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(10/11/02 7:00am)
Every year, mid-October offers a Saturday morning sporting event that is a little different from those of other autumn days.\nAn average fall Saturday morning on the IU campus finds most students sleeping in, tailgating or attending the IU football game. College basketball, while on the minds of many sports fans, seems a ways off. \nTonight, however, fans will pour into Assembly Hall and the air in the arena, which has been quiet for so long, will fill with that old electricity. \nAt 12:01 a.m., Midnight Madness will begin. \nThe 2002-2003 IU men's and women's basketball teams provide a sneak preview of what is in store this season, which officially begins Saturday. \nThe event throws a bone to those die hard fans that didn't stop talking basketball just because the season ended April 1, when the Hoosiers lost to Maryland in the national championship game.\n"Midnight Madness is just a night of fun and fan appreciation," junior guard A.J. Moye said. "(It's) just appreciating and uplifting the tradition as far as Indiana basketball, showing the fans that they're just as much a part of everything we do out there on the court. With the fan support the way it is, when you're out there on that court, very few teams can rival what we've got in our fans."\nDoors will open tonight at 11 p.m., and the cost of entry is one canned food item. The first hour will provide contests for fans to participate in as they await the arrival of the teams. Raffle tickets will be sold at the door, and the ten fans who win the drawing will be escorted to court level to experience the festivities up close. \nEight students, four male and four female, will also be selected to participate in a three point contest.\nAt midnight, both the men's and women's teams will take the court and be introduced to the crowd. At 12:11 a.m. members of the men's team will pair up with players from the women's squad for the spot shot contest, in which the pairs will shoot from spots on the floor worth one, two and three points.\nThe three-point competition will begin after the spot shot. Seven players from both the men's and women's teams will participate. The men's and women's champions will then go head to head in a battle of the sexes to determine the overall winner of the event.\nMoye, who won both the dunk contest and the spot shot last year, needs only the three point title to complete the first triple crown in Midnight Basketball history.\n"That's my aim," he said. "I've been working on my jumper all summer. I'm the dark horse. You'd be smart to put your money on me. I put in too much work this summer not to win. The three point (competition's) been eluding me for about three years now, so I've got to get that."\nSenior guard Kyle Hornsby also said he hasn't lived up to his potential in the three point contest, and hopes to compensate for coming up short in the past.\n"I've choked in the three point contest the last two years so I'm trying to redeem myself in that event," he said. "Otherwise, I just want to enjoy it, just watch everybody do their thing and have fun. Everyone in the gym's having fun, and that's what I look forward to."\nThe dunk contest will showcase some of the new talent on the men's team. Freshmen guards Bracey Wright and Roderick Wilmont will make their Hoosier debuts in the event, which will be judged by five women's players.\nAlthough Midnight Madness is an entertaining way to usher in the new season, senior guard Tom Coverdale said it would be the only time the game would be for pure enjoyment.\n"Like Coach Davis said -- this is our one night of fun," he explained. "The rest of (the season) is going to be work, so we're looking to go out and have as much fun as possible."\nMoye had similar thoughts on Midnight Madness.\n"It's like going to Disney Land," he said. "People may think we come in the gym and have dunk contests and have three point contests (in practice). But that's the last time we're dunking and shooting threes for fun. We're strapping on the hard hats and throwing on the boots, and we're working all the way to November."\nThe event will conclude with a 10-minute scrimmage by the men's team at 1:05 a.m. The scrimmage will give fans a first glimpse of this year's possibilities, but Hornsby explained that potential can only take a team so far.\n"My dad always said potential gets your butt beat if you don't do anything with it, and that's where the five or six weeks of practice before our first game comes into play," he said. "They're gonna see a lot of potential, a lot of room for players to improve and for players to excel. And I'm sure they're gonna see weaknesses too, but chemistry is going to make up for a lot of weaknesses. And we proved that last year."\nWith a core of veteran players backed up by one of the more highly touted freshmen classes in the country, the Hoosiers are entering this season as a favorite in the Big Ten. But Moye said he wasn't worried about pre-season rankings.\n"Hype is just hype. It's no big deal," he said. "Let's just play ball"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
