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(10/31/06 4:27am)
The IU men's soccer team regained the Big Ten regular season championship Friday night by defeating Wisconsin 1-0. The cream and crimson finished third last season behind Penn State and Ohio State after nine consecutive seasons -- from 1996 to 2004 -- as outright or co-champions.\nFourteen Hoosiers celebrated their first Big Ten championship as the team won its 12th title in program history.\nSophomore midfielder Brad Ring said bringing the championship back to Bloomington has been a goal for the team.\n"It feels great," Ring said. "We got the championship back in Indiana, and that's what we wanted. That's what we wanted last year, but we slipped up a bit. We got it back where it belongs."\nFor fifth-year seniors John Michael Hayden and Josh Tudela, Friday's victory marked the fourth championship in their Hoosier careers. They celebrated senior night Friday with fellow seniors Julian Dieterle and Kevin Robson, who won their third regular season championship.\nEach championship has been special for Dieterle, but after a disappointing start to the season, winning the title means a lot for this team, he said.\n"They all feel good," he said. "This is nice because we are finally meshing together, coming together at the right time."\nThe Hoosiers finished the regular season 4-1-1 with each of the four wins by one goal. IU has struggled with scoring this season but has found the way to win close games, sophomore forward Brian Ackley said.\n"We like to keep it close so the fans will keep coming back," Ackley said with a wink. "We know we are going to win every game, so we don't worry about it." \nThe second game of the Big Ten season became the turning point for the Hoosiers. Twenty-three minutes away from starting the season 0-1-1, the Hoosiers scored goals in regulation and then overtime to defeat Michigan State 2-1. From that point, the cream and crimson went 3-1 to capture the title.\nAlthough Michigan State ended the season with the second-worst record in the Big Ten, every conference game is a battle, IU coach Mike Freitag said.\n"The Big Ten is tough," Freitag said. "I don't care what anybody says. Every game is tough game. I don't care who you are playing. Whether in first place or last place, it's going to be a battle."\nThe victory gives the Hoosiers the No. 1 seed in this weekend's Big Ten Tournament. As a result, the Hoosiers will have a bye from Thursday night's games and an extra day of rest.\n"Soccer is a long season, and an extra day off means a lot," Ring said. "We don't miss another day of school, and it just feels good going in as the No. 1 seed."\nWith one goal accomplished Friday night, the Hoosiers will focus on their second goal of the season: winning the Big Ten Tournament.\n"So far, one of goals was to win the Big Ten regular season," Freitag said. "We've done that. So now we are going to hopefully win two more games and win the postseason tournament"
(10/25/06 4:10am)
NDIANAPOLIS -- Trailing by one goal with five minutes remaining, the IU men's soccer team scored three goals before the end of regulation to defeat in-state rival Butler 4-2.\nAfter struggling to convert offensive opportunities into goals for the first 85 minutes, goals from senior midfielder Josh Tudela, freshman forward Darren Yeagle and freshman midfielder Eric Alexander stunned the Bulldog fans celebrating senior day for Butler.\nAlthough the No. 20 Hoosiers did not play their best soccer, IU coach Mike Freitag said he was proud with his team's determination in coming back against the Bulldogs.\n"Sometimes we win, and we don't play well," Freitag said. "That was the case today. I didn't think we played extremely well. We just weren't sharp for whatever reason."\nThe cream and crimson created several chances to score in the first half. The best chance came when Yeagle drove down the left side of the field, dribbling past three Butler defenders. Yeagle crossed the ball to senior forward Kevin Robson, who shot the ball just wide of goal from six yards out.\nThe Hoosiers out-shot the Bulldogs 5-3 in the first half but were unable to score goals, something the team has struggled with this year, said sophomore forward Brian Ackley.\n"It's been like that all year," Ackley said. "We have been trying to find the back of the net, but we couldn't."\nButler scored first on a Hoosier mistake. Yeagle tried to pass the ball back to sophomore goalkeeper Chay Cain, but a Butler player hit the ball at the same time as Cain, leaving the ball in the open field. Bulldogs forward John DeVae chipped the ball over Cain and the Hoosier defense from 30 yards into an open net for the goal.\n"We gave it away," Freitag said. "So we are trying to catch the game, which is difficult, especially against a team that packs it in like they did."\nDue to a collision between junior defender Greg Stevning and Butler forward Dorshon Deans near the end of the first half, halftime was taken with 2:32 left on the clock. Stevning was on the ground for a couple of minutes before walking off the field. Deans laid on the field for several minutes before an ambulance came but raised his arms to acknowledge the crowd.\nStevning did not play the rest of the game. He is OK but will be examined by doctors, Freitag said.\nThe Hoosiers came out in the second half pushing forward to score a goal. Finally, 15 minutes into the second half, sophomore Kevin Noschang scored the first Hoosier goal from 12 yards out after a pass from Ackley.\nButler responded two minutes later on a perfect shot from Butler midfielder Tom Turner to take a 2-1 lead.\nFive minutes from the end of regulation time, Tudela scored on a pass from Ackley to tie the game and give the Hoosiers the advantage. Tudela said the team was urgent to score a goal.\n"It was coming down to the final six minutes," Tudela said. "We knew we had to get one, and I was a bit lucky the defender fumbled it, and I got a foot on it."\nGoals from Yeagle and Alexander sealed the game for the Hoosiers, putting the finishing touches on the IU comeback.\nWhile the team played flat for most of the game, Freitag said he was pleased with the team's effort to comeback in the final minutes.\n"We finally started to do things to make that happen," Freitag said. "We are real lucky today because we could have easily walked out of here with a 2-1 loss. To the guys' credit, they found a way to get it done, and that's why I'm happy"
(10/23/06 3:12am)
