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(10/14/13 3:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU men’s soccer team traveled to Wisconsin on Friday night in need of a victory.The preseason No. 1 team in the nation entered Friday’s game with a record of 4-6-1. A win in Madison, Wis., would bring the Hoosiers’ Big Ten record back over .500 and build momentum for the season’s final games. For much of the game, it appeared as if IU would get that victory, taking leads of both 2-0 and 3-1, but a familiar storyline ensued — the Hoosiers were unable to hold on to the lead and fell to Wisconsin 4-3. None of the game’s seven goals came in the first half, as the two teams combined to take only two shots on goal in the first 45 minutes. After the halftime break, freshman forwards and brothers Tommy and Tanner Thompson linked up to give IU a quick 2-0 lead.Junior defender Drew Schall worked his way to the Badger end line and earned a corner kick for the Hoosiers, which was taken by Tanner.His service found Tommy, who was able to get enough on the ball to direct it into the back of the net. The brothers connected again just two minutes and four seconds later when Tanner again found Tommy to double the Hoosier lead. The elder Thompson threaded a pass through the Badger defense to the younger Tommy, who slotted home his second goal of the night and fifth of the season. “We’ve been trying to get Tanner into the game more and more,” IU Coach Todd Yeagley said. “He’s been playing well in training, and he and Tommy obviously have a chemistry. We’re just trying to find the right combinations while keeping enough size on the field.”After Wisconsin senior forward Tony Ramadani cut the deficit in half with a 65th-minute goal, sophomore forward Femi Hollinger-Janzen knocked in his fifth goal of the season, tying Tommy for the team lead and putting the Hoosiers up 3-1.Tommy was fouled in Badger territory, which led to senior midfielder A.J. Corrado’s free kick into the penalty area.Hollinger-Janzen rose above the commotion in front of the goal to meet the ball with his head and find the net.With a two-goal lead and less than 20 minutes to go, it appeared as if the Hoosiers would cruise to their second Big Ten victory of the season. Wisconsin had other ideas. The Badger attack sparked to life in the game’s final 17 minutes, scoring three goals in that time to snatch the win from IU’s grasp. Wisconsin defender A.J. Cochran began the comeback in the game’s 73rd minute, collecting a corner kick in front of the Hoosier goal and halving the Wisconsin deficit.The 3-2 Hoosier lead stood until the 82nd minute, when Wisconsin midfielder Jacob Brindle found space in front of net and beat IU sophomore goalkeeper Michael Soderlund. With momentum on its side, Wisconsin netted another goal just three minutes later. Cochran’s second goal gave Wisconsin its first lead and the game its final scoreline. With the loss, the Hoosiers fall to 4-7-1 (1-2 in conference) on the season. It was the team’s fourth road loss in four games, and gives the Hoosiers their second three-game losing streak of the season.It’s the first team in IU men’s soccer history with two losing streaks of three games in a season. Yeagley said IU’s struggles closing out games has been an issue of the season. “They’re doing a lot of good things, but this was another tough one,” he said. We need guys to step up, whether that’s through some changes, and we’ve been looking at that, or some individual performances.”Follow reporter Alden Woods on Twitter @acw9293.
(10/07/13 3:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For the IU men’s soccer team, Sunday’s matchup with Penn State provided a familiar story. In the Hoosiers’ previous game, a 2-0 loss at No. 2 Notre Dame on Wednesday, two first-half goals by the opposition made all the difference. Against Penn State, IU (4-6-1, 1-1) again allowed a pair of first-half strikes and were defeated again by a score of 2-0. On a rain-soaked Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium, Penn State found the net first with a 15th-minute strike by junior forward Jordan Tyler.Nittany Lion senior midfielder Grant Warming collected the ball and streaked down the right flank, sending a low cross across the face of the IU goal. Tyler bullied his way through two Hoosier defenders and redirected the ball over sophomore goalkeeper Michael Soderlund’s head.The Nittany Lions were able to double their lead in the 25th minute with sloppy Hoosier defending, granting Penn State an open look at the net. After a Penn State cross rattled around the Hoosier penalty area, a deflected attempt at a clearance fell at the feet of Warming, who found Owen Griffith just behind the Hoosier box.The junior defender took one touch of the ball, turned, and sent a curling shot around Soderlund and into the top corner of the net. A frantic Hoosier attack in the final minutes of the half failed to produce a goal, and the Nittany Lions entered halftime with a 2-0 lead. IU’s best chance at a goal came with 34 minutes and 25 seconds remaining in the second half, when freshman forward Tommy Thompson was pulled down in the penalty area by Penn State senior defender Martin Seiler. Thompson stepped up to take the penalty kick, but his shot was saved low and to the left by Penn State junior goalkeeper Andrew Wolverton. Thompson said indecision in where to place his shot led to the missed opportunity.“I probably hit 250 PKs before this game, this past couple weeks, and I went right every single time,” he said. “I don’t know what happened. I just changed it for that PK and it was a bad mistake. “I was just ready for that moment, so I stepped up, but I missed it. It was a bad decision.”The missed penalty kick was the Hoosiers’ second in two attempts this season.For the remainder of the game, Penn State relied on its trademark defense to nullify any potential chance the Hoosiers created. IU dominated the total shots category, taking 18 to the Nittany Lions’ seven, but Penn State held on to collect its fifth shutout of the season.IU Coach Todd Yeagley said Penn State’s defense put in a strong performance, but his team should have taken advantage of its chances.“They put a lot of numbers behind the ball, but you can’t say we didn’t create a lot of chances,” he said. “They have a nice goalkeeper who’s big and gets on a lot of things, but we weren’t precise enough in our service. We played into their hands a little bit.”Yeagley said he felt the Hoosiers played better than the score line indicated, but his team still has work to do.“It just wasn’t the day. We did enough to win it, but just didn’t do it. We’ll keep staying the course.”Follow reporter Alden Woods on Twitter @acw9293.
