same," junior midfielder Danny O'Rourke said. "My game does not change that much. I may have to be more attacking once in a while, but a lot of people will have to change the way they play. I think it's hard to beat a team twice in one year. It's very tough to beat a team like Kentucky twice in one season."\nThe winner of IU/Kentucky will face the winner of the No. 9 Virginia Commonwealth/Virginia Tech game Sunday. Tech played a scoreless game with Clemson in the opening round but pulled the victory out 6-5 in a shootout. If IU wins, Sunday's third round match will be played in Bloomington. \nIf the seeds hold true, IU is guaranteed a home game until the quarterfinals. \n"We have good people. We are not as deep, of course, because Ned and Drew are in the special category," Yeagley said. "But we will not be playing guys that are not Division I top-caliber players. We will have good players out there."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(11/18/03 5:32am)
Yesterday was a bittersweet day for the Hoosiers in finding out that they will begin their chase for the College Cup as the No. 8 seed beginning next Wednesday in Bloomington, but will have to do so without All-American Ned Grabavoy and sophomore defender Drew Moor.\nBoth players were selected and will join the U20 National Team in representing the United States at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates from Nov. 27 through Dec. 19. \n"Obviously I'm torn between going or not, but like Ned said 'it's a once in a lifetime opportunity.' I think most people in my shoes would go as well," Moor said. "It was a difficult decision but I am confident that guys in my position can come in and fill."\nWith Moor out, the Hoosiers will be minus one of their most experienced defenders, but the absence of Grabavoy leaves the Hoosiers without their leader in goals, assists and total points. \n"As I've said all year it's an opportunity that not many people get," Grabavoy said. "Ten college players get the chance and 10 college players are going. I don't think anyone would pass up a U20 World Cup."\nThe Hoosiers earned the No. 8 seed and will face the winner of the Kentucky-Cincinnati game Wednesday, Nov. 26. \nThe only scenario that would bring Grabavoy and Moor back to play for the Hoosiers would be an IU College Cup appearance and a U20 elimination after bracket play. \n"We are certainly not the same team, but you never know. You don't want to wish they do poorly, but if we can hang in there they can be back with us," IU coach Jerry Yeagley said. "It will be a different look but we have enough talent not drop off the face of the earth without those two. Again, everyone will have to pick it up. We will have to tweak things up a bit. I think the last thing this group will do is say they we can't get it done without those two."\nWhether their absence will cost the Hoosiers a title run is yet to be determined, but regardless, the Hoosiers understand their teammates' situation and fully support their decision. \n"They joke around a little bit about me leaving but I know they are behind me all they way," Moor said. "I know they would do the same thing and I really appreciate everything they have done for me. I know everything will be okay because I have so much confidence in every player."\nGrabavoy and Moor will depart just before IU's first round match, but before they do, Yeagley will have words of encouragement for his two players.\n"I'm damn proud of them to represent their nations' colors the way they represent IU's colors," Yeagley said. "They will bring a lot of pride to us through that."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu
(11/17/03 7:52pm)
The NCAA selection committee will reveal its decisions today regarding which teams will participate in the NCAA tournament. \nAfter beating Penn State in the Big Ten championship game, IU will surely be selected. But it is unlikely that junior All-American Ned Grabavoy and sophomore Drew Moor will be playing with them.\nUnited States Under-20 Men's National Team coach Thomas Rongen announced his 20-player roster that will represent the United States at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates from Nov. 27 through Dec. 19.\nMoor and Grabavoy were both selected to represent their country, but both will miss a possible Hoosier run to the College Cup if they decide to play for the national team. \n"It's very emotional because I'm not sure what the future holds," Grabavoy said. "I love it down here. This is my family. It's an opportunity in life that very few people get. Obviously I would want to be here. I've worked with this team all year. I try to teach the young guys and keep the old guys confident and motivated. It's tough, but it's an easy decision." \nBoth Grabavoy and Moor have not confirmed the speculation that they will leave the Hoosiers to join the U.S. U20 team. Either way, Yeagley said he understands and will support his players regardless of their decision. \n"It's a great honor to wear your nation's colors and play for a world championship," Yeagley said. "I know the boys are torn. I don't know if they've made their final decision. They said they wanted to wait until after this weekend. But I would never, ever take away the opportunity of a lifetime or try to persuade them not to."\nThe U.S was drawn into Group F and will open the tournament against Paraguay Nov. 29. The second match for the Americans is against Germany Dec. 2. The team will conclude the bracket play Dec. 5 against South Korea. \nIf both Grabavoy and Moor decide to play for the national team, the Hoosiers will attempt their chase for the Cup without their leading goal scorer and most-experienced defender. \nEven so, Grabavoy is confident his teammates can make a tournament run without his presence. \n"I just want to be remembered as a winner, and I think I've accomplished that," Grabavoy said. "And I think we're going to make it to the Final Four. I really do. I think we have a good team, and I'm looking forward to playing with them again."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(11/12/03 6:10am)