A definite trend is forming as to how the men's soccer team spends its weekends. Rather than just relaxing or catching up on some studying as most college students tend to do on their Saturday and Sunday, this group of athletes battles against the elite teams in the country.\nOver the past two weekends, the Hoosiers(1-1-0) have butted heads with four teams ranked in the Top 25 in the nation. This weekend will be no different as they make their first road trip of the regular to Portland, Ore., to compete in the Portland Classic at Merlo Field. They will face the No. 4 Washington Huskies (2-0-0) Saturday and then face the University of Portland Pilots (0-2-0) Sunday. The Hoosiers, who were ranked fourth in the pre-season polls, slipped in the ranks a bit due to their big loss to No.11 St. John's last weekend and are now No.12.\nSaturday's game against Washington is expected to be a grudge match. Last year in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Indiana defeated Washington 2-1 en route to the Final Four. The Hoosiers are 3-0 all time against the Huskies, who are anxious to prove themselves to be legitimate national championship contenders.\n"We are very anxious to be hosting this next game (against IU) and this year the result will be much different," said Washington senior midfielder Mike Casale. "We will bring our best effort of the year and show Indiana that we're a team that won't be beat."\nThey got off to a good start as they defeated the University of Connecticut, the preseason No.1, in Connecticut. IU freshman midfielder Danny O'Rourke said the Hoosiers will benefit from from playing a demanding schedule.\n "I think (playing Washington) is going to be a good test because if we can get through this at the beginning of the season we're only going to get better," O'Rourke said. "If we can prove we're good at the beginning of the season we can only get better in the post-season."\nCoach Jerry Yeagley said because his Hoosiers have beaten Washington in all three of their meetings they have to be more prepared.\n"The last two times we played (Washington) was in the NCAA tournament, and we beat them both times," Yeagley said. "They haven't forgotten that. I've read their press releases. Their gunning for us."\nYeagley said the Huskies, who are favored to win the PAC-10, are as good as anyone this year. He said he is looking forward to the challenge his team will be faced with when they meet. Just as the Huskies haven't forgotten their recent losses to IU, there is one loss the Hoosiers haven't forgotten either. Last season, Portland came to Bloomington and beat IU 3-0. That is something the Hoosiers will be looking to avenge, Yeagley said. He explained that a road trip such as this one is a good test of a team's fortitude.\n"Going on the road to different regions toughens you up," Yeagley said. "I like it early in the season. You find out which of your guys are going to be able to handle adversity in a tough, strange environment. I'm anxious to see who steps up"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
The men's soccer team opened their Big Ten regular season Sunday, beating the Michigan State Spartans 3-0. The shutout was IU's fourth of the season.\nIn the past 27 meetings with the Spartans, the Hoosiers have gone undefeated, outscoring them 95-6 overall.\nBoth teams played an aggressive match. The Hoosiers racked up 26 fouls and MSU was charged with 18. Each team was handed eight yellow cards throughout the course game. \nThe Hoosiers and the Spartans both showed signs of frustration with the amount of contact as the game progressed. The referees were somewhat quiet, however, letting much of the physical contact to go unpenalized. \nHead coach Jerry Yeagley said he was disappointed with IU's level of intensity in the first half.\n"We could have easily been down 2-0 (at the end of the first half)," Yeagley said. "(MSU) had more shots. They led 6-1 on (corner kicks). They were 10-1 on heart and fight."\nDespite a lack of intensity in Yeagley's opinion, the Hoosiers managed to head into halftime with a 2-0 lead. \nIndiana's first goal was scored in the midst of some confusion. Junior forward Pat Noonan took a shot which ricocheted off the crossbar. Junior midfielder Phil Presser then sent a header towards the goal. The ball was a little high and again bounced off the crossbar. Finally, the ball was retrieved by senior midfielder Tyler Hawley who put the it in the net for an unassisted goal.\nDespite scoring the goal, Hawley said he shared Yeagley's view that the intensity was low in the first half.