(09/30/13 3:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Coming into Sunday’s game against Ohio State, the IU men’s soccer team had collected more victories against the Buckeyes than any other team with 37 wins in 44 chances since 1973. For an IU team with four losses in its first eight matches — the program’s worst start to a season since 1985 — the matchup provided an opportunity to turn the season around. The Hoosiers were able to continue their domination with their first shutout victory of the season, defeating the Buckeyes 2-0.IU controlled play for much of the first half, but was unable to find the net until sophomore midfielder Femi Hollinger-Janzen opened the scoring in the 34th minute with his fourth goal of the season. Senior midfielder Harrison Petts created space for himself just outside the Buckeye box and fired a low shot toward goal, but the ball deflected off Hollinger-Janzen’s foot and rolled into the corner of the net.“Harry just hit a great shot,” Hollinger-Janzen said of the goal. “I was making that run to try and get a rebound, and it hit off me somehow and went in. It was definitely all him. I just got lucky and got a sight on it.”IU was able to double the lead a little more than three minutes later, with two seniors linking up for the Hoosiers’ second goal.Senior defender Matt McKain collected the ball in the center circle and took off down the right sideline, sending in a cross to senior midfielder Nikita Kotlov. IU Coach Todd Yeagley said the headed goal from Kotlov, on which two Buckeye defenders were draped on him, displayed the midfielder’s athleticism.“If he would’ve missed it, I would have thought a PK would have been called because he was completely undercut,” Yeagley said. “It just shows how strong and athletic he is. “He’s one of the best I’ve ever worked with or played with in the air. He can be really special, and the way he attacked that was really good.”In an uneventful second half, the Hoosiers appeared content to sit on the 2-0 lead, mustering only eight shots after taking 25 in the first half. Their best chance at a third goal came in the 81st minute, when freshman forward Tommy Thompson created a one-on-one with the Ohio State goalkeeper, but his rolled shot deflected off the post and denied the Hoosiers a third goal.Sophomore goalkeeper Michael Soderlund was tested infrequently throughout the match en route to his first career shutout, making five saves in the process.“It was great,” Soderlund said. “I was by no means perfect, but it was great to finally get that clean sheet.“I thought it was one of our best games organizationally. There were a couple of plays in the box that were pretty hectic, but other than that, my defense did a great job limiting them.”With the win, IU improved to 4-4-1 on the season and began Big Ten play on a positive note, winning its conference opener for the seventh consecutive season. The Hoosiers have never lost a Big Ten opener since the conference began sanctioning men’s soccer in 1991. Yeagley said starting conference play with a win will pay dividends for his team throughout the season.“It’s really important, especially where we are in the season,” he said. “When you start with the three points in conference, it feels really good, and we’ve been able to do that year in and year out.“It’s a short-track race, and every point is huge. A home game, to get the three points, I wouldn’t say it’s a necessity starting off, but it really puts us on the right path.”Follow reporter Alden Woods on Twitter @acw9293.
(09/27/13 2:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Just four weeks ago, the IU men’s soccer team sat atop nearly every major college soccer poll, tabbed by many as the team to beat in the country this season.After Wednesday’s overtime loss to No. 23 Butler — IU’s fourth in five extra-time matches this season — the Hoosiers have fallen to 3-4-1 and did not receive a vote in the most recent National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll. IU has not entered the Big Ten season with a losing record since 2003. That will change Sunday when the Hoosiers begin their quest for a Big Ten Conference championship with a home matchup against Ohio State. Senior defender Patrick Doody said Sunday’s game and the start of conference play will mark the start of a new season for his team. “It’s a new season,” Doody said. “Big Ten’s a completely new season. We’re excited for Sunday, and we’re moving on. Plenty of season left.”Sunday’s matchup with Ohio State will feature two teams that have struggled early this season. Along with the Hoosiers’ inconsistency, the Buckeyes come to Bloomington off consecutive losses to Dayton and No. 10 Akron, having secured a victory in only one of their past six matches. IU has dominated the series throughout its history, collecting more victories over Ohio State than any other program. The Hoosiers have compiled a record of 37-4-3 in the all-time series, outscoring the Buckeyes 95-24 in the process. The Hoosiers struggled in conference play last season, playing to a record of 3-2-1 and a tie for third place. After a strong start, winning its first three Big Ten clashes, IU faltered late, falling to Michigan and Michigan State before ending the season with a draw against Northwestern. IU was then eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament, again losing to Michigan State.Freshman forward Tommy Thompson, who is tied with Femi Hollinger-Janzen as the team’s leading goalscorer, said the Hoosiers feel confident in their chances this season.“We get a fresh start with the Big Ten,” Thompson said. “We’re looking to win the whole thing, go undefeated in that, and just not look back to these first couple games. We just have to find a way to win in the last couple minutes.”Sunday’s game between IU and Ohio State will kick off at 3 p.m. at Bill Armstrong Stadium.Follow reporter Alden Woods on Twitter @acw9293.
(09/23/13 3:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After an unfamiliar period of early-season struggles, the IU men's soccer team has now won two out of their last three games following Sunday's 2-1 victory over Brown.A rainy evening at Bill Armstrong Stadium created a slick field and sloppy play from both sides, but the Hoosiers continued to excel set pieces, netting each of their goals directly from free kicks. IU scored the game’s opening goal with 18 minutes and nine seconds remaining in the first half.After freshman forward Tommy Thompson earned a foul just outside the Bears’ 18-yard box, junior midfielder Dylan Mares continued the Hoosiers’ strong set piece performance of the young season, driving a free kick around the defensive wall and into the net’s opposite corner. The goal was Mares’ first in a Hoosier uniform since transferring from Louisville in the spring. “It feels great. It feels like a small weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” Mares said. “It’s been frustrating, getting so close, but it feels really good to put it in the back of the net.”Brown leveled with Jose Salama’s goal off a header with 17 minutes and 51 seconds remaining in the game, but the score remained tied for only 36 seconds. Continuing the Hoosiers’ success with free kicks were senior midfielders A.J. Corrado and Nikita Kotlov, who linked up for the decisive goal with 17 minutes and 15 seconds to play. Despite being left out of the starting lineup with a slight injury, Kotlov made his mark on the game on the receiving end of Corrado’s free kick, rising above a scrum in front of the goal to head the ball home. Kotlov said his injury bothered him but did not affect his play once he joined the game.“I actually got injured last game, but I told them I was ready to go today,” Kotlov said. “I was actually supposed to play in the first half … but we had a 1-0 lead. We continued to fight and do good, and they gave me the go-ahead to go in. I had a lot of energy in me.”IU Coach Todd Yeagley said his team’s recent success in dead-ball situations is the result of a concentrated effort and has given the Hoosiers an added dimension of attack. “We wanted to be multi-dimensional,” he said. “We’re not finding the back of the net as much in the run of play as we’d like, and we’re still pretty good, but when you can do that off of restarts, you can hit teams both ways.“We knew we’d create a lot of fouls, so we spent more time on it. It’s paying dividends for us, and we’re pleased that part of our game is doing well.”With the victory, IU moves to 3-3-1 on the season and will finish the non-conference portion of the season with a game at Butler on Wednesday.Follow reporter Alden Woods on Twitter @acw9293.