The IU men's soccer team fell to conference rival Penn State for the third straight time in Fox Soccer Channel's Game of the Week Friday night.\nThe Nittany Lions needed a lone goal in the first two minutes of the game to snap the No. 9 Hoosiers' eight-game unbeaten streak, defeating them 1-0. \nAlthough the Hoosiers out-shot the Nittany Lions 9-5, the cream and crimson were unable to get the tying goal.\n"It's disappointing," IU coach Mike Freitag said. "The last three times we've outplayed them, but they have found the way to get the victory."\nPenn State scored the only goal of the match two minutes into the game. Nittany Lion senior defender David Gray headed in a cross from fellow senior Jeff Chambers.\n"It just floated over (sophomore goalkeeper) Chay Cain," junior defender Greg Stevning said. "The guy was on the back post, and he headed it past (sophomore forward Kevin) Noschang."\nWith 15 minutes left in the first half, Cain left the game with an injury to the face. Junior goalkeeper Chris Munroe came in for the Hoosiers for the remainder of the game.\nThe Hoosiers had four shots on goal in the first half but were unable to score. Freshman midfielder Eric Alexander had the best chance of the half, but his shot was saved by Penn State goalkeeper Conrad Taylor.\nThe team did not play its best soccer in the first half, Freitag said.\n"The first half wasn't a good game of soccer for either team," Freitag said. "After halftime we came out and did well, but we didn't get the goal."\nThe Hoosiers picked up the intensity coming out of the locker room, though, creating several scoring chances in the early going of the second half. Senior midfielder John Michael Hayden's shot just over the goal was the best chance for the Hoosiers early in the half.\nIU received a boost when freshman forward Darren Yeagle re-entered the Hoosier lineup after missing the last four games with mononucleosis. Yeagle wasted little time making an impact by getting taken down by a Nittany Lion defender after driving into the Penn State box, but the referee did not call a foul.\nIn the last 10 minutes of the game, the Hoosiers sent more players forward to try to get the tying goal. Several Hoosiers created dangerous opportunities, but Conrad kept the Hoosiers from tying the contest. It was the second straight shutout against the cream and crimson.\n"We couldn't find the net," senior forward Josh Tudela said. "We knew we were down so we had to throw more guys in attack, but we just couldn't get the goal."\nThe loss means the Big Ten regular season title will awarded to the winner of Friday's game between the Hoosiers and Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions can win the regular season crown if they defeat Michigan State and the Hoosiers and Badgers tie.\nFreitag said he wants to see a complete game when they face Wisconsin and during Tuesday's game against in-state rival Butler.\n"We are a team that is different than some of our recent teams because we can't coast in games," Freitag said. "We have to get at it the whole game. Hopefully, these lessons will be learned"
(10/20/06 4:09am)
Riding the momentum of an eight-game unbeaten streak, the IU men's soccer team will seek revenge against Penn State when the No. 9 Hoosiers travel to Happy Valley on Friday night.\nPenn State beat the Hoosiers in both meetings the two teams had last season; the cream and crimson lost to the Nittany Lions 2-1 during the regular season and 1-0 in the Big Ten tournament final. The team is excited for the opportunity to play Penn State in a game that will be televised nationally by Fox Soccer Channel, sophomore goalkeeper Chay Cain said.\n"I think everybody still has a bit of a grudge," Cain said. "To play at their place on national TV is going to be a big game for us, and we are going to get up for it."\nIU coach Mike Freitag said he has been looking forward to playing the Nittany Lions. While the Hoosiers had the better of the play in both games, out-shooting Penn State 34-18 over the two games, the cream and crimson were unable to finish scoring opportunities.\n"I was very pleased with the way we played against them last season besides the results," Freitag said. "One play here and there just gave it away for us, but we aren't going to do that this year."\nThe Nittany Lions are led by forward Simon Omekanda, who has four goals on the season. Penn State coach Barry Gorman has had to make several lineup changes this season with scoring threats Jason Yeisley, Christoph Ascherl and Jacobo Vera out with injuries. Yeisley scored all three of the Nittany Lions' goals last season against the Hoosiers.\nPenn State enters the contest with a record of 5-8-2 (2-2-0 Big Ten), desperately needing a win to keep hopes alive for an NCAA Tournament berth.\n"They are in need of a big win, and we are the ones they are going to try to get it from," Freitag said. "They want to beat us bad. We've had such success, and they want to ruin our party."\nDespite Penn State's poor record this season, the team knows any game against the Nittany Lions will be tough.\n"Going into any game we know the opponent is going to be tough if we don't come to play," senior midfielder Josh Tudela said. "At the same point, if we show up to play, we can beat any team in the nation."\nFreshman forward Darren Yeagle is expected to see playing time for the first time since Oct. 1 after missing the last four games with mononucleosis. Freitag said he did not know how long Yeagle would be able to play due to fitness.\nEven if IU escapes Happy Valley with a victory, the Hoosiers will need a win or tie next weekend against Wisconsin to claim an outright Big Ten title. The team likes having control of its own destiny, Cain said.\n"You always want that control, so you don't need someone to lose, or win, or whatnot," he said. "No matter what, it's going to come down to Wisconsin."\nLast weekend's road win at Ohio State showed that the Hoosiers could win in hostile environments, Freitag said. Friday's game against Penn State gives the team another shot to prepare for the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments in adverse conditions, something, according to Freitag, which will benefit the team greatly.\n"We are a work in progress," Freitag said. "Hopefully all these situations we are in we just keep getting stronger as a team"
(10/11/06 3:53am)
The IU men's soccer team dominated the pace of play for the first 83 minutes of Wednesday night's game against IU-Purdue University Indianapolis, taking a 2-0 lead over the Jaguars.\nHowever, with eight of the original 11 starters for the Hoosiers sitting on the sideline, IUPUI scored two goals in five minutes to send the game into overtime.\nAlthough a goal two minutes into the first overtime from sophomore forward Kevin Noschang won the game for the cream and crimson, IU coach Mike Freitag said he made a mistake in his substitution pattern that allowed the two Jaguar goals.\n"I put the second group of guys into a tough situation," he said. "With a 2-0 lead, that's a difficult lead."\nLeading 2-1 with less than two minutes remaining in regulation, junior defender Charley Traylor kicked the ball out of bounds deep in the Hoosier defensive side of the field. IUPUI midfielder Chris Wey received the throw-in and crossed the ball to IUPUI midfielder Vangel Nacovski. Nacovski, the leading scorer in the history of Indiana high school soccer, scored his second goal in five minutes by beating junior goalkeeper Chris Munroe.\nAs the ball went into the net, the players on IUPUI bench erupted in cheers, yelling for their team, which entered the contest looking for respect, said IUPUI coach Steve Franklin.