\n"We should have had some more goals today, we came out soft," Hawley said.\nWith only 24 seconds to go in the first half, Noonan scored IU's second goal. Junior midfielder Micheal Bock pushed the ball across midfield and passed it off to Noonan, who faked out MSU's sophomore goalie, Mike Robinson, and put the ball past him for the score. Noonan has four goals on the season. \nThe Hoosiers, after scoring a combined seven goals in their last two games, have shaken off any offensive rust they might have exhibited earlier in the season, Noonan said.\n"We know what we're capable of now, we're capable of scoring goals," Noonan said. "Even today we could have had seven goals, legitimately. So hopefully these one goal games are behind us and we can keep this scoring up."\nThe second half opened after what Yeagley referred to as a "gutcheck" at halftime. \n"We came out strong and controlled the second half," Yeagley said. "We didn't give (MSU) a shot in second half, which I was pleased about."\nThe Hoosiers had a bit of an offensive awakening in the second half, tallying eight shots. Just two minutes and fifty seconds into the half, sophomore midfielder Vijay Dias took an assist from Noonan and sent the ball past the Michigan State keeper into the center of the net. It was Dias' first career collegiate goal.\n"It was a long time coming," Dias said. "Last year, as a freshman playing in every game, I didn't score. It was a little bit of a relief. Pat (Noonan) put a good ball across, all i had to do was finish it."\nAlthough The Hoosiers didn't score again, their three goals were enough for the win. They weren't necessarily enough for Yeagley, however.\n"We had some nice individual and collective offensive plays," Yeagley said." (But) we certainly should have have had more than three goals today"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
It was just a friendly soccer pickup game. \nOn a warm summer night senior midfielder, then National Player of the Year candidate, Ryan Mack was on staff at IU's annual summer camp for high school soccer players.\nHe got the ball down and was looking to hit that final shot before he called it a night. He went for the goal and accidentally collided with a 17-year-old camper.\n"This one kid just hit my plant leg," Mack said. "It hurt right away and I thought I might have broke my leg. Then I got up and it was fine and I could jog around. That night everything was fine and I thought it was just sore."\nThe next day, Mack went into the trainer. There he found his anterior cruciate ligament was torn and would be out four to five months.\nLast week, Mack made the decision to redshirt this season. He hopes to come back healthy and play for the entire 2002 season, a decision head coach Jerry Yeagley endorses.\n"It's not in his best interest for the future (to play this season,)" Yeagley said. "He has a lot of potential beyond this year."\n"If I left for the (MLS) draft this February then I'd be 21 credits away from graduating," Mack said. "Now, since I'm staying, I'll only need 12 credits the next two semesters to graduate. Then I'll leave (for the draft) next February and I'll be done and graduated with a degree. I think the degree is the most important thing."\nMack hasn't been able to play in any full-contact scrimmages with the team. Yeagley explained that when dealing with an injury such as Mack's, the rehabilitation has more than one facet. \n"With an (injured ACL) he might be ready physically, but there's a mental aspect as well," Yeagley said. "Mack is a fast healer but players also need to play through the fear of hurting their ACL again."\nMack said there is a mental barrier he'll need to play through.\n"If I don't think about (the injury), I can almost play right now," Mack said. "When I'm playing out there now, just messing around even with not getting hit, I'm always worried about messing up anything. When I start playing (in scrimmages), I'm gonna have to get over that and I think after about five or six months I'll be pretty solid about getting over that."\nJunior forward Pat Noonan said he is anxious to play with Mack again next season.\n"I love playing with (Mack)," Noonan said. "He's a great player. He's fun to play with and it's in the back of my mind that he'll be back next year"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Jerry Yeagley's career numbers define his success.\nThe IU men's soccer head coach has been at the helm of the soccer program for 28 years, and has never posted a losing season.\nDuring his tenure he has led IU to five national championships, 14 college cups, a 58-20 record in the NCAA tournament and eight Big Ten Championships. \nAnother number will soon be added to the already hearty list -- 500. \nWhen the Hoosiers defeated Penn State Friday, Yeagley's career victory total reached 499. He is one win away from becoming the second coach in collegiate soccer history to reach the 500 mark, joining legendary San Francisco coach Stephen Negoesco, whose team beat Yeagley's Hoosiers in three National Championship games.