(09/18/13 4:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU Men’s Soccer Coach Todd Yeagley and Associate Head Coach Brian Maisonneuve first met in the mid-1980s at a regional youth tournament. 30 years later, they will enter the IU Athletics Hall of Fame as two of the most decorated players in the history of Hoosier men’s soccer.The two men were recently announced as part of the 2013 IU Athletics Hall of Fame class to be inducted in a ceremony Oct. 4.“It’s amazing, and it’s humbling,” Maisonneuve said. “To walk around the hall and see the faces and the names that are already up there, and to think that my name is going to be included in there, it’s hard to explain.”Yeagley and Maisonneuve joined the IU program in 1991 and contributed immediately to what Yeagley said was a “dominant Indiana team,” with both players picking up all-Big Ten honors and Yeagley named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. That would be only the beginning of two of the most prolific careers in collegiate soccer.Upon his graduation in 1994, Yeagley had been named All-Big Ten four times, second-team All-America three times, first-team All-America and was third on the Hoosiers’ all-time assists leaderboard.Not to be outdone, Maisonneuve also collected four All-Big Ten awards, adding two Big Ten Player of the Year awards, a second-team All-America honor, a first-team All-America honor, and the 1994 Herrmann Trophy as the National Player of the Year. Both men remain among the top 15 all-time points leaders in IU men’s soccer history.Despite each player’s stellar career, both men deflected praise to their teammates, who Maisonneuve described as “the reason why we got here.”“We benefit from our teammates,” he said. “We had a great group of guys come in around the same time we did. They’re just amazing players and teammates.”Yeagley and Maisonneuve continued their partnership in newly-formed Major League Soccer, where each man signed with the Columbus Crew for the league’s inaugural season. They became stalwarts in the Crew lineup, leading the club in its run to capture the 2002 U.S. Open Cup.Yeagley’s retirement in 2002 brought an end to the duo’s playing days and was followed by Maisonneuve’s departure from the Crew in 2005. After retirement, Yeagley returned to IU as an assistant and accepted the head position at Wisconsin in 2009, while Maisonneuve spent four years at the U-17 and U-20 National Team levels before moving to the University of Louisville as an assistant coach.The partnership was renewed in 2010 after Yeagley was named the third head coach in IU men’s soccer history. In the moments after accepting the position, Yeagley called Maisonneuve and started the process of luring his friend and former teammate back to Bloomington as a member of his coaching staff.“(Brian) was the first call that I made, and it was the best call,” Yeagley said. “You kind of know when you build a team that you have to put people around you that are really good and better than you at some things. “You have to put guys around you that are good and challenge you in the right way but at the same time are extremely loyal ... He was a good first recruit.”Maisonneuve returned to IU in January 2010 as an assistant coach and has since been promoted to associate head coach. Since the duo’s return to Bloomington, the Hoosiers have compiled a record of 40-20-11 and won the program’s eighth national championship in the 2012 NCAA College Cup. Yeagley said working with his close friend and former teammate has been rewarding throughout the Hoosiers’ recent successes.“We have the best job because we get to do what we always wanted to do,” he said. “The times we got to share then and to come back and coach and have Brian back, to win a championship together, there’s been a lot. To step back and think about it, it brings a smile to your face when you think about all the stuff that’s happened. The cool thing is, there’s still a lot of good stuff ahead.”Follow reporter Alden Woods on Twitter @acw9293.
(09/13/13 3:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Moments after the IU men’s soccer team lost its third consecutive overtime game Sunday — a 5-4 thriller against West Virginia — Bill Armstrong Stadium had gone quiet.The crimson-clad crowd, which had witnessed its team repeatedly claw back into a game that was seemingly lost multiple times, had filed out of the bleachers. Both benches had cleared. The Hoosiers trudged to the locker room, burdened by a rare three-game losing streak, while their opponents celebrated a stunning victory.In the midst of the dejection and the celebration, a lone figure sat on the IU bench. Senior midfielder and team co-captain Jacob Bushue, who had scored a goal and contributed two assists in the match, hung his head, remaining on the bench well after his teammates had reached the locker room.“Honestly, I don’t even remember (what I was thinking),” Bushue said. “It’s been a tough three games, losing three games in overtime in a row. Everything about that game was summing up what’s going on right now. It’s just a frustrating time.”Bushue and the Hoosiers will attempt to avoid the program’s first four-game losing streak since 1985 when CS Bakersfield (2-1) comes to Bloomington Friday night. That game will be followed by a clash with UC Irvine (2-1-1) Sunday afternoon.IU has yet to play either of the weekend’s opponents in the program’s 40-year history.IU Coach Todd Yeagley said his team has responded well to the recent struggles, and he saw “a lot of positives” despite the losses.“I’m not concerned one bit about this team,” Yeagley said. “We’re four games in, so even if we were 4-0, which we easily could be, we’d be having the same conversations in the locker room.”IU will enter the weekend at full strength, as sophomore goalkeeper Michael Soderlund is expected to return to the starting lineup. Soderlund missed last Sunday’s game against West Virginia with a hip injury. Friday’s opponent, CS Bakersfield, enters the weekend on a two-match winning streak. The Roadrunners are coached by seven-time Coach of the Year award winner Simon Tobin, now in his 27th year with the program, and led by sophomore midfielder Eduardo Caldaza, who has tallied three goals this season.The UC Irvine Anteaters will come to Bloomington as the final stop of a four-game road trip. The pairing of forwards Enrique Cardenas and Lester Hayes III has netted three goals for Coach George Kuntz’s squad. Yeagley said he expects each team to have a style of play distinct from one another, but his focus is situated on his own team.“Both teams are going to be very different,” he said. “Bakersfield will be a very technical team, a little bit smaller. They’re going to want to play, which is great. Irvine, I think will be a technical team, but maybe a little bigger, and will vary their attack.“We’re really focused on us. The approach stays the same. We don’t make drastic changes because of results, we look at performance and we move on to the next game.”Follow reporter Alden Woods on Twitter @acw9293.
(09/09/13 4:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For only the third time in a decade, the IU men’s soccer team is mired in the midst of a three-game losing streak after a pair of overtime losses over the weekend.On Friday, the Hoosiers fell to No. 18 UAB 2-1 in overtime. That loss was followed by a 5-4 overtime loss at home at the hands of West Virginia on Sunday night.IU struck first on Friday when senior midfielder A.J. Corrado put the ball into an empty net in the 52nd minute.Senior midfielder Nikita Kotlov slipped past his defender, streaked down the endline, and laid the ball off for Corrado.“(Kotlov) beat his man down the line and got his head up and found me right in front of the goal,” Corrado said. “I was wide open. It was a great assist.”Corrado’s strike stood as the only goal of the match until the final minute, when UAB was awarded a penalty as a result of junior defender Kerel Bradford’s bump of a Blazers’ attacker in the box.With 47 seconds remaining in regulation, Blazers forward Diego Navarrete put the penalty kick in the back of the net to send the match to a sudden-death extra time period.Just under 10 minutes into overtime, IU sophomore goalkeeper Michael Soderlund swatted away a UAB shot, but the ball fell at the feet of the Blazers’ Rami Dajani. The freshman forward’s shot bulged the back of the open net.The goal dealt two losses to IU Coach Todd Yeagley’s squad — in addition to the Hoosiers’ second consecutive overtime defeat, Soderlund suffered a minor hip injury in the fracas in front of the goal, forcing freshman Colin Webb into goal for Sunday’s game with West Virginia.That match saw a flurry of goals, with each squad scoring four goals in regulation to send the Hoosiers to extra time for the third consecutive match, where they were beaten for the third time by a sudden-death goal.With 7:21 remaining in the second period of extra time, West Virginia’s Ryan Cain collected a ball in front of the goal, where he turned and slotted home the game-winning goal. Senior midfielders and team captains Harrison Petts and Jacob Bushue linked up twice to tally goals, with each player collecting a goal off the other’s assist. Also tallying for the Hoosiers were senior Nikita Kotlov and freshman Tanner Thompson.The three-game losing streak is only the second of Yeagley’s tenure at the position, though he said he remains focused on his team’s performance rather than scorelines.“It’s a different disappointment,” Yeagley said. “These hurt because the guys know how well this team has played. They continue to be teaching moments for us, and we’re just focusing on the things we can control. Good things typically come from moments like these.”Follow reporter Alden Woods on Twitter @acw9293.