\n"For us, this was all about respect," Franklin said. "It doesn't taste good coming here when people chant 'satellite campus.' We just want some respect because we play some pretty good soccer. I think we got that tonight."\nSitting on the sideline, Noschang said all game the Hoosiers knew they would win.\n"Before the game started we had no doubt that we would get the job done," he said.\nSeeing the subs take the field for IU made IUPUI work harder, Franklin said.\n"That's the risk you take," Franklin said. "If you want to put your reserves on the field, you are telling us you think we aren't coming back. To our credit, we took them to overtime. We feel pretty happy about that."\nThe substitutes for IU had chances to score in the final minutes of the game but were unable to get the game-winner before regulation ended. Despite only having a 2-0 lead, Freitag said he had confidence in his bench to get the job done.\n"I believe in those guys, but I put them in a very tough situation," Freitag said. "In the same breath, I knew we were going to win the game. I saw the fire in their eyes when they scored the second goal."\nHeading into overtime, both teams knew IU would come out looking to end the game early. Coming in and winning so quickly in overtime showed the quality of the Hoosier team, Franklin said.\n"To their credit, I am going to give the IU team a big kudos," Franklin said. "Championship teams will not let adversity take them down. We knew as soon as the main boys came back on the field that they were going to come after us like a wild badger, and they did"
(10/10/06 2:29am)
For 24 years, coach Steve Franklin has been a part of IU soccer. From his time in the program, IU coach Mike Freitag said Franklin knows the Hoosiers "as well as any coach in the country."\nUnfortunately for the IU men's soccer team, Franklin will be using his knowledge of IU on the opposing bench, hoping to lead his IU-Purdue University Indianapolis Jaguars to an upset of the No. 14 Hoosiers.\nAnd Freitag knows IUPUI will be prepared to play the Hoosiers at Bill Armstrong Stadium Tuesday at 7 p.m.\n"Coach Franklin knows our team as well as any coach in the country, maybe even better than I do," Freitag said. "He's seen us all summer at camp, and he's competitive."\nFranklin has been involved with the IU soccer camp -- which many future Hoosiers participate in -- for the past 24 years. Before taking over at IUPUI, Franklin spent two seasons as an assistant coach for former IU coach Jerry Yeagley. He was a member of the coaching staff when the Hoosiers lost to the University of Virginia 1-0 in the 1994 national championship game.\nEven though the Hoosiers have defeated the Jaguars in each of the six all-time meetings and IUPUI enters the match with a record of 6-9-0, IU sophomore midfielder John Mellencamp said the team must play with the same intensity in every game.\n"I know they are going to come out fired up," he said. "Coach Franklin always has his guys going. We are just going to come out, make sure we are mentally focused. If we keep our intensity up, we are expecting a good game." \nFreitag said that because of the parity in college soccer, no game can be taken lightly. He referred to a recent tie between No. 6 University of North Carolina and unranked High Point University, which had a record of 2-6-2, and said his team would prepare just as hard for IUPUI as any team.\n"You cannot take anyone lightly today in college soccer," Freitag said. "I don't care who it is. You have to be prepared to play, and we will be prepared to play."\nThe Jaguars are led by senior midfielder Vangel Nacovski and freshman forward Eric Weigman. Nacovski, who set the all-time Indiana state career scoring record at Merrillville High School, paces IUPUI with seven goals on the season.\nThe Hoosiers could be without starting freshman defender Ofori Sarkodie, who broke his nose in Saturday's game against Northwestern. Sarkodie has come on strong lately for the Hoosiers, starting three straight games. He is questionable for Tuesday's game.\nIU will look to extend its unbeaten streak to seven games against the in-state rival. With three conference games and five total games left before the postseason, the Hoosiers want to build on their momentum each time they take the field, freshman midfielder Eric Alexander said.\n"We got a good thing going, so we want to keep this going as long as we can," Alexander said. "We'll do fine. I think we will be prepared to play them, but it will be a challenge"
(10/09/06 3:16am)
A 1-0 victory against Northwestern Saturday night vaulted the IU men's soccer team into first place in the Big Ten.\nWith the three best teams in the Big Ten left on the Hoosiers' schedule, the team will prove if it belongs in the top spot of "one of the best conferences" in the nation.\nNorthwestern coach Tom Lenahan has faced the Hoosiers' remaining conference opponents -- Wisconsin, Penn State and Ohio State -- and he said the cream and crimson are as good as any team in the conference.\n"We've seen the other teams, and IU is a very good team," Lenahan said. "They're finding their way right now. This is their sixth game without losing a game, so they are starting to get their groove going on."\nFreshman midfielder Eric Alexander scored the lone goal for the No. 14 Hoosiers in their victory against Northwestern. The Wildcats gave the Hoosiers all they could handle while IU extended its unbeaten streak to six games.\n"We knew Northwestern has been winning a lot of games, so we knew they would come in and play a tough game," sophomore midfielder John Mellencamp said. "We needed to match their intensity. Some of our touches were off, but we managed to fight through and get the win."\nAfter creating a couple of dangerous chances in the early going, the Hoosiers finally broke through with a goal from Alexander. Senior forward Kevin Robson set up the play by battling the Northwestern defense. Robson played the ball through to Alexander who shot the ball into the upper right corner from 20 yards.\nThe goal was the second in two games for Alexander.\n(Sophomore forward) Kevin Noshcang made a good off-the-ball run to open up a channel for me," Alexander said. "I just ran into the channel, and (Robson) played an almost perfect ball to me, and I just shot it in the corner."\nThe rest of the first half and the first 25 minutes of the second half saw the two teams play pretty evenly. While the Wildcats had better possession, the Hoosiers created better opportunities to score.\nNorthwestern pressured the Hoosier goal as the Wildcats sent more players forward in the final 25 minutes to try to tie the game. The cream and crimson struggled to match the intensity of the Wildcats as the clock wound down.\n"Fitness isn't a problem with this team," Mellencamp said. "We lost a little focus which should never happen, especially now that it's time to prep for the tournament. We held them off well in the box and kept them out of the net."\nDespite a lack of intensity, the Hoosier defense kept the Wildcats from scoring the tying goal.\n"The defense was great," sophomore goalkeeper Chay Cain said. "They really didn't give them any chances. And any chances they did have were from 35 yards out. The defense really locked down and made it happen tonight."\nThe Hoosiers received some bad news as starting freshman defender Ofori Sarkodie left the game with a broken nose. With 10 minutes left in the first half, Sarkodie was hit in the face while in the middle of a pack of players after a corner kick. It is unknown how long -- if at all -- he will be sidelined with the injury.\nEven though the Hoosiers played sloppily at times, Freitag said he will take a conference win any way he can get it.\n"I don't think we played exceptionally well tonight," Freitag said. "I don't think we were sharp, and I keep saying that. It's maybe good or bad news. We are winning and still not playing our best. Hopefully we are saving our best for when it is very important"