"I'm honored, humbled and excited to be the second head coach of IU," Freitag said. "It is a dream come true to take over a college program that I hold so dear to my heart."\nFreitag said he understands the challenges of following in the footsteps of a coaching legend. But after the time spent under Yeagley as a player, graduate assistant and now full-time assistant, Freitag said the 18 years have left an ever-lasting impression strong enough to carry on IU's winning tradition.\n"Since I came to IU as a freshman in 1976, besides for being a great coach, (Yeagley) has been a big bro, my mentor and probably most of all he has been my best friend," Freitag said. "I plan on continuing the tradition of excellence that he has established here. I will do it with the same class, competitiveness and dedication that he has showed since he started off in the club days."\nWith Freitag on the staff, IU won back-to-back national championships in 1998 and 1999. Yeagley said he retires knowing the program is headed in the right direction under Freitag.\n"I've had a lot of great players and been fond of a lot of them and Michael is one of my favorites. He is one of the hardest-working players that I've had. He has worked as hard as anyone and he has the integrity and honesty to do things right all the time," Yeagley said. "I would not have left had I felt that Michael was not the right person, the very best person, for the job. This program is my baby; it's part of my life and it is important to me that it was in the proper hands."\nJunior midfielder Danny O' Rourke, after playing under Yeagley for three years, said he is eager for the opportunity to play under Freitag for a year.\n"We can reiterate the fact that we are sad coach is leaving, but coach Freitag knows more about the actual game of soccer then anyone who has ever coached me before," O' Rourke said. "He will continue all the greatness that coach brought to the game. He will bring different aspects to the program that will benefit the program even more."\nAfter IU's comeback victory Saturday against Penn State to win the Big Ten regular season title, earning them the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten tournament, Yeagley told athletics director Terry Clapacs the time was right to make the announcement -- even before the season concluded. \n"There has been a lot of speculation about it. I've been getting so many calls and a lot of interest from other coaches in the country," Clapacs said. "I said, 'Jerry, you decide when you think it's the right time' and he said that the right time was at the end of the regular season before the tournament. So that's how we ended up doing this today."\nFreitag said he welcomes the continued support from the athletics department, alumni and fans.\n"I look forward to the challenges and success that IU soccer will bring," Freitag said. "My parents always kept on asking me when I was going to get a real job. Well I think this is a real job -- one I will take with great pride and do the best job I can." \nThe Hoosiers begin the Big Ten tournament 5 p.m. Friday against the winner of Ohio State and Wisconsin.
(11/10/03 5:44am)
Trailing 2-0 with 25 minutes left in the game most thought IU's 44-game Big Ten unbeaten streak, eight-game win streak and conference championship aspirations would all come crashing down. \nMost thought that -- except the Hoosiers who, Saturday night, in IU coach Jerry Yeagley's final regular season home game, came roaring back with three straight goals, beating Penn State 3-2 and capturing the Big Ten regular season championship for the eighth-straight season. \nIU (11-3-4, 5-0-1 Big Ten) earned the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten tournament and will play the winner of Ohio State/Wisconsin 5 p.m., Friday.\n"There was not a player at halftime on our team that was thinking we couldn't be the Big Ten champs," Yeagley said. "They didn't sit there and mope with their heads down. When we came in at half and the main thing was to get their minds off the first half, we talked about the character we developed over the last eight games, the confidence we developed, and we go out and not try to do it all at once. It was a different team out there in the second half."\nTwo misplays in IU's zone spotted Penn State a 2-0 lead in the first half. Already up 1-0, the Nittany Lions added a second with just under two and half remaining when sophomore Brian Plotkin tripped over the ball carrying it out of the box, allowing Kenji Treschuk to find Simon Omekanda who played a nice ball to Chad Severs for the goal. \nThe two goals in the first half were as many as IU had let up in then past eight matches. \n"That was probably the worst one (halftime) I have ever been involved in," junior Ned Grabavoy said. "Guys were down, but there were a few leaders on the team who got the guys' heads up, and (it) was probably one of the biggest victories I have ever been involved in. We're not a team that's been scoring three goals in a half, and we had three goals and even more chances. These guys have a lot of heart."\nIU's scoring entourage began when Grabavoy played a perfect ball to sophomore Pat Yates who beat the sprawling goalie under his arm to cut the margin in half with 28 minutes left in the game. The Hoosiers would even the score off a corner kick from Plotkin that was headed in by sophomore Drew Moor for the Hoosiers' first header this season. \nIn miraculous fashion, the Hoosiers had tied the game and stolen any bit of confidence the Nittany Lions had left in them. But IU needed one more goal, for a tie would have still handed the Big Ten title to Michigan.\nAnd Plotkin, who was pulled after his poor performance in the first half, completed the comeback with 6:23 left when Grabavoy, with an assist already, played a ball in the box that was headed in by Plotkin giving IU the lead and the 2,524 in attendance a reason to erupt. \n"I should have just gotten the ball out but I fell over; instead, I led to their mistake that led to the goal," Plotkin said. "When I came in at halftime, they (my teammates) said 'come out with your head up.' So my teammates kind of lifted me up and gave me the strength to get my head back up."\nYeagley's Hoosiers did something he could not remember the last time he saw -- come back from a two-goal deficit. In thrilling fashion, Yeagley concludes his last regular season ever in an effort he will never forget. \n"That was a thriller," Yeagley said. "I can't remember the emotion swinging so much in terms of our effort both physically and mentally. I felt that they had dominated us. But champs work through the bad run of play, and hot dogs let it drive them down and make them play worse. We should. We were champs, and that's what winners do."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(11/07/03 3:28pm)