(08/30/13 4:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU men’s soccer opens its regular season 7:30 Friday night against SMU, but as recently as Aug. 17, IU Coach Todd Yeagley was in the midst of a potentially season-altering decision.With the loss of four-year starting goalkeeper Luis Soffner to graduation, Yeagley’s squad was left with a void in goal.Four goalkeepers, none of which had seen a minute of regular-season time for the Hoosiers last season, entered training camp with hopes of landing the starting position in between the posts: freshman Colin Webb, and sophomores Sean Weidman, Michael Soderlund and Kyle Wieschhaus.Soderlund, who started most of the Hoosiers’ spring and summer exhibitions, established himself as the early favorite for the position, but was unable to distance himself from Weidman and Webb, who came to Bloomington as the seventh-ranked goalkeeper in his graduating class.Two weeks and two pre-season matches later, Yeagley has found his man, announcing Soderlund as his starting goalkeeper in a post-practice interview Wednesday.“Michael will start in goal this weekend,” he said. “We know more about him. Colin and Sean are doing well and pushing him, but now we feel that with his time here at IU and the way he’s played, he fits the bill right now.”Soderlund, a native of Boise, Idaho, will lead the Hoosiers’ back line in this weekend’s season-opening Adidas/IU Credit Union Classic, an annual four-team tournament featuring some of the strongest fields in the event’s history: No. 1 IU, No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 9 UCLA and SMU.“It’ll be really entertaining, and you’ll see some talent,” Yeagley said. “These four teams are all legitimately deep tournament teams. Generally the field is very good, but this year it’s extremely deep.”SMU, Friday night’s opponent, collected a record of 10-5-5 in 2012 en route to an NCAA Tournament appearance.The Mustangs are led by unanimous pre-season All-American Athletic Conference selection Damian Rosales, a junior midfielder. The Mustangs also have 2012 Conference USA Goalkeeper of the Year Jaime Ibarra, who allowed just 1.12 goals per game in the net for SMU last season.Yeagley said SMU is a talented team, but admitted he was still gathering information on the program.“We’re really focusing on our preparations, but we have to be really good on our individual principles against a team like this that we know can individually create,” Yeagley said. “They’re a team that’s always in the deep tournament hunt.“We know the quality’s going to be there.”IU will play its second game of the weekend Sunday against No. 9 UCLA in a game that has drawn national attention as one of the country’s most anticipated early-season matchups. Despite the buildup for Sunday’s clash and IU’s attempt to set an all-time attendance record at Bill Armstrong Stadium for the match, Yeagley said he hasn’t given much thought to UCLA and remains focused on the Hoosiers’ first game.Follow reporter Alden Woods on Twitter @acw9293
(08/28/13 4:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Junior midfielder Dylan Mares said he had not considered leaving the University of Louisville until last fall, when he decided a change was necessary.Mares spent three years at Louisville, collecting 2010 Big East Rookie of the Year, second-team All-Big East, and Soccer America All-Freshman team honors in his freshman season. A knee injury forced Mares to redshirt for the 2011 campaign before returning to play 19 matches for the Cardinals last season.Despite a stellar 2012 season, in which he netted 7 goals and recorded 20 points for Louisville in its run to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals, Mares departed the program and joined IU for the Spring 2013 season.IU Head Coach Todd Yeagley announced the transfer on Jan. 3, 2013, saying then, “Dylan is a special attacking player who will make an immediate impact within our team. “Our program is excited to have Dylan Mares wear the IU jersey.”While Mares was reluctant to divulge the details of his transfer decision, he said he began the process in the fall of 2012 while still playing for the Cardinals.“I had personal reasons,” he said. “I just think it’s something that I felt I needed to do. I felt like I needed a change.”With his arrival at IU, Mares rejoined fellow Zionsville, Ind., natives and high school teammates Harrison Petts and A.J. Corrado, both senior midfielders for the Hoosiers.Mares said linking up with Petts and Corrado on and off the field will be a highlight for the upcoming season.“It’s always nice to be back playing with old players, especially those guys, who are my close friends,” Mares said. “We shared an experience in high school, and now we get to share this experience in college together. It’ll be fun playing with them again.”The talented midfield trio hope to re-spark the chemistry that led their high school squad to a state championship in 2009.Petts, a four-year starter and co-captain of the Hoosiers, said the convergence of the three Zionsville alumni has been beneficial on and off the field.“It’s great. The longer you play with people, the more you know their tendencies, and the easier it is,” Petts said. “You almost feel like there’s a telepathic communication going on.”Mares will look to leave a mark in the Hoosier midfield throughout the season, but has one game in particular circled on his calendar: an Oct. 15 home matchup with Louisville, his first against his former team.The midseason clash appears to be a heavily-contested matchup — both IU and Louisville are currently top-10 teams in the official NCAA rankings. The two teams played last year to a 2-2 double overtime draw.Mares said his transfer will create an added layer of pressure and competition for the match, but he will use it as motivation.“It’s always fun playing against old players. There is added motivation because there are a few old players that I’m still friends with. It’s going to be competitive no matter what.”Rarely is a transfer player faced with the kind of expectations that have been placed on Mares for the upcoming season: not only will he join the Hoosiers as reigning NCAA College Cup champions, he also will step into one of the deepest and most talented midfields in the country, expected to provide depth and attacking prowess to a veteran team.Mares acknowledged the expectations but downplayed the pressure of his arrival.“There’s obviously pressure because there’s competition within the team,” he said. “If I’m not playing well, obviously kids can step in and do well for the team, but I’ve played with these guys before. They know what to expect of me and I know what to expect of them. To come in, I just have to keep working hard in training and make sure that I’m at my best when we play games.”While it remains to be seen how the transfer of Mares will affect IU men’s soccer as the program chases a second consecutive national championship, Mares described his new setting as “very comfortable” and expressed satisfaction with his decision.“I never thought I’d see myself transferring, not necessarily to IU, but just in general, transferring,” he said. “But everything happens for a reason, and I’m happy with my move. I couldn’t be happier right now.”Follow reporter Alden Woods on Twitter @acw9293.