(10/05/06 5:52pm)
The IU men's soccer team will be without its leading scorer for the next several games.\nDoctors diagnosed freshman forward Darren Yeagle with mononucleosis Monday. IU head trainer Joe Lueken said the Louisville, Ky., native is expected to miss two to six weeks because of the illness.\nYeagle said he did not feel weak, but he complained of having a sore throat. Blood tests run by the IU medical staff showed Lueken that Yeagle had mono.\nLueken said he did not know when Yeagle contracted the illness but hopes they discovered Yeagle's mono in the late stages. Trainers will perform an ultrasound Oct. 16 to determine how much longer Yeagle will miss.\n"I was pretty upset," Yeagle said. "Of course I wanted to play against my hometown, Louisville, but I am pretty upset I have to sit out two (weeks) to whenever I get to come back."\nLueken said Yeagle will be barred from any physical activity while the illness persists for fear it will rupture the player's spleen.\nYeagle has stepped up this year to help fill the void left by departing scorers from last season's squad. He leads the Hoosiers with five goals and 11 points in 11 games this season.\nWhile it is disappointing to lose the team's leading scorer, IU coach Mike Freitag said the Hoosiers will rely on other players to step up and fill the role Yeagle has played this season.\n"Whenever you lose your leading goal scorer, it's never a good thing," Freitag said. "Darren is such an explosive player, and he can do so many things for us. Not having him hurts a little bit, but we have other people to step up."\nYeagle's absence will be felt in ways other than goals. Yeagle has drawn the foul on all three penalty kicks the Hoosiers have had.\n"Darren's definitely a big loss," senior midfielder Josh Tudela said. "But we have a lot of other talented guys who are going to step up and fill that role good."\nNot only has Yeagle scored the most goals for the Hoosiers, but he has also scored goals in important situations. Last Sunday, the freshman scored a goal in overtime to give the Hoosiers their first win of the Big Ten season against Michigan State. It was the second game-winner for Yeagle on the season.\nThe Hoosier offense didn't seem to miss Yeagle during last night's victory against the University of Louisville. The Hoosiers out-shot the Cardinals 20-14 en route to scoring two goals on the evening. Senior midfielder Josh Tudela and freshman forward Eric Alexander both scored their first goals of the season in the victory.\nYeagle said he expects the team to keep scoring and winning while he is out with the illness.\n"I expect people to step up," Yeagle said. "They are looking pretty good right now, so I don't expect anything less than what they are doing now. So I expect a lot of wins"
(10/02/06 3:41am)
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- During Sunday's Big Ten match, Michigan State celebrated 50 years of Spartan soccer. But afterwards, it was the Hoosiers -- not the Spartans -- who went out for ice cream. \n"I told them if we won, we could get Dairy Queen," IU coach Mike Freitag said.\nNot only did a 2-1 victory against the Spartans guarantee the Hoosiers (6-3-2) a tasty treat on the way home, it gave the cream and crimson an important Big Ten win. The Hoosiers improved their conference record to 1-0-1.\n"Its one of those tough Big Ten battles," Freitag said. "I didn't think we played exceptionally well today. But again, I like the character of this team, and they found a way to win."\nThe Spartans opened the scoring 11 minutes into the game off a throw-in from defender David Hertel. Using momentum generated on a flip, Hertel threw the ball 25 yards over the head of IU sophomore goalkeeper Chay Cain to a crowd of players in front of the Hoosier goal. After the ball was deflected by several players, Spartan forward Kenzo Webster put the ball in the net to give the Spartans the lead.\n"That flip throw will get a lot of players," Cain said. "It's coming down at such a high trajectory that it is really hard to judge, especially with the wind. I made the mistake, got a little push in the back and it went in."\nThe 1-0 Spartan lead stood as the game went to halftime. While the Hoosiers had more possession of the ball, the Spartans created more scoring chances, outshooting the Hoosiers 5-1 in the first half.\nTo start the second half, the Hoosiers were still passive on the offensive end until freshman forward Darren Yeagle drew a penalty kick 18 minutes into the second half. Senior midfielder John Michael Hayden converted on the penalty and tied the game 1-1.\nOn the season, Yeagle has drawn the foul on all three Hoosier penalty kicks.\n"I just try to go toward goal," Yeagle said. "A lot of defenders don't know how quick I am, so I just utilize that."\nBoth teams had a few chances to win the game before the end of regulation but were unable to find the back of the net. For the seventh time this season, the Hoosiers had to play overtime.\nDuring the first overtime, the Hoosiers again controlled the possession of the game, but the Spartans had more dangerous chances. Cain made a couple of crucial saves to preserve the game for the Hoosiers.\n"Every time you make a mistake right in the beginning, you really want step up, forget about it and try to keep your team in the game," Cain said. "So at the end, it was my job to keep us in the game."\nSeven minutes into the second overtime, Yeagle ended the game for the Hoosiers. Sophomore forward Kevin Noschang played a ball to senior Kevin Robson who shot the ball from eight yards out. The ball deflected off a Michigan State defender and to the foot of Yeagle, who scored the game winner.\nWhile the Hoosiers didn't play their best, any win is important in the Big Ten, Freitag said.\n"We still got a ways to go," he said. "We're not playing the way I know we can play. In saying that, we won a very tough Big Ten game today and I'm proud of that."\nAs for Yeagle, scoring the game-winner means more than just a win.\n"I'm getting a large Oreo Blizzard," he said.