\nWhen Yeagley arrived in Bloomington in 1963 the soccer team wasn't as successful. That's because there was no soccer team, there was only a soccer club.\nYeagley came to IU after being hired as an assistant professor in the school of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. He was asked to supervise the soccer club on the side, but to Yeagley soccer wasn't merely an extracurricular activity.\n"My challenge was to get that club to become varsity as soon as possible," Yeagley said. "And I was encouraged that it could happen pretty quickly."\nIt didn't happen quickly.\nYeagley would have to petition the administration for 10 more years before the soccer team would achieve varsity status in 1973. \nAlthough it was discouraging to remain a club-level sport for so long, Yeagley said those years were invaluable to him in his growth as a coach.\n"I learned so many lessons during that period of time that I wouldn't have learned had (soccer) been varsity," Yeagley said. "As a club we had to do virtually everything from lining the field, to washing our own uniforms, to driving our own cars to the game. Nothing was done for us, and we learned not to take anything for granted."\nThe philosophy is still very important to Yeagley. Now the team is sponsored by Adidas, they have someone else do their laundry, the team flies or takes a bus to their away games and the university pays for everything. Despite all the perks, Yeagley said he remembers the days when things weren't so easy, and he makes sure his current team appreciates the luxuries that his club teams never thought possible. \nHe explained that he has based this winning tradition on holding himself and those around him to high expectations. These high expectations have attracted top athletes and assistant coaches to join him in Bloomington. But Yeagley is reluctant to take all the credit for his success.\n"These 500 victories, yeah, I get the credit for them," Yeagley said. "But the main credit should go to the players, the coaches (and) the support staff who have been there and were on the field and made (the victories) possible."\nThe players on the field for Yeagley this season reciprocate the praise he bestows upon them. Goalie Colin Rogers, a fifth year senior, has been on two of the Hoosiers five national champion teams. He said although Yeagley doesn't like to accept personal praise, his presence is felt around the soccer world.\n"He always does the little things," Rogers said. "A lot of what he does people can't see because he shies away from the spotlight. He's had a huge impact not only on Indiana soccer, but soccer in the U.S."\nYeagley's status in the soccer world has also intimidated some players. Brian Maisonneuve, who played for the Hoosiers from 1992 to 1996, admitted that he was scared of Yeagley until his senior year. He said the fear was because of the respect he had for Yeagley.\n"He's one of the best coaches in the country," said Maisonneuve, who now plays Major League Soccer for the Columbus Crew. "It was a great honor to play for him, he knows the game of soccer better than anyone."\nThursday, the Hoosiers will face the Butler Bulldogs at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The possibility of Yeagley's 500th win will be extra motivation for the Hoosiers, senior back Ryan Hammer said.\n"We always anticipate winning," Hammer said. "But I think this being his 500th win makes it even more special and makes us go out there and work even harder."\nRogers said 500 wins are a testament to Yeagley's hard work and dedication to the program.\n"I couldn't think of anyone else who deserves this more than him," Rogers said. "It will be a great honor to be on the field when he gets it"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Jerry Yeagley can usually expect to remain dry after a regular season victory over the Butler Bulldogs. It's really no big deal; Butler hasn't even scored a goal against the Hoosiers since 1996. \nBut after Thursday night's victory at Bill Armstrong Stadium, the men's soccer coach was dowsed with ice water. \nWith the 3-0 win, Yeagley became the second coach in NCAA Division I history to post 500 victories. The first to accomplish the feat was legendary San Francisco head coach Stephen Negoesco who ended his 39-year career with 544 wins.\nYeagley coached the soccer club for 10 years before it became a varsity sport in 1973. Since that year, his teams have not posted a losing season. His Division I record now stands at 500-92-37. \nThat he won No. 500 at home made it even better. In typical Yeagley fashion, he refused to take all the credit for achieving the feat.