(08/22/13 3:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After stitching the eighth championship star on its jerseys last year, the IU men’s soccer team goes to work tonight on the ninth star.The Hoosiers play Marquette in an exhibition match tonight in Ft. Wayne as part of the National Soccer Festival. IU will also play rival North Carolina Saturday in its final preseason tune up before the regular season.Marquette enters as the preseason No. 12 team in the nation, while the Tar Heels come in at No. 4 nationally. Both schools can look up the table at IU, who sits at No. 1 in the preseason poll. IU was also voted the favorite to win the Big Ten in the preseason coaches poll, released Wednesday.IU Coach Todd Yeagley said he will look to “experiment” with his team in Thursday’s game with Marquette, a matchup in which the fourth-year head coach said he won’t worry about the score.“We’ll have two or three specific things, one being personnel, depth and where we try out some young guys,” Yeagley said. “It’s a freebie game. Do you gain a little momentum? Yeah, a little more than in the spring. “I’m not worried about the result. I’m worried about performance, about how we are with two or three experiments.”Among the things Yeagley might consider are determining the best combination of midfielders and picking a starting goalkeeper.The midfield is clogged with depth: seniors Harrison Petts, Jacob Bushue, Nikita Kotlov and A.J. Corrado figure to be near-automatic starters, leaving Louisville transfer junior Dylan Mares and freshman Tanner Thompson to either establish a starting role on the front line or face time on the bench.In goal, the battle for the starting position is between sophomore Michael Soderlund, freshman Colin Webb and sophomore Sean Weidman. All three could see time in the Marquette match.The Golden Eagles finished the 2012 season with a record of 16-4-1, falling to eventual NCAA College Cup finalists Georgetown in the Big East Conference semifinals and narrowly losing to Northwestern in the NCAA Tournament’s second round. Bushue, who will serve as one of the Hoosiers’ captains this season, said his team is ready for the challenge. “We have a tough schedule, but we have a tough schedule every year,” Bushue said. “I think we’ve played in the environments, we’ve played in the big games and I think all the players, no matter where it’s been, have proven we know how to play at this level.“We’ll prove it again this year.” Follow reporter Alden Woods on Twiiter @acw9293.
(08/22/13 3:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Throughout last season’s championship-winning campaign, the IU men’s soccer team was led by goalkeeper Luis Soffner, defender Caleb Konstanski and forward Eriq Zavaleta. Each of them have left IU. Konstanski and Soffner used up all of their eligibility, and Soffner and Zavaleta were drafted into Major League Soccer.All three men started each of the Hoosiers’ 24 matches, giving IU Coach Todd Yeagley something soccer coaches want: consistency and solid play through the middle of the field.With Soffner, Zavaleta and Konstanski no longer part of the team, the Hoosiers will have to fill the voids left by these players’ departures.“Those are the positions that if you could choose not all three to go at one time, those would be the spots,” Yeagley said. “It’s only three starters, but it’s three crucial starters.”Despite the loss of last season’s leaders, IU returns with eight starters and was voted by the Big Ten coaches the preseason No. 1-ranked squad.Much of the Hoosiers’ depth lies in the midfield, where senior captains Harrison Petts and Jacob Bushue will link up with seniors A.J. Corrado and Nikita Kotlov, juniors Patrick Doody and Dylan Mares, and freshman Tanner Thompson. “I think we’ll have one of the top midfields in the country, if not the best one,” Bushue said. “We’re going to cause teams a lot of problems, and I think it’s one of our strengths, as well as our defense. It’s just going to be a good team, I think.”The Hoosier midfielders will attempt to create goal-scoring chances for IU forwards, such as sophomore Femi Hollinger-Janzen, who scored four goals last season as a backup striker and was part of the 2012 Big Ten All-Freshman Team. As for defending the goal, a three-man battle for the starting position has yet to be officially decided, but Yeagley indicated that sophomore Michael Soderlund currently stands as the likely choice between the posts. Yeagley said he wants to make whoever the eventual starter is feel comfortable going into the season. “Ideally you want someone coming back who feels that, and I think Mike does feel that based on the spring. He got 15 games this summer, which is exactly what he needed just to see situations, manage players in front of him,” Yeagley said. “It’s right back to where competition is going to drive Mike.”At this point, Soderlund is the favorite to land the starting spot, Yeagley said, adding it’s important to establish who’s No. 1.“Whether you give him the job that day, you want them to feel like they are, and Mike feels it,” Yeagley said.Despite earning the preseason No. 1 ranking, Bushue said he’s not worried about outside expectations.“IU always has a target on their back,” he said. “Everybody always wants to beat IU. I guess you could say there’s a little bit of an added pressure, but we’re not really feeling it. We’re up for the task, we know what we need to do. We’re ready to get the season rolling and win some games.”Follow Alden Woods on Twitter @acw9293.