Seeking their ninth-straight victory, the second longest current win streak in the country, the Hoosiers will conclude the regular season Saturday night against Penn State for IU coach Jerry Yeagley's final regular season game. \nIU (10-3-4, 4-0-1 Big Ten) needs a victory Saturday to ensure the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten tournament, which begins Thursday in Bloomington. A loss would hand the top seed to Michigan, who currently is two points ahead of the Hoosiers but with one conference loss -- that coming to IU 2-1 on Oct. 5 in Ann Arbor, Mich. \n"If we win this game, we are the regular season champs," Yeagley said. "I don't think there is any need to motivate the boys. I think they are ready. Meanwhile, Penn State over the years has been the toughest team in the Big Ten for us over a long period of time. They will be fired up."\nSaturday night's tilt is the makeup game from the Sept. 26 match, which was called due to lightning with the Hoosiers leading Penn State 2-0 just three and a half minutes shy of an official game. \n"We need to forget about the fact we had a two goal lead with control of the match," Yeagley said. "We can't go out there thinking we were up 2-0, take our foot off the pedal and expect that they will give us two again. It's a dangerous game."\nThe Hoosiers seek to extend their 21-game home unbeaten streak and dominating 44 game Big Ten unbeaten streak.\nWith a win Saturday, Yeagley will retire having not lost a Big Ten regular season game since a 2-0 defeat to Wisconsin in 1995. \nNot only will a win Saturday night claim the No. 1 seed, but it will also give them a bye Thursday and not force IU to play three matches -- a difficult task this late in the season. \n"This is a huge game for us because we want the No. 1 seed," junior forward Ned Grabavoy said. "We want to come out and play Friday at 5. We don't want to play Thursday and then have to play three games this weekend. We want to come out hard at these guys like we did the last game, so I look for the team to come out real hard."\nEven though Saturday's match is the second time these teams will have played one another this season, the Hoosiers do not plan on altering their scheme but instead just continue to play the type of soccer they have been playing during the win streak. \n"We're not changing anything up really," sophomore midfielder Pat Yates said. "Now we are just finding more ways to win where in the beginning of the season we were finding ways to lose. We are definitely playing a lot better as a team."\nNot playing so well are the Nittany Lions, who enter the match with a 7-9 overall mark and 1-4 in the conference. Penn State is 0-5 on the road having just dropped a 2-0 match to Villanova. \n"Their record does not flatter themselves," Yeagley said. "They feel they are better than their record."\nAfter a Sept. 18 defeat to Notre Dame, IU's record was 2-3-4, and it seemed with the team's youth, Yeagley would suffer his first losing season in 31 years. \n"As I said in the beginning of season, we would be a lot different at the end and lot of it has to do with the maturation of our freshman," Yeagley said. "I like the way the team is playing. We have a bit of a swagger, not a cockiness, but taking the field expecting to win." \n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(10/31/03 6:15am)
IU seeks to extend its season-high, seven-game win streak and 20-game home unbeaten streak when it welcomes border rival Kentucky Sunday for a third consecutive non-conference match.\nThe red-hot Hoosiers, now No. 14 in the latest NSCAA/adidas poll, finished 6-0-1 in October, a month they began unranked and with the program's worst record after nine games.\nIU (9-3-4, 4-0-1) has posted shutouts in five of its last six games and has outscored its opponents 16-2 during the seven-game win streak.\n"Now the team is starting to gel," freshman Josh Tudela said. "At the beginning of (the) season none of the bounces were going our way but now the conditions have changed and the bounces are going for us. We are playing with a hell of a lot more confidence and we know we can win every time we step on the field."\nThe Hoosiers last lost to the Wildcats in 1995 and own a dominating 15-1 overall mark against the them. The Cats roll in with an 11-4-1 record, undefeated at 5-0 in Conference USA, and 6-1 on the road. Since a three-game mid-season losing streak, Kentucky has reeled off seven wins in its last eight games.\nUnlike Saint Louis, where IU focused its defense mainly on two guys, six Wildcats have at least two goals, while freshman Riley O'Neill leads the team with six.\n"They have good balance. They are not one-dimensional," IU coach Jerry Yeagley said. "The one dimension I'm concerned about is their direct play and the ball in the air, which is not necessarily our strength."\nWith the same number of losses, the Hoosiers and Wildcats have both scored 27 goals while both have allowed a mere 11.\nThe Hoosiers and Wildcats are currently atop their conference standings, as the Hoosiers will battle Penn St. Nov. 2 to conclude the Big Ten regular season.\n"We are playing well during the winning streak," sophomore Brian Plotkin said. "We are just looking forward to these next two games to finish the regular season to put us in the postseason."\nIU has not lost a match since its Sept. 18 1-0 double-overtime defeat of Notre Dame in South Bend. \n"Our confidence is here now," Plotkin said. "Before, we were young and knowing what to expect, but now we found ways to win games. We are such a young team that has matured so quickly." \n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(10/27/03 5:13am)
A pair of Ned Grabavoy goals pushed the Hoosiers past their biggest test of the season by defeating No. 5 Saint Louis 2-1, extending their longest winning streak of the season to six while remaining unbeaten in their last eight matches. \nThe Hoosiers (8-3-4, 4-0-1 Big Ten) have now outscored their opponents 14-2 in their last six games and are unbeaten in their last 20 home games. The Billikens drop to 9-3-2 on the season and losers of their last two.\n"We needed to win against a top team," IU coach Jerry Yeagley said. "When we couldn't get the second goal and they came back and got their goal I was worried that our youth would show. It was a back and forth game between two very great teams and this was a win we needed. This was a very important win."\nThe Hoosiers broke the scoreless first half with 15:33 left when sophomore Jordan Chirico found a sliding Grabavoy in the box, chipping it to the back left side of the net. The assist was Chirico's first of the season while Grabavoy recorded his ninth goal. The half would end with IU up 1-0, having outshot St. Louis 6-2.\nEven with Billiken freshman sensation William John starting the second half on the bench and leading goal scorer freshman Vedad Ibisevic on the bench with a leg injury, the Billikens hung tough and would eventually break the tie with just over 23 minutes left on a goal from Ryan Wileman. \n"I credit St. Louis after we owned them the first half," Yeagley said. "Their coach checked some of these young guys. I give them credit. I think they had the better of us the first 25 minutes but then we woke up and started playing again."