\n"The honor goes to everyone who's ever worn the uniform, any coach who's ever been with us, any support staff person, and of course, the university and the state," Yeagley said. "It's an honor for all of us."\nWhen the team was at the club level in the 1960s and early 1970s, Yealgey said there were times he considered taking his coaching talents elsewhere. The administration was less than receptive toward making soccer a varsity sport in those days. But Yeagley always worked hard.\n"(The 500 wins) makes it all worth while, from where the program's been, and what it took to get just to be varsity ... let alone win a championship or 500," Yeagley said. "I've just been along for the ride, and it's been a good one."\nYeagley did not anticipate any large celebration. He said he planned on going out for pizza and "just sitting around and feeling good" with his son, Todd, his one-and-a-half-year-old grandson, Ben, and his coaching staff. He said he is most proud of his team's tradition.\n"To have a good year every now and then is one thing," Yeagley said. "But to consistently maintain a standard (is another). We expect to be good, we expect our players every day to get better and we hold them to that standard. It's passed on from one team, upper classmen to freshmen and it's the thread that makes our team special."\nJunior Pat Noonan, IU's star forward, said he was happy to participate in the special game.\n"Today was amazing," Noonan said. "(500 wins) is a great accomplishment and it is an honor to be a part of history. No other coach in the nation deserves this honor as much as Coach does."\nSenior goalie Colin Rogers, who has been with Yeagley for five years, said he has learned invaluable lessons from the coach.\n"Coach Yeagley has really taught me, obviously, a ton on the soccer field," Rogers said. "But I've really grown from him off the field. He teaches (the team) to always do the right thing off the field and in the class room and I think most of all that's what I'll take from him." \nAlthough Yeagley told his team not to think about the game in terms of his record, Rogers said it was hard to ignore.\n"(The record) was talked about," Rogers said. "But as coach always does, he shined the spotlight away (from himself) and just wanted us to think about this as another game, but today we really wanted to get this win for Coach."\nSenior midfielder Tyler Hawley said he is glad to see Yeagley recognized, although he discourages most individual attention.\n"It's great," Hawley said. "Coach deserves every minute in the spotlight even though he doesn't like to be in the spotlight that much. It's great that he gets recognized as being only the second coach ever (to achieve 500 wins)"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
This season the No.6 Hoosiers have prided themselves on a stifling defense, shutting out eight of the last ten teams they have faced.\nThe backs have been known for smothering the opposing offense as it enters IU territory. Goalie Colin Rogers, with the lowest goals allowed average in the nation at .40, rarely lets the ball touch the back of the net. \nWednesday night Notre Dame rolled into Bloomington and gave IU a taste of their own medicine at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The Fighting Irish handed the Hoosiers their first loss in four games with a 1-0 shut out. \nIt was the first time IU has lost to Notre Dame since 1987.\nFirst year Notre Dame coach Bobby Clark, who came to South Bend after five years at the helm of the Stanford program, is known for instilling a tough defensive mentality into his teams. This philosophy was evident in his Irish squad.\n"I thought we played well tonight," Clark said. "I really respect (IU head coach Jerry) Yeagley's program. I always say their the best defensive team in the country and I always like to think my Stanford teams were very close. So for us to make a couple of chances against Indiana, I was very pleased."\nIn the first half, however, IU had chances at the goal but were unable to capitalize. Junior Forward Pat Noonan had four unsuccessful shots before the break, coming very close on each attempt. \nNotre Dame was unable to get much going offensively, but the Irish managed to neutralize IU's explosive forward duo of Noonan and freshman Mike Ambersley. At halftime the score remained 0-0. \nYeagley said Notre Dame had good coverage in the goal from freshman keeper Chris Sawyer.\n"I thought Sawyer had a wonderful game," Yeagley said. "He made some outstanding saves."\nThe Irish came out after halftime with high energy and confidence after holding the Hoosiers for 45 minutes. Just minutes into the second half, the Irish scored what would turn out to be the winning goal.\nNotre Dame forward Devion Prescod sent a cross past a diving Rogers. Junior forward Erich Braun gave the ball a tap as Rogers attempted to regain his composure and it trickled into the back of the net.