(05/27/13 11:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Tony Kanaan’s ultimate triumph came alongside an abundance of side-stories and headlines. Kanaan’s win was the fastest in history.Speeds were high, aided by a lot of green-flag racing. Laps 61-193 were run under a green flag, the longest stretch of consecutive green-flag laps since caution laps were first recorded in 1976. This long stretch of full-speed racing, along with cool temperatures throughout the race, sent speeds into a spike — Kanaan’s average speed of 187.433 mph was the fastest in Indy 500 history.The higher speeds can be seen as nothing but positive, as interest in open-wheel racing has declined as speeds have. No driver reached the mystical “230,” but speeds in the high 220s throughout the week are a positive step for IndyCar.The “Andretti Curse” continues… The curse, which refers to the fact that no member of the Andretti family has won at Indianapolis since Mario did in 1969, has haunted Michael, John and Marco during their entire careers at IMS.With a fourth-place finish this year, Marco now has four top-five finishes in eight attempts, finishing as high as second place in 2006, his rookie year. A strong performance in 2013 in which he led 31 laps, pacing the field on 15 different occasions, had him sitting in fourth position at the final restart, but Dario Franchitti’s crash in Turn 1 erased any hope of making a run at victory. The curse continues.…but Andretti Autosport was dominant. Each of the five Andretti Autosport drivers led at least one lap, and the team placed three drivers in the top four by the end of the race. The team was consistently fast all month — all five drivers started in the first three rows — and was in good position to overtake Kanaan had the final few laps been raced under green.Chevrolet engines top HondaKanaan won his first Indy 500 using a Chevy engine. In his 12 Indy 500 attempts, he had only used a Chevy engine three times. The third time was the charm for him. Honda struggled all month, as eight of the top 11 finishers were powered by Chevy. In the starting grid, the first 10 cars each had Chevy engines.Carlos Muñoz shines in first Indy 500This year’s 500 was the first IndyCar race for the 21-year-old, who has spent the last two seasons in the Indy Lights series. Yet, he drove like a veteran. He was the fastest driver in two of seven practices, qualifing second and finishing in second place. He was awarded Rookie of the Year honors.Lead changes lead excitementThe race featured 68 lead changes (doubling the previous record of 34), saw 14 different drivers lead a lap and was never led by one driver for more than eight consecutive laps. Ed Carpenter paced the field with 37 laps led, the fewest by that category’s leader in Indy 500 history.— Alden Woods
(05/24/13 2:31pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It will be nothing out of the ordinary.Just as he has for 20 of his 21 years, Conor Daly will wake up early on Sunday and head to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Indianapolis 500. The race, which just may be the largest event, sporting or otherwise, in Daly’s native Indiana is a family tradition. Conor’s father, Derek Daly, competed in the race six times between 1983 and 1989, and the Daly family attends every year.Daly, born and raised in Noblesville, Ind., will again make the short drive to the IMS for this year’s Indy 500, continuing his family’s May tradition.There will be one slight difference, however. Instead of merely spectating, Conor Daly will be in the field for the Indianapolis 500.It will be nothing out of the ordinary.Daly, who races primarily in Europe’s ladder system, will drive the No. 41 ABC Supply for A.J. Foyt Racing. The team is owned and operated by four-time Indy 500 winner A.J. Foyt, who saw promise in the rookie.“I tested with the team back in December, and I knew early that they wanted to have a fully-funded second car at the 500,” Daly said. “They wanted to try and work with me somehow, and sure enough we were able to put a deal together, and here I am.”Daly has had great success throughout his racing career, winning season championships in 2010 and 2012 and collecting 14 race victories in his five full-time seasons, but struggled to stay on the track during last week’s practice and qualifying sessions. After a hard crash in practice last Thursday, Daly was unable to finish his first qualifying run on Pole Day because of a broken header in his car.Bump Day brought better results for Daly. He made the field and will start Sunday’s race in 31st position.“It was definitely a big bump in the road, really unfortunate too,” Daly said. “But everyone’s said to me, ‘There are those who have hit the wall at Indy, and there are those who will.’ It’s part of the experience.“Unfortunately, Pole Day was another disaster with the header breaking… in the end, we were able to put it together and get in the field, and that’s all we wanted to do.”It will be nothing out of the ordinary.Despite its prominence, the Indianapolis 500 is a race; wide-eyed rookies and grizzled veterans coming together in a simple attempt to reach the finish line before everybody else on the track.Daly has kept his aspirations low, acknowledging that lack of experience may hinder his ability to be competitive in this year’s race.“Honestly, if I can just get the experience of doing the whole race, I’d be really happy,” Daly said. “It’s a long race, 500 miles, and I’d really like to just make it through in a somewhat competitive position the whole time. I want to go at it to win, but I know that I have to look at it in a different perspective as well.”It will be nothing out of the ordinary.Just as he has hundreds of times, Daly will make his way to a racetrack early, strap himself into a car and hurtle himself in an oval as fast as that car will allow.For him, this will be natural. Daly has been behind the wheel of a racecar since he was 10 years old. He has raced cars across the globe, in every variation of American and European racing, attempting to make a name for himself outside of his father’s shadow – and succeeding.It will be nothing out of the ordinary. Except it may be the biggest moment of Conor Daly’s life.
(05/22/13 11:18pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>INDIANAPOLIS — In the 96 iterations of the Indianapolis 500, 67 different drivers have had their names etched into the race’s glimmering Borg-Warner Trophy. Eighteen of those drivers claimed victory more than once.While any driver able to join that exclusive club will have their name forever remembered on the grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, three names stand above the rest: A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Sr. and Rick Mears, the only four-time winners of the 500-mile race.Dario Franchitti and Helio Castroneves, Indianapolis legends in their own right, will each attempt to join Foyt, Unser, and Mears with a fourth Indy 500 victory Sunday. “I am very happy to have even won one,” Franchitti said. “So difficult. Look at some of the great drivers that didn’t get the opportunity even to win one, so I was happy. Three is beyond anything expected. But I really want the fourth.”Franchitti, a member of Target Chip Ganassi Racing, has collected each of his three victories within the past six races, giving him the second-shortest time span to win three Indy 500s. Wilbur Shaw won three races between 1937-40.The Scot posted a qualifying speed of 226.069 mph, placing him 17th on Sunday’s starting grid.A member of Team Penske, Castroneves won his first race at IMS in 2001, following that with triumphs in 2002 and 2009.The Brazilian won in his first two races at IMS, the only driver to do so. His 2001 victory made him the eighth rookie to win the Indy 500.“I feel blessed to be in this opportunity, to be in this elite group, I feel blessed,” Castroneves said. “There’s a lot of guys, lot of races, and being in a very good position, unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be. But for me, certainly I’m happy. But I still have a great chance to keep going.”Castroneves recorded a qualifying speed of 227.762 mph and will begin Sunday’s race from eighth.The drivers’ quest for a fourth Indy 500 title will be one of the most prominent headlines in a race saturated with stories, but Franchitti said he feels no more pressure to win than in previous years.“There’s no more pressure than there is on anybody else in the field,” he said. “Doesn’t make you any faster. Doesn’t make the team work any harder. It’s simply right now about the mechanics of trying to put ourselves in a position to challenge on race day, trying to make sure the Target car is fast, consistent.”The largest obstacles to a fourth title for the two drivers may be the five Andretti Autosport drivers, who have been dominant throughout much of the month. Ryan Hunter-Reay, Carlos Muñoz, E.J. Viso, James Hinchcliffe and Marco Andretti will all start in the first three rows, and Andretti drivers recorded the fastest practice speeds on five of the first seven days. “The team has been consistently at the top of the charts,” Viso said. “It shows that we are a strong team. This is what a big team and a team that has plenty of resources is able to do.”Andretti Autosport’s fiercest competition has come from Team Penske, consisting of Castroneves, Will Power and rookie A.J. Allmendinger, a regular on the NASCAR circuit. Team owner Roger Penske has fielded 15 Indy 500-winning drivers, and each of his three drivers in this year’s race will start in the first three rows.Despite the two teams’ overwhelming performances in practice and qualifications, every Andretti Autosport and Team Penske driver will begin Sunday’s race chasing Ed Carpenter, an Indianapolis native crowned as this year’s pole-sitter. Carpenter posted a final qualifying speed of 228.762 mph, narrowly beating out Muñoz and Andretti to capture his first career IndyCar pole. Carpenter said winning the pole in his hometown race was a highlight, but he was not satisfied.“I love the race a whole lot more than qualifying, and I really want to send a message and make sure I lead by example to the team and make sure we don’t forget why we’re really here,” Carpenter said. “The pole won’t mean much if we don’t go out and perform on race day.”Franchitti and Castroneves, along with the 31 other drivers who make up the field in the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500, will have every decision, bump and passed car scrutinized by approximately 300,000 fans at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and millions across the world.Franchitti and Castroneves will attempt to make history on Sunday with a fourth victory. No matter who gets to partake in the traditional winner’s feast of bricks and buttermilk, one thing is certain — a legend will be born.