\nAn announced crowd of 2,119 saw the Hoosiers opportunities fading away, but with just over four minutes remaining, senior Vijay Dias played the ball across to sophomore Brian Plotkin, who quickly chipped it into the box where once again Grabavoy was on the spot to slide it past the goalkeeper for the game-winning score.\nThe goal was Grabavoy's team-leading 10th of the year while Plotkin and Dias recorded their fifth and first assist respectively.\n"On both of the goals it was more of a reaction," Grabavoy said. "Jordan had the ball on the first one and I knew he would shoot it, so basically I thought the goalie would make a save, but the goalie miss-hits it and I'm there to sprint forward and get it. It was a very big win for us." \nAfter stumbling out of the gate 2-3-4, the Hoosiers are unbeaten in seven October games with one remaining on Wednesday at Louisville. \n"As far as our ranking and demeanor going into a Big Ten tourney, these last three games are huge," Dias said. "Beating them (St. Louis) is great going into the final few games. Once it was 1-1, we knew we had to get the game winner. We knew we had to push it the extra little bit to get the game winner."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(10/24/03 6:34am)
Two winning-rich soccer traditions clash tonight in Bloomington when the Hoosiers, winners of five consecutive matches, welcome the No. 5 St. Louis University Billikens into Armstrong Stadium. \nIn their last five games, IU (7-3-4, 4-0-1 Big Ten) has outscored their opponents 12-1, including four consecutive shutouts while upping their Big Ten lead to four points over Michigan. The Hoosiers last allowed a goal in the first half against Michigan on Oct. 5 -- totaling 433 consecutive shutout minutes.\nBut the shutout streak will be tested tonight as the high-powered Billikins (9-2-2, 4-2-1 Conference USA) enter tonight's tilt with three players in double-figured scoring, all of them freshmen.\n"I think it is a classic matchup of two very good young teams and this is the kind of game you want to play in and the kind of game you want to see," said IU coach Jerry Yeagley. "The talent is there (for St. Louis), similar to our team, but they found ways to win those close ones in the beginning when we found ways to not win them."\nThe Hoosiers have four games remaining in the regular season and tonight's match with Saint Louis begins a three-game run out of conference. IU concludes the Big Ten season and regular season against Penn State as on Nov. 8. \nIU holds a 15-7-3 advantage against Saint Louis in a series that dates back to 1975. The Billikens won the last meeting Sept. 5, 1999, in the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic in Bloomington. \n"Usually after a Sunday you take one day off but we didn't because we wanted to stay focused. We are really excited about this game," sophomore Drew Moor said. "At the end of the year they look at what ranked teams you beat. We have been focused all week and guys have been talking about it all week. Everyone is just really pumped up about it."\nWith just four remaining games, IU understands the impact each game has on its postseason aspirations. St. Louis is the highest-ranked team the Hoosiers will face in the regular season. \n"If we can play the kind of defense that we've been playing then I feel very good," Yeagley said. "It would be a great positive result for us. Now is the most important time of the season when you're playing top teams; right now things are on the line for a lot of teams." \nEven top-tier opponents have fallen on hard times at Armstrong Stadium. The Hoosiers own a 3-0-3 home mark and ride a 19-game home unbeaten streak. Three of IU's final four matches will be played in Bloomington. \n"I think it's a great time to play them since they are one of the better teams in the nation," freshman Kevin Robson said. "I definitely feel we are one of the best teams in the nation, and I think it will be a heavyweight battle that I think we should win."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(10/16/03 6:39am)
If ever a score is not indicative of a game, Wednesday night's 1-0 victory over IUPUI provided a great example as the Hoosiers, (6-4-3, 3-0-1 Big Ten) outshot the Jaguars 32-2, extending their winning streak to four and unbeaten streak to six. \nThe victory marks the second straight one-goal win over IUPUI, (1-11-2) and pushes IU's shutout streak to three games. The Hoosiers last allowed a goal 18 minutes into the first half against Michigan. \n"It was a 1-0 win, but it could have easily been 10-0," coach Jerry Yeagley said. "We played to a high level and sometimes when you play a struggling team you tend to lower your performance. But I thought except for the final third of the game, we played very well." \nWith 14:28 remaining in the first half, junior Ned Grabavoy played a ball from about 30 yards out into the box, where sophomore Brian Plotkin, off of a quick bounce, fired it into the back left corner of the net. The goal was Plotkin's third of the season, while Grabavoy tallied his team leading fifth assist and 21st point.\n"I was just making my run and Ned played a great ball in and it was kind of skipping so I just turned to swing and got lucky as it went right in the corner," Plotkin said. "We've had trouble putting in consistent offensive performances, and with the way we started the season we need all the victories we can get."\nAfter the first half, the Hoosiers had outshot the Jaguars 17-1 and had committed only six fouls compared to IUPUI's 15. IU's best scoring chance came off a penalty kick with just over 16 minutes left when Grabavoy's' penalty kick attempt was deflected wide left by IUPUI freshman Peter Brasovan making his first career start. \n"It was not a very good penalty shot because he actually did not react until after I shot it," Grabavoy said. "That just means it was not a good shot. Next time I'll get up there and bury it."\nJunior Jay Nolly was credited for one save off two Jaguar shots. He entered the match with a 0.76 goals against average and now has recorded three consecutive shutouts. \nThe Hoosiers will continue their conference slate against second place Ohio State Sunday in Bloomington. \n"I told the guys individual and team defense will have to be the common thread because there will be sometimes you'll just be denied," Yeagley said. "But as long as we are consistent on defense and keep getting these chances I think we will come up with some goals. Team defensively, we earned an A, but efficiency in front of the goal was below standard."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(10/16/03 6:39am)
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.