\n"It was completely a mistake on my part," Rogers said of the goal after the game. "I called the ball from (senior back Ryan) Hammer. I probably should have let him clear it. I made a bad decision and they got a goal from it."\nYeagley said it was hard to see the goal scored in what seemed to be a moment of miscommunication.\n"It was sad to give up the goal," Yeagley said. "We've been so good defensively and we sort of made a pact that if anyone scores on us, it's going to be a well-earned goal that they deserve to score."\nAfter the Irish achieved the lead, they put eight defenders in the back field. The tactic created a wall that was tough for the Hoosiers to break through.\n "We should have been able to come back and get a goal and we just couldn't crack it. (Noonan) gave a valiant effort," Yeagley said. "We just weren't able to get that one. When a team has a one goal lead and packs it in it's hard to crack that."\n The defensive had an obvious objective to keep Noonan out of scoring position. Each time the ball was at his feet, he found himself engulfed in a sea of blue jerseys. He finished with eight shots, two of them on goal.\n"They played well together and they got a goal," Noonan said. "They played good defense the whole game, we couldn't get anything going, so I compliment them"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
When Jerry Yeagley put together the schedule for the men's soccer 2001 season, an easy finale wasn't one of his priorities. Instead, the No. 6 Hoosiers final road trip will pit them against a No.10 Rutgers squad Friday and a dangerous Princeton team Sunday.\n"They're both going to be very difficult games," coach Yeagley said. "But we want tough games against national contenders at the end of the regular season."\nThe Hoosiers (10-3-0) will get that tough game Friday night, when they match up with Rutgers (9-2-3). IU has faced the Scarlet Knights only three times, holding a 2-1 lead in the series. The last time the two teams played each other was in 1997 when the Hoosiers managed a 4-3 victory. \nRutgers presents a definite challenge for the Hoosiers. They return 10 starters from last season's team and are coming off a 1-1 tie against No.11 South Carolina. \nIU will have to do without the aggressive defense of freshman forward Danny O'Rourke Friday. He received his fifth yellow card of the season in last Saturday's game against Ohio State, receiving an automatic one game suspension.\nThe team is able to adjust to the loss of O'Rourke, said senior goalie Colin Rogers.\n"Someone else will be in there and we're confident whoever it may be will step up," Rogers said. "I think (junior midfielder Phil) Presser is going to have to have a big game for us and really communicate in the back midfield for us. That will be key." \nYeagley agreed that Presser will have to play well in the defensive midfield position to compensate for the benched O'Rourke. He said reserve sophomore backs Drew Shinabarger and David Prall will also have to play well Friday.\nOn Sunday the Hoosiers travel to Princeton for what should be another demanding contest. IU has never played the Tigers before, who are 5-2-4 on the season. O'Rourke will be welcomed back to help defend Mike Nugent, Princeton's leading scorer, who has seven goals and three assists on the season.\nThe Hoosiers' offense has struggled the last two games. Last Wednesday IU was unable to score against Notre Dame in a 1-0 loss. They beat Ohio State 1-0 Saturday but many shots on goal were unsuccessful.\n"Sometimes goals dry up and bounces don't go your way," Yeagley said. "We have to keep creating chances and stick with the things we've been doing." \nJunior forward Pat Noonan said scoring will come so long as the chances are there.\n"We have struggled the last two games but we haven't had the opportunities," Noonan said. "(Ohio State and Notre Dame) kind of packed it in and put eight behind the ball (defensively) so I think our chances will come. After watching the film I think we see what (Rutgers and Princeton) have and I think we'll get plenty of scoring opportunities"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