(05/19/13 11:51pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>INDIANAPOLIS — At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, legends are born not only with a win, but with a driver’s second, third, or, in three rare cases, fourth-place victory. Tony Kanaan would be satisfied with just one.The Brazilian driver won a pole at Indianapolis in 2005 and has recorded five top-five finishes, but has yet to taste the traditional victor’s buttermilk at IMS after 11 attempts. His lack of a breakthrough win, however, has done nothing to diminish his popularity among fans in Indianapolis. In fact, his repeated close calls may have made him one of Indy’s most popular drivers.“My name in IndyCar, it’s a lot bigger right now because of the fans in Indianapolis and because I have not won it yet than actually, probably if I had won already,” Kanaan said in a press conference Wednesday. Much of Kanaan’s popularity comes from his reputation as a “nice guy,” as Bidro Lima, a Brazilian native and resident of West Lafayette, Ind., describes him.“He’s a nice guy, you know,” Lima said. “His interviews are always cool, and he’s an awesome guy.”Although reputation often indicates assumption, Matt Converset, a high school teacher who resides in Decatur, Ind., has seen first-hand what many fans claim draw them to Kanaan.“I used to coach basketball, and one of our players had an aneurysm and ended up down in Riley Children’s Hospital, and Tony came and saw her and kind of took a liking to her,” Converset said. While many athletes will visit hospitals or sick children, Converset said Kanaan followed up after the first meeting. “I think it was ’04 at Community Day,” Converset said. “I just gave Tony an update and he said, ‘Hey, can you come by after the autograph session? I have something I want to give to her.’”Kanaan’s gift: a small Brazilian medallion, one that he claimed to have worn during every race.“Now every time Tony sees me, he waves and says hi,” Converset said. “He’s my favorite driver, for obvious reasons, even though I always kind of liked him before.”It is that part of Kanaan, outside his on-track triumphs and close calls, outside his worldwide fame and wealth, that has endeared him to fans in Indianapolis.Kanaan said he takes comfort in knowing that he is appreciated in the race he works so hard to win.“The way the fans treat me, you know, it’s a privilege that I have to be here every year,” he said. “I love the way the fans think like that, because I know they know how much I work for it.”Kanaan will continue to chase his elusive first Indy 500 victory, knowing it may never come. Despite coming close on many occasions, he said he does not feel that he has been slighted by the track.“I am not going to go away years from now if I never win regretting or being a little bit bitter about it,” he said. “I mean, I had a great time.”
(05/13/13 12:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>INDIANAPOLIS – In Indiana, the month of May has not officially begun until the familiar roar of engines and fans can be heard from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Saturday’s opening practice of the 2013 Indianapolis 500 calendar kicked off what is known to many Indiana natives as the greatest month of the year.“It’s the best month of the year,” Matt Converset, a high school teacher born and raised in Decatur, Ind., said. “You look forward to it all year long, and when the race is over, you say, ‘Hey, only 364 days until the next one.’” While cold temperatures and the threat of rain nearly put an end to Saturday’s festivities before they started, officials deemed conditions suitable, and the month of May officially began. Indianapolis native Ed Carpenter recorded the fastest lap of the day, completing his 20th lap at 220.970 miles per hour. The day’s events also included a question-and-answer session with racing patriarch Mario Andretti, a “Celebration of Automobiles” that featured rare and antique cars from the last century and on-track training for this year’s Indy 500 rookies. This year marks the 97th running of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Despite the abundance of events and sights to see, the tradition of the race keeps people coming back year after year. Travel to the racetrack is often a family experience.For Chad Platt of Plainfield, Ind., the desire to head to IMS throughout the month comes from memories of his father and the desire to create new ones with his own son. “I started coming here when I was a young boy with my dad, and now I just keep coming,” Pratt said. “Now we get some father-and-son time. It’s something that he enjoys quite a bit and it gives us a chance to spend quality time together. I’m glad to be out here.”The race, which will take place Sunday, May 26, will attract more than 300,000 spectators, making it the largest single-day sporting event in the world. For other festivities, practices and qualification days, attendance is much lower, but people can be found who traveled great distances just to see a few hours of practice.The Claudius family can be counted among those people. Doug and Melody Claudius, from Rushville, Ill., made the 4.5-hour drive to Indianapolis with two young sons. For the Claudius family, carrying on the more than 30-year-old tradition, started by Doug and his father, is well worth the distance.“For us, it’s awesome. One of my sons has been before, but it’s my other son’s first time,” Doug said. “We used to come all the time, but we haven’t been able to come for a while because our sons were growing up. “It’s really cool. My dad brought me here when I was young, so it’s kind of nice to be able to do that in his memory since he’s passed on.”The opening of Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday marked much more than just the start of this year’s Indianapolis 500 events. For some, it starts a period of family gathering, hunting for memories both old and new. For others, it signified the end of winter and the beginning of an Indiana summer.“Once you’ve been to the race and experienced the race, it’s awesome,” Melody Claudius said. “There’s just nothing like it.”
(04/29/13 2:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>FRENCH LICK, Ind. — After a strong start to the Big Ten Men’s Golf Championship, the IU men’s golf team faltered on the weekend and finished in a tie for fourth place this weekend.Wind gusts well above 20 miles per hour and a constant drizzle made the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort, which is notorious for its difficulty, more challenging than usual. As a result, scores were worse than anticipated — only one golfer in the field was able to post a four-round score under par.After the opening two rounds on Friday, the Hoosiers found themselves in fourth place but only five shots out of the lead with rounds of 299 and 291. Senior Brant Peaper was tied for the individual lead at 140 (-4) after 36 holes and appeared to have recovered from his struggles at the Boilermaker Invitational a week prior; IU had placed itself in good position to contend for first place.Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, the strong play would not continue into the weekend’s final two rounds. IU would go on to shoot back-to-back rounds of 300 to fall out of contention and finish with a four-round total of 1190 (+38), 27 shots behind champion Illinois.Peaper was unable to capitalize on his strong Friday performance, shooting rounds of 79 and 81 on the weekend to finish at 300 (+12) and a tie for seventeenth place overall.Junior David Mills, coming off a strong performance in West Lafayette, led the Hoosiers in French Lick, shooting rounds of 74-74-74-73 to finish at 295 (+7) and a tie for eighth place individually.Mills said his strong play as of late comes from a renewed mental approach to the game.“I’ve been working on the mental game a lot the last few weeks, trying to get my head together, straight, more clear and focused,” Mills said. “It’s been paying off a little bit.”Seniors Michael McGee and Corey Ziedonis each finished in a tie for twenty-fifth place for the Hoosiers, shooting 302 (+14) over the four rounds. McGee posted scores of 77-74-76-75 in his first Big Ten Championship while Ziedonis shot rounds of 76-75-76-75 in his fourth such event.The Hoosiers’ fifth finisher was sophomore Andrew Fogg, also competing in his first conference tournament, shot rounds of 79-79-74-77 to finish the weekend in a tie for forty-third place at 309 (+21).Despite his team’s weekend struggles, Head Coach Mike Mayer said he felt his team played well enough to win.“We got strong performances down the line ... everybody contributed,” Mayer said. “I really thought we could’ve competed for the championship this weekend, but it just wasn’t in the cards.”The No. 59 Hoosiers, who entered the event needing a strong performance to solidify their case for an NCAA Tournament berth, did little to improve their résumé, although IU did finish ten strokes ahead of No. 29 Northwestern, the highest-ranked team in the field.Mayer said he is confident of his team’s chances of earning a spot in the tournament.“I really hope we do move on, and I think we will,” Mayer said. “I think we can get ready for Regionals, and we’ll make some noise there. I think we have that kind of a team.”The NCAA will announce the fields for the first-round Regional tournaments sometime next week.