(10/13/03 3:46pm)
October 13, 1995, was the last time Wisconsin beat IU. It was also the last time the Hoosiers lost a Big Ten regular season game. This weekend they head up to Madison, Wisc. and Evanston, Ill., looking to extend their 41-game conference undefeated streak. \nIU (3-3-4, 1-0-1 Big Ten) will battle the Badgers tonight at 7 p.m. and less than 48 hours later will face Northwestern to conclude the weekend trip and three-game conference road swing. \n"This is the last time we will go on a road trip like this one," IU coach Jerry Yeagley said. "You won't see IU in the future playing a Friday and Sunday game in the conference. It will be a tough weekend."\nFacing the brutal weekend road trip, the Hoosiers will try to carry the momentum stemming from freshman forward Jacob Peterson's overtime goal last Sunday against Michigan into the McClimon Soccer Complex in Madison. \nWisconsin (7-6-0, 1-1-0), however, is fresh off its own enormous win upsetting Penn State 1-0 in Happy Valley. The Badgers have not allowed a goal in their last five victories and have won seven of 10 since opening the season with three loses. IU owns a 25-3-3 all-time record against Wisconsin in a series that began in 1975.\n"We will have our hands full at their place," Yeagley said. "We need to continue to play with confidence and hopefully after the Michigan game, we will be more confident." \nAfter a short bus trip to Evanston, the Hoosiers will play a Wildcat team (4-3-4) Sunday that they have never lost to. Their 19-0-0 all-time mark against NU began in 1983 with an 11-0 pummeling in Bloomington. But IU also entered its first conference game against Michigan State with a 30-0-0 all-time record and finished the game with a draw. \n"In years past we could play Northwestern with just a days rest and generally beat then with our reserves," Yeagley said. "But Northwestern is not the Northwestern of old."\nThe Hoosiers are in second place in the Big Ten, having played one less game than Michigan State (1-0-2 Big Ten). Junior forward Ned Grabavoy continues to lead the team with 13 points on five goals and three helpers. \n"I think we've been working hard the last couple games and playing well and finally got a big win in michigan, junior midfielder Danny O'Rourke said. "I think the momentum will keep on rolling. It is just that we are so accustomed to winning that when we don't win people get down on themselves."\nEven if IU runs the table for the remainder of the season, the 11 wins would be its lowest since its 10-win regular season in 1992. \n"The breaks have not been going our way, so hopefully we can (slow) the momentum and get on a roll," senior midfielder Vijay Dias said. "These games are important because they are both Big Ten games on the road. We will have to be ready."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(10/09/03 4:14am)
With eight minutes remaining in IU's Big Ten opener against Michigan State, it appeared freshman Jed Zayner's defensive misplay would cost the Hoosiers the game and their 39-game Big Ten winning streak.\nBut, as one freshman's miscue led to a goal, another freshman scored a goal. Jacob Peterson tied the game and salvaged the streak with a goal in the 82nd minute.\nAt times this season, half of the 11 IU players on the field have been freshmen and not since his son's 1991 squad can Coach Jerry Yeagley recall an IU team so young and inexperienced. \n"When you have 10 field players and half of them are freshmen, that is just unheard of at IU," Yeagley said. "But these guys are no longer freshmen now that they have a half season under their belt."\nFive freshmen, including Zayner, Peterson, Julian Dieterle and red shirts John Hayden and Josh Tudela have started at least five of the eight games this season. In fact, Zayner and Dieterle have started all eight games for the Hoosiers, six of which were against ranked opponents. \nThe Hoosiers, (2-3-3) are off to their worst start since becoming a varsity program in 1973. Their 36-game Big Ten winning streak was snapped and they enter today's tilt against in-state rival Butler. But Yeagley continues to believe that his unusually young team can still turn around this season. \n"We have been up against six ranked teams this year and five of our six non-wins have been overtime games," Yeagley said. "We have been in every game and felt we have had the better of every game but we did not come out with the result we wanted. Now our youth may have had something to do with that along with a heck of a lot of bad breaks and bad luck."\nOne of the freshmen hoping to change the bad luck and pick up some victories is Peterson, who at just 17 years old is the youngest of the group. The Portage, Mich., native has two points this season -- one on an assist and one game-tying, streak-saving goal. \n"Our first couple of games we made some mistakes, that when we get some more experience, we won't make those mistakes," Peterson said. "But, for me it is just going to take me getting used to how more physical and more developed everyone else is, which means I'll just have to hit the weights."\nAnother of the freshmen seeing significant minutes is Zayner, who along with Dieterle, patrols the Hoosiers defense. Zayner and Deiterle have only allowed eight goals on 30 less shots then IU has taken thus far.\nZayner said he is appreciative of every opportunity he gets to contribute, but also understands the advantage of playing on a team with so many freshmen. \n"I just thank God that we get to start and play because of how good this team really can be," Zayner said. "Playing this much is important to our success because it shows how much the freshmen really want to not just sit, but play." \nYeagley said he does not believe in using the freshmen as scapegoats or as excuses for the bad start, but does believe all six of the freshmen will have an enormous effect on the outcome of the season. \n"There is no doubt with these freshmen, on any given day, that we can play with anyone, but at the same time it has been more difficult to produce more goals," Yeagley said. "The freshmen will determine our success this year, they will either make us or break us."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(10/09/03 4:10am)