The men's soccer team will find itself in some familiar situations when it competes in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.\nThe Hoosiers (14-3-1) drew the fourth seed in the tournament Monday, securing Bloomington as a host site for the first and second round. IU is 46-3 in NCAA Tournament games played in Bloomington and are 36-3 at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The Hoosiers will be looking to achieve their fifth straight Final Four appearance.\nHead coach Jerry Yeagley, who was recently named Big Ten Coach of the Year, said playing in front of a friendly crowd will be to the team's advantage.\n"When we can play (at home) at tourney time, that's a big plus," Yeagley said. "Last year, very honestly, when we were the road warriors we (reached the final four) against the odds. If we can get a big crowd (Sunday) and get a win as a top seed, hopefully we can hold homefield advantage." \nThe last time they lost a tourney contest at home was in 1995 in a 1-0 loss to Butler University.\nButler, who IU beat 3-0 earlier this season, will battle Michigan State in the first round game at 6:30 Friday, Nov. 23 at Bill Armstrong Stadium for the right to play the Hoosiers in the second round. \nIf MSU wins, it will be the third time this year that they will match up with IU. The most recent game against the Spartans was Nov. 11 in the Big Ten championship game, which IU won 2-0. IU blanked Michigan State 3-0 in the regular season.\nJunior forward and Big Ten Player of the Year Pat Noonan said if they play Michigan State for a third time, he won't be worried.\n"We know what they're like, but at the same time they know what we're like," Noonan said. "They'll have a strategy and so will we. It's always tough to beat a team three times, but we have all the confidence in the world that we can do it."\nSenior back Josh Rife said he wants to play the team that will present the greatest challenge.\n"I want to play the best team," he said. "Coach (Yeagley) always says, 'we don't want to take the easy games, we want the good teams.' We want to beat them and prove to ourselves that we can beat the best and play against the best."\nYeagley said both teams will pose a threat to the Hoosiers.\n"(Butler and MSU) are both dangerous teams with good talent," Yeagley said. "Teams you've beat before you tend to psychology take your foot off the peddle a little bit. So we're just going to have to play like it's the last game of the season, no matter who we play. If we play our best, I think our chances are good"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In today's NCAA College Cup Championship game, the No. 7 University of North Carolina Tar Heels (20-4) upset No. 4 IU (17-4-1) 2-0 at Columbus Crew Stadium.\nBoth teams won emotional semifinal matches on Friday night to battle for the National Championship. UNC, after scoring two goals in 64 seconds to tie No.4 Stanford, won in four overtimes. The Hoosiers followed with a 2-1 double overtime win against No.8 St.John's.\nAs the title game began, the Hoosiers intitiated some early scoring threats. Freshman midfielder Ned Grabavoy created a good chance when he retrieved a deflected ball at the top of the box in the third minute of play. He blasted a shot back at the goal but it sailed just over the crossbar.\nHead coach Jerry Yeagley had said in Saturday's press conference that he hoped to stop the Tar Heels from playing the ball in the air. \nThe Hoosiers managed to keep the ball on the ground until the 11:37 mark, when UNC tallied the first score of the game. \nTar Heel junior midfielder Matt Crawford got the ball on the wide right side of IU's box. He spun on IU junior midfielder Phil Presser and lofted a pass in to junior forward Ryan Kneipper.\nSenior goalie Colin Rogers came six yards out from the goal, calling off junior back John Swann, who was marking Kneipper. Rogers then lunged toward the ball, but Kneipper out-jumped him and headed a shot into the back of the empty net to put the Tar Heels up 1-0.\nAlthough the Hoosiers -- who had only given up six goals on the season -- were surprised by the early goal, Yeagley said he was confident they would even the score. \n"I thought we were going to get (a goal) in the second half," Yealgey said. "I felt very confident after they scored that we would score. And it was just one of those days where a combination of excellent defending on their part (and) maybe a touch off on our part offensively, we weren't able to get the job done."\nAfter Kneipper's goal the Tar Heels appeared to be a step quicker on the field, maintaining the lead for the rest of the first half.\nIn the second half with the score still 1-0, a play sparked contoversey and loud disapproval from the IU cheering section. Sophomore midfielder Vijay Dias took the ball into the box and was tripped from behind by a Tar Heel defender. But no foul was called, and no penalty kick resulted.\nBut at the 74:50 mark, UNC was awarded a penalty kick when senior back Josh Rife fouled UNC freshman forward Marcus Storey in the box.\nSenior Tar Heel defender Danny Jackson, who had claimed earlier in the NCAA tournament that he would take the next penalty kick for his team, made good on his promise. He sent the ball into the left corner of the net and put the game out of reach for the Hoosiers.\nJunior forward Pat Noonan, IU's most potent offensive threat, managed only one shot on goal for the game. He credited UNC's defense for his team's inability to score.\n"(UNC) played a tough game," he said. "They got an early goal and never looked back. I want to congratulate (my teammates) too. I thought we kept fighting, never gave up, even when they got that (penalty kick). Unfortunatley we weren't able to get any goals of our own."\nFreshman back Danny O'Rourke, one of IU's brightest young talents, said he was disappointed with the loss but optimistic about next season.\n"(UNC) had a lot of fight and played us the way they needed to play us," he said. "Some of the calls could have gone both ways. Unfortunately for us, we were always a touch off in the box. But that happens and we're looking forward to the future now"