(04/26/13 2:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a 2012-13 regular season that saw three tournament titles, three individual event titles and three players named Big Ten Player of the Week, the IU men’s golf program begins the postseason this weekend at the Big Ten Championship.The event, which takes place on the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort in French Lick, Ind., will see a competitive field containing six top-100 teams (No. 30 Illinois, No. 31 Northwestern, No. 55 Iowa, No. 59 IU, No. 74 Purdue and No. 87 Ohio State).While the Hoosiers have added to their already significant trophy collection this season, the team has struggled with consistency. A tie for sixth place at the Big Ten Match Play Championships was followed with a twelfth-place effort at the Bayou City Collegiate Championship.After a three-week break, the Hoosiers found a streak of strong performance, collecting back-to-back victories at the Mission Inn Spring Spectacular and the NYX Hoosier Invitational in Bloomington before a sixth-place finish at the Boilermaker Invitational last week.The up-and-down performance of the team has put the chance for a sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in jeopardy. IU currently sits at No. 59 in the Golfweek national rankings; it is commonly accepted that any team in the top 60 of the rankings is all but guaranteed a berth in the tournament.“College golf rankings are an anomaly. They’re hard to figure sometimes,” IU Coach Mike Mayer said. “I think the (NCAA Tournament) committee will look at a lot of things. They’ll look at wins, they’ll look at quality wins, they’ll look at tournament victories and they’ll take a peek at the rankings.”With only three teams in the field ranked higher than the Hoosiers, a strong performance will be needed in order to ensure a spot in the NCAA Regional.Senior Michael McGee said he feels confident in the team’s ability to do so.“We’ve played some of the teams before, and we have a good feel for the teams that are going to be in it,” McGee said. “There’s nobody in the conference we don’t feel we can beat, and the course is one that fits us very well.”Representing the Hoosiers this weekend will be senior Brant Peaper, McGee, senior Corey Ziedonis, junior David Mills and sophomore Andrew Fogg. While Peaper has been dominant for much of the season, leading the Hoosiers in scoring average and top-five finishes, much of the Hoosiers’ success in the spring and going forward depends on the performance of the lineup behind him.“We need to know that we have guys in the back end to step up and be clutch,” McGee said. “We need to have four solid scores going forward.”For IU men’s golf, that has been the struggle — finding consistent play behind Peaper. In order for the Hoosiers to contend for a conference championship and continue their season with NCAA Tournament play, McGee, Ziedonis, Mills and Fogg must step up and support the play of their leader.If that happens, Mayer said, watch out.“It all sets up for the Big Ten Championship,” Mayer said. “We’re not anywhere near our potential.”The Big Ten Men’s Golf Championship will begin with 36 holes Friday, followed by 18 holes on both Saturday and Sunday.
(04/25/13 11:43pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a 2012-13 regular season that saw three tournament titles, three individual event titles and three players named Big Ten Player of the Week, the IU men’s golf program begins the postseason this weekend at the Big Ten Championship.The event, which takes place on the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort in French Lick, Ind., will see a competitive field containing six top-100 teams (No. 30 Illinois, No. 31 Northwestern, No. 55 Iowa, No. 59 IU, No. 74 Purdue and No. 87 Ohio State).While the Hoosiers have added to their already significant trophy collection this season, the team has struggled with consistency. A tie for sixth place at the Big Ten Match Play Championships was followed with a twelfth-place effort at the Bayou City Collegiate Championship.After a three-week break, the Hoosiers found a streak of strong performance, collecting back-to-back victories at the Mission Inn Spring Spectacular and the NYX Hoosier Invitational in Bloomington before a sixth-place finish at the Boilermaker Invitational last week.The up-and-down performance of the team has put the chance for a sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in jeopardy. IU currently sits at No. 59 in the Golfweek national rankings; it is commonly accepted that any team in the top 60 of the rankings is all but guaranteed a berth in the tournament.“College golf rankings are an anomaly. They’re hard to figure sometimes,” IU Coach Mike Mayer said. “I think the (NCAA Tournament) committee will look at a lot of things. They’ll look at wins, they’ll look at quality wins, they’ll look at tournament victories and they’ll take a peek at the rankings.”With only three teams in the field ranked higher than the Hoosiers, a strong performance will be needed in order to ensure a spot in the NCAA Regional.Senior Michael McGee said he feels confident in the team’s ability to do so.“We’ve played some of the teams before, and we have a good feel for the teams that are going to be in it,” McGee said. “There’s nobody in the conference we don’t feel we can beat, and the course is one that fits us very well.”Representing the Hoosiers this weekend will be senior Brant Peaper, McGee, senior Corey Ziedonis, junior David Mills and sophomore Andrew Fogg. While Peaper has been dominant for much of the season, leading the Hoosiers in scoring average and top-five finishes, much of the Hoosiers’ success in the spring and going forward depends on the performance of the lineup behind him.“We need to know that we have guys in the back end to step up and be clutch,” McGee said. “We need to have four solid scores going forward.”For IU men’s golf, that has been the struggle — finding consistent play behind Peaper. In order for the Hoosiers to contend for a conference championship and continue their season with NCAA Tournament play, McGee, Ziedonis, Mills and Fogg must step up and support the play of their leader.If that happens, Mayer said, watch out.“It all sets up for the Big Ten Championship,” Mayer said. “We’re not anywhere near our potential.”The Big Ten Men’s Golf Championship will begin with 36 holes Friday, followed by 18 holes on both Saturday and Sunday.