Less than three minutes into the first overtime, freshman Jacob Peterson scored the game winner lifting IU over Michigan 2-1 and extending its regular season Big Ten unbeaten streak to 40 games.\nWith the victory, the Hoosiers (3-3-4, 1-0-1 Big Ten) began a difficult three-game conference road swing with a much needed win before heading north to Wisconsin and Northwestern next week. \nJunior Ned Grabavoy, credited with IU's first goal off a penalty kick, played a nice ball to Peterson on the left side, who chipped it past Michigan goalkeeper Peter Dzubay into the back of the net for the win. The goal was Peterson's second of the season, both coming in conference play. \n"I was glad to get one to end," Peterson said. "Hopefully it will get us going. It's halfway through the season, and things are starting to click."\nIU outshot Michigan 24-8 and now has outshot its opponents overall 157-100. Dzubay was forced to make six saves in the match.\nGrabavoy started the scoring for IU with a blast less then four minutes into the first half. The PK goal was the team's first restart goal of the season and Grabavoy's team-leading fifth goal of the year. \n"I feel like we've played well as a team the last four or five games, with the exception of the Michigan State game," Grabavoy said. "We've done a good job creating chances. Sometimes it's tough to dig yourself out of a hole after giving up the first goal, but this feels really good. To be successful, you have to get big wins on the road."\nLately, important wins have eluded the Hoosiers due to bad breaks and terrible luck, but these misfortunes changed in the 85th minute when Michigan's Knox Cameron hit the crossbar with a shot from about 12 yards out allowing the match to reach overtime. \n"As you can imagine, we really need this," Yeagley said. "I thought our performance certainly justified the result with the chances we created and how we possessed the ball. This may be our best overall performance of the season."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(09/26/03 5:55am)
Off to their worst start since becoming a varsity program in 1973, IU, (2-3-3, 0-0-1) looks to right the ship when they welcome the Penn State Nittany Lions into Bill Armstrong Stadium for tonight's Big Ten clash.\nTonight's matchup features the two teams predicted to finish 1-2 in the Big Ten this season, with IU atop, but it is Penn State (5-3, 0-0) entering the game ranked as high as No. 15 in the country and with a winning record. An experienced crew, Penn State returns 14 lettermen and seven starters from last season's NCAA Quarterfinal team. \n"I picked Penn State as a team to beat in the conference, they return a lot of strong players and I am expecting this to be a great game," coach Jerry Yeagley said. "Penn State is a tough team with a physical personality. They have good talent all over the field and are very well-coached. It will be a very competitive game."\nA close match would be nothing new to these teams as IU won last year's regular season match in overtime in State College, while Penn State knocked the Hoosiers out of the conference tournament in penalty kicks. \nYeagley's squad owns a dominating 21-6-2 all-time record against the Nittany Lions and are 11-1-0 against them in Bloomington, but IU was also 30-0-0 against the Spartans before Sunday's 1-1 draw.\nThe Hoosiers will battle Penn State tonight as underdogs, a role not too familiar to the coaches and players.\n"IU has never come from this position. It puts us in a good spot because we can come from the underdog spot," junior goalkeeper Jay Nolly said. "The team is working their tails off, it just seems we are not getting the victories that we should be getting, but we have to look past that and look to next game and turn it around."\nNolly has posted two shutouts this year, both IU victories, and owns a 0.91 goals against average. \nHis offense has actually outscored the opponent 10-8 and outshot them 113-83, but in their three loses, IU has managed just one goal.\n"It seems we have had about two seasons worth of breaks going against us," Yeagley said. "Part of it has been that we have not been lucky but part of it has been that we have to make our luck and find a way to win."\nEven though IU snapped its streak of 36 consecutive Big Ten regular season wins last Sunday against the Spartans, the Hoosiers will seek to extend their 40-game Big Ten regular season unbeaten streak and jump back into the national rankings.\n"We are definitely looking at it as a turn-around game. Right now we have dropped out of the Top 25 for the first time since I have been here," senior midfielder Drew Shinabarger. "We are just hoping to catch people off guard thinking the Hoosiers are down a little, but we're not, we are going to turn things around and everything will come together for us this weekend."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(09/22/03 7:05am)
The threat of losing their first Big Ten regular season game in over eight seasons loomed large over the Hoosiers Sunday against Michigan State until freshman forward Jacob Peterson netted his first goal of the season tying the score at 1-1 with just over seven minutes remaining.\nThe Big Ten opener for both teams would end in a draw halting IU men's soccer Big Ten regular season winning streak at 36 games, a streak that began on Oct. 18, 1996, against Wisconsin.\nThe Hoosiers, (2-3-3) fell behind 1-0 with just over 19 minutes left in the first half when freshman Jed Zayner misplayed a ball leading to a John Minagawa-Webster breakaway goal.\n"I wasn't focused," Zayner said. "I'm not really making an excuse even though it took a bad bounce, but I just have to be more focused every second of the game."