(09/29/06 4:08am)
Consistent.\nWhile a lot of words describe the performance of the IU men's soccer team, 'consistent' is not among them.\nThe team has shown glimpses of greatness, showing the potential to win an eighth NCAA championship for IU. On other nights the Hoosiers look more like a middle of the pack squad in the Big Ten.\nAfter Wednesday night's dominating performance against the University of Kentucky, the Hoosiers (5-3-2) look to put together back-to-back performances as the cream and crimson travel to East Lansing, Mich., to take on Michigan State Sunday.\nThe game carries extra importance because the Hoosiers came away with only a tie in the Big Ten opener against Michigan Sept. 24.\n"It's a big game for us because we tied our first Big Ten game," junior defender Charley Traylor said. "Obviously a big goal each year is to win the Big Ten regular season as well as the tournament, so we need a win this weekend, and we are ready for it."\nThe Spartans come into the matchup with a record of 6-2-1 overall. The game is a must-win for the Spartans as well since they have a 0-1-1 record in Big Ten play. The Hoosiers will have to stop junior forward Kenzo Webster, who leads the Spartans with five goals this season.\n"Michigan State has had good results up to this point," IU coach Mike Freitag said. "I expect for them to come out firing."\nThe Hoosier defense is coming together, posting two shutouts in its last three games. By playing more together, the defense has had better communication as the season has progressed, Traylor said.\n"I thought our backs communicated very well (against Kentucky)," he said. "I think that's the key for staying organized in the back."\nSenior forward Kevin Robson will lead the Hoosier attack. Robson, the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, is second on the team with nine points on three goals and three assists. More than just statistics, Robson has brought intensity and leadership to the team this season, Freitag said.\n"Roby's been outstanding," he said. "He lives and dies Indiana soccer. He will find that little extra to make it happen, and that's good for the younger guys."\nAlthough the team has had its up and downs this season, Robson said he likes the direction the team is heading and thinks the best performance is yet to come for the Hoosiers.\n"I think things are starting to click," Robson said. "We have that mentality where we feel like we out-work teams."\nTo get that better performance, the offense needs to score goals, something the Hoosiers have had difficulty with this season.\n"We dominated the game we tied, but we weren't able to get it done up top to get goals," Ackley said. "I feel like we are definitely going to light it up this weekend."\nWith the Big Ten season just six games, each game is important for the Hoosiers if they want a 12th conference championship.\n"It's very important," Freitag said. "We already dropped a win against Michigan, so we have to do well the rest of the way out"
(09/28/06 4:27am)
The IU men's soccer team got its first home win of the season as the Hoosiers defeated boarder-rival University of Kentucky 1-0 in overtime Wednesday night.\nThe game-winning goal came four minutes into the first overtime when sophomore midfielder Brian Ackley headed in his team-leading forth goal of the season.\nThe play developed as senior forward Kevin Robson took the ball down the left side of the field. Robson dropped the ball back to sophomore midfielder John Mellencamp, who found Ackley to seal the victory for the cream and crimson.\n"I saw him look up and spot me," Ackley said. "He played a perfect ball (to me), and I just put it back post."\nThe goal came after a frustrating night offensively for the Hoosiers. While the cream and crimson dominated possession, they were unable to translate their control of the game into goals.\n"I thought we dominated, but it was a hard nut to crack," IU coach Mike Freitag said. "Scoring is the toughest thing to do. It is very easy, if you concentrate, to keep people from scoring."\nStorms soaked the field and delayed the game an hour before the two teams took the pitch at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The soggy conditions did not affect the Hoosiers, who controlled play in the first half while keeping possession in the Kentucky half of the field.\nThe Hoosier's best scoring opportunity came one minute before halftime. A pass from Robson found freshman midfielder Lee Hagedorn running through the Wildcat penalty box. Kentucky goalkeeper Dan Williams pushed Hagedorn's shot wide of the goal for a corner kick.\nDespite holding a 6-2 advantage on shots, the Hoosiers went into half-time tied 0-0 with the Wildcats. Scoring is something the Hoosiers will battle all year, junior defender Charley Traylor said.\n"I think we are going to be a team that doesn't score a lot of goals this year," he said. "We are going to win a lot of 1-0 games, so I think the key is keeping the ball out of the net, and forwards are going to get the job done."\nThe Hoosiers again dominated the pace of play in the second half, but the Wildcat defenders kept the cream and crimson from scoring.\nThe Wildcats created a few chances of their own in the final minutes of regulation, but sophomore goalkeeper Chay Cain denied Kentucky's hopes of sneaking out of Bloomington with a victory.\nEven as the game headed into overtime, the Hoosiers felt like it was their game to win.\n"I felt very comfortable that we were going to get a result throughout the whole game," Traylor said. "Our team is getting a lot more confident, and we are starting to mesh well together."\nFreshman defender Ofori Sarkodie got his second start of the season in place of senior defender Julian Dieterle. Sarkodie's physical play kept Wildcat forward Riley O'Neil, the second leading scorer in the nation, from finding the back of the net.\n"Ofori did well tonight," Freitag said. "He has some things that he needs to get better at, but I think in games he is a little more clicked in than he is in practice."\nThe win gives the Hoosiers a little momentum heading into the second game of the Big Ten season against Michigan State on Sunday.\n"Hopefully (the win) carries on through the rest of the season," Ackley said. "We've had many team talks. I feel like this win will get us going through the rest of the season. Hopefully it will get our fight back in us"
(09/25/06 4:11pm)
The IU men's soccer team is the favorite to win the Big Ten conference title, according to the league's coaches.\nThe Hoosiers edged out defending champion Penn State for the top spot with Ohio State finishing third in the voting. Wisconsin, Michigan State, Michigan and Northwestern round out the rest of the conference.\nWhile the Hoosiers did not display their usual dominance against conference foes last year, IU is still the "class of the conference" in the eyes of opposing coaches. Even with plenty of new faces, the Hoosiers are the favorites to win the Big Ten.\n"They just seem to reload each year," Ohio State coach John Bluem said.\nThe cream and crimson is honored to be voted the favorite, but the team knows it cannot take any Big Ten game for granted, IU coach Mike Freitag said.\n"The Big Ten is a very underrated conference by a lot of people," Freitag said. "The (Atlantic Coast Conference) gets a lot of credit, but the Big Ten is a very competitive conference, and it seems it gets more competitive every year."\nThe Big Ten is full of talented forwards who are coming off successful rookie campaigns. Wisconsin forward Victor Diaz and Penn State forwards Jason Yeisley and Simon Omekanda were singled out by Bluem as players to watch this season.\nBluem also pointed out the play of IU sophomore forward Brian Ackley this season. Ackley and freshman midfielder Darren Yeagle lead the Hoosiers in goals scored.