\nBut as one freshman mistake led to the go-ahead goal, another freshman, Peterson, was able pick up his team, tying the game and saving the Hoosiers from their first Big Ten regular season defeat since 1995. \n"I don't really recall how the ball got out there, but I was one-on-one with the defender who kind of dove in to block the shot," Peterson said. "I was trying to shoot it low but it went high." \nThe final seven minutes of the second half included little scoring chances on both ends sending the game into overtime where with just over seven minutes left, junior Ned Grabavoy passed up a shot on a two-on-one break only to have his pass deflected by a Spartan defender. \nThe second overtime saw the Hoosiers once again with a two-on-one chance but this time Peterson was unable to control a pass pushing it right at the Michigan State goalkeeper Mike Robinson for an easy save. \nThe Hoosiers outshot MSU 12-8, but with an unforced goal and several scoring chances, the Hoosiers felt fortunate to leave the field with a tie.\n"I was proud of the boys and the way we fought," Coach Jerry Yeagley said. "It's not the way we wanted to start the Big Ten, but I think the guys came back and played with heart." \nOver 2,000 rowdy fans showed up for the Big Ten opener against the Spartans, a team IU owned a dominating 30-0-0 record against. Sunday's tie was the first time in IU's history that it had not beaten Michigan State.\n"Michigan State is a senior team, with six senior starters and three junior starters," Yeagley said. "They are big and strong and I thought they were more physical then we were. We should have capitalized. Our guys sort of took their foot off the petal and thought this would be one we wouldn't have to worry about."\nPeterson's goal late in the second half ended a scoreless streak of over 190 minutes that began after IU scored three goals last weekend against Fresno State.\n"It was an exciting college game." Yeagley said. "Michigan State is a good team, but a team you can't miss the opportunity against that we did and expect to beat them."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(09/18/03 6:07am)
FIFA's World Cup is played every four years. \nEight World Cups have been played during Jerry Yeagley's tenure as coach of the IU men's soccer team. After this season, the Hoosiers will play soccer without the legendary coach in control.\nAs difficult of a job it will be to replace Yeagley and his five NCAA championships, 12 Big Ten tournament championships and 31 years of coaching excellence at IU, who better to fill the shoes of the teacher other than the student he respects the most.\nIU will not announce the the official hiring of a head coach until the conclusion of this season, but assistant coach Mike Freitag, who enters his 11th season as an assistant, is primed to pace the sidelines as Yeagley's successor. The decision will be made by Athletic Director Terry Clapacs, with whom Yeagley has already been in contact with.\n"I have mentored Mike for the last 10 years and he's virtually had experience at ever aspect," Yeagley said. "I feel he is the right person for the job and qualified in every way. I wouldn't leave if I didn't feel comfortable with my replacement."\nOnce a player under Yeagley, Freitag has compiled a mind-boggling 185-35-9 record since joining the staff in 1993 and was recognized by College News as one of the nation's top assistant coaches. \nFreitag was an All-American at IU from 1976-79 and returned as a graduate assistant from1983-89 only to return once more as a full time assistant coach under Yeagley. His qualifications speak for themselves as highly as his peers speak about him.\n"No one knows this program better than Coach Freitag as he has contributed more to this program as anyone," assistant coach Caleb Porter said. "No one knows more about this game and about the tradition of IU. There is no better candidate to back the standards of IU soccer."\nAfter 31 years, Yeagley has established these standards of tradition for IU soccer and now points to Freitag as the man he wants to grab the reins.\n"I feel privileged having coach Yeagley wanting me to take over the program that he built from scratch," Freitag said. "I don't have any doubt that I could handle the job since coach Yeagley is such a great teacher and I'm the star pupil."\nSince Freitag joined IU's staff, the Hoosiers have made six final-four appearances and won back-to-back national championships in 1998 and 1999. Instead of abandoning IU to pursue numerous head coaching offers, Freitag remained loyal to IU in hopes of one day accomplishing his goal.\n"A number of top universities have courted him," Yeagley said. "He has been loyal here waiting for this university. I have every reason to be quite sure that Michael will be the new coach." \nBeing named by one of the legends of college soccer to be the successor of their program can raise the hairs on anyone's arm.\n"One reason I came back to IU was with the intentions of taking over the program," Freitag said. "It is a privilege that coach Yeagley feels that I am the right person for the job." \nUnlike most soccer programs, Yeagley designated major responsibility to the assistant coaches creating a team atmosphere for the entire coaching staff. Another member of the staff is Porter, who enters his fourth season with the Hoosiers.\nPorter, like Freitag, played under the tutelage of Yeagley from 1994-97 and was the second three-time captain in IU history. Porter uses his recent experiences as a player for IU as a bridge of communication between himself and the players.\n"I feel I have a good relationship with my players because not too long ago I was in their shoes," Porter said. "I can take them on the sideline and talk to them about things that maybe coach Yeagley wouldn't talk about. I have a very open communication with the guys."\nAs much as the coaching staff functions as one team, Porter, Freitag and graduate assistant coach and son Todd Yeagley said they believe Yeagley is deserving of all the credit he receives for IU's success.\n"Even though each member of our staff plays important roles, coach Yeagley definitely deserves all the credit," Todd Yeagley said. "But if coach Yeagley likes to observe practices as he does, you need to have strong assistants."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(09/12/03 6:51am)
Seeking to snap their first three game winless streak since the 2000 season, the Hoosiers head up-state to South Bend to face Akron today and Fresno State on Saturday as part of Notre Dame's Berticelli Memorial Tournament.\nAfter a tie and a defeat to Georgetown and UConn respectively in last week's UConn Classic, the Hoosiers (1-1-2) fell six spots from No. 5 to No. 11 in this weeks adidas/NSCAA poll. The Hoosiers will conclude the five game road swing next Thursday when they return to South Bend to face Notre Dame.\nThis weekend's opponents mark the first time IU will not be battling a preseason ranked squad. However, Friday's game against Akron is no walkover as the Zips return eight starters from their Mid-American conference champion team. \n"Akron may be the best team that we will have faced so far," coach Jerry Yeagley said. "They are an interesting blend of international and U.S. players who have very good speed and are a very experienced team. They will be a good test for us." \nAkron enters today's game with a 2-1 record, including wins over Seton Hall and IU-Fort Wayne. Junior Alex Odwell leads the Zips with seven total points on three goals and an assist. Head coach Ken Lolla is in the midst of his 11th season at the helm for Akron.\nOn Saturday, for the second time this season, IU will face an opponent seeking their first point of the season. In this case, Fresno State enters the tournament with an 0-2-0 mark, including defeats at the hands of UC Irvine and Santa Clara. The Bulldogs own a 2-1 lifetime record against IU, beating the Hoosiers 2-1 in 1999.\n"Fresno State is in the Pac-10, which is the No. 1 conference in soccer," Yeagley said. "They are capable on any day of beating any team.They are a talented and athletic squad."\nAs dissatisfied as IU is with its 1-1-2 record thus far, a sluggish start has become the norm for IU squads lately. Over the past four seasons, in which IU has finished no worse than the third round of the NCAA tournament, the Hoosiers have never won more then two of their first four games.\nEven freshman forward Jacob Peterson expects nothing but victories as part of the IU soccer tradition.\n"Especially here at IU we should not go into a weekend and lose one and tie one," Peterson said. "And we play a good team on Friday in Akron, so hopefully we can get down and get a couple of wins."\nBut even after leaving UConn last weekend without a win and heading to South Bend for two tough games, the players remain focused.\n"There is no sense of panic, but we just need to find a way to win," sophomore Pat Yates said. "Every game it seems we are finding ways to lose instead of ways to win, so we just need to go out this weekend and show these two tough teams how we can play."\nIn terms of changing their style, Yeagley will continue to do what has brought this program such great success the past three decades. That is, go on the road and try to take control of the game from their opponent.\n"These are two good matchups for us," he said. "We need to get up on these teams and not just sit back. We need to be aggressive and try to take the game to them." \n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
(09/05/03 6:47am)
Fresh off their first adidas/IU Credit Union Classic tournament victory in four years, the No. 5 Hoosiers head to Storrs, Conn., for their first road test of the season as IU battles two Big East opponents in Georgetown today and No. 22 Connecticut Saturday as part of the UConn Classic. \nThe Hoosiers, (1-0-1) jumped up two spots from No. 7 in the latest NSCAA poll after beating California and finishing in a draw with Alabama-Birmingham last weekend in Bloomington, but face two more dangerous opponents this weekend.\n"We haven't really been watching the rankings at all this early in the season," sophomore Brian Plotkin said. "We are going out to another big conference and are hoping to represent the Big Ten very well." \nThe Hoyas enter today's matchup with a 1-0-1 mark, including a win over Howard and a 1-1 tie against American University. Freshman Ricky Schramm heads into today's tilt as the Big East's player of the week. The Hoosiers and Hoyas are meeting for the first time in school history.\n"They feel this is the best Georgetown team they have had in years," Coach Jerry Yeagley said. "They have the same record as we do and the style they play will be a change from the teams we played this past weekend."\nSaturday, IU will faceoff with the host Huskies to conclude the UConn Classic in a rematch of last year's third round game of the NCAA tournament, which saw the Huskies send the Hoosiers home for the season with a 1-0 win.\nThe No. 22 UConn Huskies began the season ranked No. 10, but after loses to No. 9 North Carolina and No. 4 Wake Forest in Winstom-Salem last weekend, they open their home season at 0-0-2.\n"A lot of teams play better at home and UConn is a good example of that," Yeagley said. "They will be very different at home so we will have to be at our best. And even though they are a different team then last year, they will still be tough."\nTough is what junior goalkeeper Jay Nolly has been thus far for IU, having not allowed a goal in two games this season. He finished last year with a .78 goals against average and won last week's Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award. \nSaturday's matchup with UConn will be IU's third ranked opponent in four games, as Yeagley feels the strong schedule, especially on the road helps his team.\n"We schedule tough on the road as we work on the psychological aspect of it," Yeagley said. "We try to generate energy from a tough environment and from the hostile crowds rather then let it intimidate us."\nEven though IU has yet to allow a goal, senior Vijay Dias believes working and improving on the team's defense was one of a couple important things worked on in practice this week.\n"We worked on our finishing and sharpening that up for this weekend as well as staying organized on defense," Dias said. "Like always our goal is to go into the tournament and come out with two victories."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.