\nThe biggest obstacle facing the Hoosiers is Penn State, led by Yeisley and Omekanda. The Nittany Lions defeated the cream and crimson twice last season. \n"I know the Big Ten is one of the strongest conferences, if not the strongest," senior midfielder John Michael Hayden said. "Penn State in particular, and really all the teams, are good. Every team is strong so each game we need to go out and play strong."\nThe Big Ten has performed well so far this season against nonconference foes. Even Penn State and Ohio State -- which are a combined 3-6-3 -- have competed well against top competition. The depth of the conference will make the Big Ten season interesting, Freitag said.\n"There are a couple of teams that I think will be tough in the Big Ten that haven't had the best starts like Penn State and Ohio State," he said. "Michigan State is off to a good start and Northwestern is off to a good start, so it's up for grabs."\nWhile the Hoosiers are focused on winning the Big Ten title, they are using the games against some of the best competition in the country to prepare for their ultimate goal: success in the NCAA Tournament.\n"That's what we have to take first because that's what comes first," sophomore goalkeeper Chay Cain said. "Every Big Ten game we have to win and the Big Ten Tournament we want to win. So then eventually we are ready for the National Championship"
(09/25/06 4:17am)
Senior forward Kevin Robson made the most of his fifth straight start Sunday against Michigan.\nRobson scored both Hoosier goals in the 2-2 draw against the Wolverines. The intensity Robson brought on the field was important to the outcome of the game, IU coach Mike Freitag said.\n"Kevin's been great," Freitag said. "As a senior, he has shown an example to the younger guys of what the heart and soul of Indiana soccer is all about. I am so proud of him."\nTrailing 2-0 in the first twenty minutes, the IU men's soccer team failed to match the intensity of the Wolverines until freshman forward Darren Yeagle made a run into the Michigan penalty box. The Louisville native drew a penalty kick when a Michigan defender pulled him down in the box.\nWith 12 minutes remaining in the first half, Robson confidently walked up to the penalty spot and put the ball in the left corner of the goal to cut the Michigan lead to 2-1.\nTwenty-two minutes into the second half, Robson struck again for the cream and crimson with a blast from 30 yards out, beating the Wolverine goalkeeper on the near post.\n"I stuck it pretty well," Robson said. "We needed that goal pretty bad. I was just lucky enough to make a good play."\n
(09/22/06 4:14am)
After a non-conference schedule full of ups and downs, the IU men's soccer team kicks off the Big Ten season against Michigan on Sunday.\nInconsistent play has plagued the Hoosiers (4-3-1) so far this year. In the early going, the cream and crimson rose to No. 9 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's poll, but three losses in a four-game stretch dropped the Hoosiers from the rankings.\nThe Hoosiers rebounded Wednesday with a 2-0 victory against No. 21 University of Akron, the fifth ranked opponent the team has faced this season in eight games.\nDespite disappointing results, playing such a difficult schedule will help the team the rest of the season, junior defender Charley Traylor said.\n"I think we should go into the conference season with a lot of confidence because of the opponents we have played," he said. "I think that it's only going to help us later in the season and into the playoffs because our level of play is raising every game."\nThe Wolverines (5-4-1) come into Bill Armstrong Stadium having won four of their last five matches, including a win at No. 14 University of Kentucky. Despite a mediocre overall record, IU coach Mike Freitag said the team cannot overlook the talented Michigan team.\n"I don't think their record indicates how good of a team they are," Freitag said. "They've had some losses, but people I've talked to said they are a very good team."\nEvery team in college soccer, especially in the Big Ten, is capable of beating anyone, Freitag said.\n"It doesn't get any easier because there is parity in college soccer across the board," he said. "You've got to be ready and play to your potential every game. That's what I expect us to do."\nThe Wolverines are led by freshman forward Peri Marosevic, who has netted a team-high five goals this season.\nThe Hoosiers have never lost to Michigan in nine match-ups, outscoring the Wolverines 30-4,, but the team will not take the Wolverines lightly despite overwhelming success against Michigan in the past, said senior midfielder Josh Tudela.\n"Michigan is the first Big Ten game, and that is always a hard game," he said. "We are looking to go out and play our best to get a good outcome."\nGetting a victory will be important for the Hoosiers' quest to regain the Big Ten championship. The team had trouble closing out conference games last year and ended the Big Ten regular season with a record of 2-1-3 and a third-place finish.\nA loss in the conference tournament to Penn State last year meant the Hoosiers failed to win either the regular season or tournament title for the first time since the Big Ten added soccer in 1991. The team wants to regain its supremacy over the conference, Freitag said, and a win against Michigan is the first step in regaining both titles.\n"The Big Ten is going to be very important to us this year," he said. "Our goal is to win the regular season Big Ten, get the bye and win the Big Ten Tournament so we can get the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament"
(09/18/06 3:34am)
ST. LOUIS -- The IU men's soccer team lost its third game of the year, just seven games into the season.\nSloppy and timid play plagued the No. 9 Hoosiers as they lost to Saint Louis University Friday evening 1-0. The Billikens outplayed the Hoosiers for most of the game and prevented late attempts by the cream and crimson to tie the score to win.\nThe Hoosiers now have as many losses as the team recorded all last season.\nIU coach Mike Freitag said the team can improve in many areas.\n"We still have a long way to go as a team," he said. "We are a team that I think is a blue-collar team. If we don't get after it and get into tussles, we are not going to be a good team. I didn't think we were good in the first half at all. I thought we chased the ball, and everybody had a lack of communication, which is a skill this team needs to get better at. I tried to simplify things defensively."\nSaint Louis dominated possession in the early parts of the game, but the Hoosier defense prevented the Billikens from creating any dangerous scoring opportunities.\nFinally, in the 36th minute, the Billikens were able to get on the scoreboard. Saint Louis midfielder Alex Matteson scored from eight yards out on a cross from the left side.\nFreitag was disappointed that the Hoosiers were unable to match the Billikens' intensity and were dominated physically in the first half.\n"He let into us a little bit, as he should," sophomore midfielder Brad Ring said. "We were playing horrible, and he let us know it. We came out and played a little better but not really. We were still laying back and not going after it."\nThe Hoosiers were more aggressive when they retook the pitch but were unable to create many scoring chances in the early going of the second half. The game concentrated in the midfield with neither team being aggressive offensively.\nWith time winding down, the Hoosiers began desperately attacking the Saint Louis defense trying to get the game-tying goal. The best chance of the game came when senior midfielder Josh Tudela shot the ball from 15 yards out. The ball then deflected to junior defender Greg Stevning who shot it just wide of the goal.\nThe Hoosiers out-shot the Billikens 7-3 in the second half but were unable to tie the score.\nFreitag said he liked the second-half effort but said his team did not match the aggressiveness of Saint Louis.\n"I felt better about the second half because we played like a Hoosier team and got after it," he said. "Saint Louis was better on the ball overall. They are very well organized, and (they) knock the ball around well."\nFreshman midfielder Eric Alexander saw increased playing time. The Gatorade National High School Player of the Year logged 40 minutes of action in the loss.\n"I played 10 minutes in the first half, and I was nervous," Alexander said. "But I came in the last 30 (minutes) of the second half, and I felt more comfortable"\nThe team travels Wednesday night to Akron, Ohio, to take on the Zips. To be successful in that game and for the rest of the season, the Hoosiers will have to play harder than they did against the Billikens, Freitag said.\n"You (have to) play 90 minutes with the same intensity, focus, communication and all the things you have to do to be successful," he said. "We didn't do it (Friday night)"
(09/15/06 3:36am)
Seventeen NCAA men's soccer championships will be represented on the field when the two most storied programs in NCAA soccer history square off Friday night.\nThe IU men's soccer team takes on St. Louis University tonight and will be searching for more than just another win. The Hoosiers want to notch another victory against another prestigious program and continue to compete for the top recruits in the area.\nThe Billikens produce some of the best youth soccer talent in the nation and have been an important recruiting ground for IU coach Mike Freitag, a St. Louis native.\n"Its homecoming for me. That's where I'm from, so we always want to do well over there," Freitag said. "It's a recruiting war also. St. Louis has been a good recruiting place for us, so it's important for us to do well in front of the people of St. Louis."\nThe Hoosiers will also look to get revenge on the Billikens, who won the Adidas/IU Credit Union Classic earlier this season.\n"The St. Louis game should be big," sophomore goalkeeper Chay Cain said. "They obviously won our tournament, so we want to go there and beat them."\nIt will be the fifth road game in seven games for the No. 9 Hoosiers. IU has become accustomed to life away from home. Not only has the team had many road games, but its practice facility at Bill Armstrong Stadium is being renovated this season.\nThe repairs have forced the Hoosiers to practice at Karst Farm Park, Memorial Stadium, University Gym and Mellencamp Pavilion.\n"It's nice to have options," Freitag said. "Sometimes to make things better you have to take a little detour. It's kind of Coach Hoeppner to make the stadium available to us in the morning and to have great facilities. We are adaptable."\nIn addition to the change of venue, the team now practices in the morning, starting around 8 a.m.\n"Things just get a little more complicated making sure everyone is on the same page -- where to be and everything," Cain said. "It is nice to get up early and get the training session over for the day so you have the rest of the day to do whatever you want."\nThe team won't let the unpredictable practice situation affect preparation for Friday's game against a Billiken team that has been ranked this season.\n"I just watched their tape from the Classic this weekend, and they are a very good team," Freitag said. "Being at home, I'm sure they will be even more pumped up."\nThe game will be broadcast on CSTV, CBS's college sports network. The Hoosiers hope to use the national broadcast to rebound from two early loses on the season.\n"It's a huge game and we have come together as a team, and we decided we need to turn around the season," senior midfielder John Michael Hayden said. "Two losses already is not what we need, and we are going to turn it around."\nThe early season has not been forgiving for the Hoosiers. But the team isn't letting changes in practice schedules and a slate of tough road games keep it from being successful.\n"We just roll with the punches," Hayden said.
(09/08/06 4:52am)
About 80 Little 500 riders spoke in unanimous opposition to an IU Student Foundation initiative that would prohibit nonstudent coaches from being in the pits on race day. \nAlmost 60 riders attended a meeting Wednesday and about 20 attended a meeting Thursday to address the IUSF "Student Coaching Initiative." The rider's forums were hosted by alumni coaches -- individuals coaching Little 500 teams who are not undergraduate Bloomington students.\nThe IUSF initiative only permits undergraduate Bloomington campus students to coach in the pits on race day. The new rule takes effect for the race this spring.\nThe riders in attendance Thursday signed a petition that will be sent to IUSF requesting a review of the rule.\n"(W)e do not endorse the 'Student Coaching Initiative,' as it is for the 2007 Little 500 season for the sole reason that we the competitors of the event have not been consulted in the creation of this initiative," the petition read.\nIUSF Director Jenny Bruffey said a petition will not change the foundation members' minds.\n"Being quite frank, we're not going to not implement this initiative this year," Bruffey said. "In our minds, it's not something that's up for discussion."\nThe coaches called the meeting to hear rider opinion about the ruling.\n"The No. 1 thing we thought about is what you guys think," said Tom Schwoegler, coach of Kappa Alpha Theta. "We don't have a constitutional right to coach in this race. It is your stewardship that keeps this race going."\nIUSF asked the coaches if the foundation could attend the meeting but was denied -- something that troubled Bruffey.\n"It was definitely upsetting we couldn't come to the meeting because it's one of those things where people get fired up," Bruffey said. "I'm not saying they're getting misinformation, but I don't think they're getting all the correct information."\nSchwoegler said they decided to keep IUSF out of the meeting because the coaches wanted the students to comment "candidly and openly."\nIUSF respected the wishes of the coaches by not attending the meeting. Little 500 Race Coordinator Lucas Calhoun said IUSF will have meetings next week to explain the ruling to riders.\nOne major concern riders voiced at the forum was the lack of knowledge a student coach would have about the Little 500. Bruffey said an Alumni Coaching Advisory Board is being created so alumni coaches can mentor student coaches and teach them about the race. Also, student coaches would be required to take classes about the race.\n"Even with this class, they aren't going to be able to understand the race," said Sigma Alpha Mu rider Drew Kushnick. "You want the coach to know what he is doing, and you don't want to deal with a new coach on race day." \nSome riders believe Courtney Bishop, the former Team Major Taylor coach who received a lifetime ban from the race in 2005 for allegedly giving scholarships to riders, is the cause of the rule change.\n"I think it is the foundation covering itself from Courtney," Phi Kappa Psi rider Erik Styacich said Wednesday. \nBishop attended the meeting Thursday night.\nAdditional concerns the riders discussed included the difficulty of keeping independent teams together year to year without a coach serving as a constant fixture of the team and finding students to volunteer for the job.\nAt the end of both meetings, bracelets reading "Taking Away," a reference to the Oscar-winning Little 500 movie "Breaking Away," were distributed to promote a new Web site, RidersDeserveAVoice.org, that will be launched if IUSF rules against the petition.
(09/08/06 4:12am)
After squaring off with the two best teams in the country so far this season, the IU men's soccer team will travel to Dallas this weekend to take on No. 3 Southern Methodist University.\nThe Hoosiers face the Mustangs Friday night in the second game of the Southern Methodist Mi Cocina Classic. The ream and crimson will play the University of Tulsa Saturday night.\nSMU will be the fifth ranked team and the third team ranked in the top five the Hoosiers have played this season. IU defeated No. 1 Maryland in the pre-season and tied No. 2 University of Connecticut in the Adidas/IU Credit Union Classic last weekend.\n"SMU is currently ranked third, so, so far this year we have taken on (No.) 1, 2 and 3," IU coach Mike Freitag said. "It will be a very tough game at their place. They are a team that last year came a very far way. We beat them at our classic when they were young, but they went to the Final Four last year and they just keep on getting better."\nThe Hoosiers will look to rebound after a disappointing weekend. The team felt like it let two wins slip through its fingers, tying UConn 1-1 then losing in overtime to No. 15 Notre Dame 5-4.\nThe five goals were the most ever given up by a Hoosier team. While the results were disappointing, Freitag said he felt like the quality of play was good but there were a few mistakes that needed to be corrected.\n"We talked about what things fell apart, and I think a lot of it had to do with fatigue from Friday night's game," he said. "I look at performance this past weekend, and I thought we played very well as a team except for those occasions where we let a young man score some goals."\nThe more experienced players said while last weekend was not their best performance, they expected the team to rebound and play better this weekend.\n"We play two tough teams this weekend," junior defender Greg Stevning said. "(We) just need to go down there, play our best and forget about last weekend because it's over. There is no reason to keep dwelling on it."\nThe Hoosiers will be led offensively by freshman forward/midfielder Darren Yeagle and sophomore forward Brian Ackley. Yeagle was named to the all-tournament team last weekend because of the two goals he tallied in the Classic. Ackley is tied with Yeagle for the most goals on the team with two strikes on the season.\nThe team needs to move on because each game on the schedule is difficult, sophomore forward Kevin Noschang said.\n"I think every game we play is going to be a good team, so we need to prepare accordingly," he said. "SMU is going to be very tough, and I think the heat could be a factor. We are going to look for a win, and if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. We are going in with a lot of confidence and not thinking about this (past) weekend"
(09/07/06 3:52am)
A riders' forum Wednesday night gauged rider input about the recent rule that banned alumni from coaching in the Little 500 on race day.\nAlpha Tau Omega and Kappa Delta coach Norm Houze and Kappa Alpha Theta coach Tom Schwoegler represented 21 coaches of 33 teams who sent a letter to the IU Student Foundation regarding the rule change.\nIUSF made a ruling last May banning alumni coaches from being in the pit on race day of the Little 500. Student coaches are to take the place of the alumni coaches beginning with the 2007 edition of the annual cycling race.\nThe coaches wanted to hear rider opinion about the ruling, one they argue was passed with little to no input from the riders.\n"The number one thing we thought about is what you guys think," Schwoegler said. "We don't have a constitutional right to coach in this race. It is your stewardship that keeps this race going."\nAbout 60 riders showed up to the forum to voice their opinions about the rule change. The coaches asked the IUSF not to attend the meeting, so the IUSF is planning on meeting with riders next week to explain the ruling.\nThe riders unanimously disagreed with the ruling and used the forum to voice their concerns with the possibility of having no alumni coaches in the pit this year.\nConcerns ranged from inexperience of the student coaches to IUSF's failure to adequately respond to questions riders have had in the wake of the decision.\n"Even with this class, they aren't going to be able to understand the race," Sigma Alpha Mu rider Drew Kushnick said. "You want the coach to know what he is doing, and you don't want to deal with a new coach on race day." \nThe audience was told about a letter the coaches sent to the IUSF asking about the rule change. IUSF responded to the letter by saying they would form an alumni coaches council and a mentoring program where the alumni coaches would assist the learning process for the new student coaches.\nThere will be another meeting for riders and coaches at 9 p.m. tonight in the Education Building, room 1120.
(09/04/06 4:12am)
Even though the results from the IU men's soccer team's games this weekend were "disappointing," the play of freshman forward/midfielder Darren Yeagle gave the Hoosier faithful something to look forward to for the rest of the season.\nThe Louisville, Ky., native tallied a goal in each game this weekend against No. 2 University of Connecticut and No. 15 Notre Dame. For his efforts, Yeagle was named to the Adidas/IU Credit Union All-Tournament Team.\nYeagle, who redshirted last season, knew that with the departure of six IU starters to the professional ranks, he would have his opportunity this season to contribute to the Hoosiers.\n"We have a lot of new starters coming this year, and I knew I would have to be one of the guys that would step up and take leadership for this team," Yeagle said. "I just did what I had to do."\nYeagle scored the only goal in the Hoosiers' 1-1 draw with the Huskies. Eight minutes before the end of the first half, Yeagle made a run up the left side of the field. After passing several defenders, he juked past the Husky goalkeeper and shot the ball off the post and in the top corner.\nIn Sunday's matchup against in-state rival Notre Dame, Yeagle continued his offensive production for the cream and crimson.\nSeventeen seconds after sophomore midfielder Brad Ring tied the game in the first half, Yeagle gave the Hoosiers their only lead of the afternoon on a shot from inside the penalty box.\nAfter stealing the ball in the midfield, Yeagle drove down the left side of the field and found the upper corner against Notre Dame goalkeeper Chris Cahill.\n"I was making a diagonal run toward the middle," he said. "I just cut it to the outside of the defender and shot it near post."\nFinally, with 11.7 seconds remaining in regulation, a Notre Dame defender fouled Yeagle, which led to a Hoosier penalty kick. Senior midfielder John Michael Hayden sent the game to overtime by converting the penalty.\n"It was a clear foul, it was pretty big when he scored with 11 seconds left," Yeagle said. "He stepped up and took a big PK for us."\nYeagle scored one goal while playing midfielder and one goal while playing forward this weekend. IU coach Mike Freitag said he likes using Yeagle in various positions in the midfield and up top to utilize his skills.\n"I like Darren Yeagle wherever I put him," Freitag said. "He's a good player and we got a lot of good players, but today we let our guard down a little and we got punched in the nose."\nDespite the strong performance, Yeagle's play was overshadowed by Notre Dame forward Joseph Lapira. The forward scored four goals against the Hoosiers and was named the Classic's Offensive MVP.\nLapira, who wears No. 10, likened himself to a more famous Irish athlete who wears No. 10 -- quarterback Brady Quinn.\n"Yeah, I think I'm the big No. 10 on campus now. I think, like, it's been that way the whole time," Lapira said with a smile. "Brady is obviously much more big time than I am. I just hope I can score another goal or two this season."\nLapira scored seven goals all last year.\nEven though the results were disappointing, with the Hoosiers eventually falling 5-4 to the Fighting Irish, Yeagle said he will continue to work hard for the team, and he was proud of the way the Hoosiers fought back against the Irish.\n"That's IU soccer -- we won't ever give up no matter what the situation is," he said. "I have to keep doing what I've been doing and as a team we need to forget this game and move on"