(02/18/02 7:23am)
The Bloomington Fire Department responded to a 4:36 a.m. call Friday from the Amethyst House men's center, located at 215 N. Rogers Street. No one was injured.\nBFD Captain Timothy Richards said a fire began smoldering in an enclosed porch that was the designated "smoking room" for Amethyst House residents. The suspected cause of the blaze was a space heater located in that room, Richards said, although the investigation has not been concluded. Whether the source of the blaze was the result of flammable material left near the heater, or a malfunction within the appliance itself has yet to be determined.\nRichards' crew was the first to respond to the call. He said smoke from the fire could be seen from several blocks away. \nAlthough the building looks relatively unscathed on the outside, Richards said the fire "gutted" the interior.\n"It's a total loss," Richards said. "It doesn't look bad from the outside but the inside suffered a lot of structural damage."\nThe fire was contained within about 15 minutes but was not completely out for an hour. The building had been remodeled several times, Richards said, and the multiple layers in the roof and walls created "void spaces" where the fire continued to burn. These sections of the house were difficult for firefighters to track down and extinguish.\nResidents of the house awoke to smoke alarms and evacuated the house.\nBFD Battalion Chief Terry Williams said early morning fires result in more deaths than other times of day.\n"We were very lucky that no one was injured or killed," Williams said.\nThe Amethyst House, which has been part of the Bloomington community for 21 years, functions as transitional residence for individuals struggling with substance abuse. The organization offers separate centers for men and women.\nDaniel Miller, president of the Amethyst House board of directors, said the board met on Friday and was "stunned" by the event but glad that no one was hurt. He said the board has set both long- and short-term goals to remedy the situation. \nThe first order of business was to find the center's residents temporary housing, which has been established at Second and Morton Street until long-term interim housing can be found. Most of the residents' belongings were destroyed in the fire, and a number of organizations have provided them with food and clothing.\n"The outpouring of support from the community has been phenomenal," Miller said.\nThe long-term goal is to rebuild the center, which will have to be done from the ground up and will take six months to a year, Miller said. He added that the Amethyst House is a crucial service to the community.\n"(The Amethyst House) is a source...for men recovering from addiction," Miller said. "It's always full and there's always a waiting list. If (residents) didn't have this they would probably be on the street or using again, so it's critical. There's an absolute, definite need and the house will be rebuilt."\nIn a statement released on Friday, Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez called for community support in re-establishing the Amethyst House.\n"We are very grateful no one was injured in the fire," Fernandez said. "But Bloomington lost one of its most important buildings (Friday) morning, one where critical services were provided that benefited, not only its residents, but the whole community. I am confident the community will join together and help the men's Amethyst House get back on its feet"
(01/07/02 6:00am)
In Indiana, soccer is king. \nWell OK, maybe that's stretching it just a little bit.\nIn a state stereotyped as having a basketball hoop in every driveway or on the side of every barn, where kids dream of being the next great player who leads IU or Purdue deep into March Madness, how could soccer be king?\nTo many Indiana college sports fans, late November/early December Madness just doesn't have the same ring to it.\n But what IU men's soccer head coach Jerry Yeagley has done with his teams during those cold winter months, which is college soccer's postseason, is quite remarkable and -- forgive me for saying this -- quite superior to any March Madness the Hoosiers have seen in a very long time.\nDon't get me wrong. I grew up in Northwest Indiana watching Michael Jordan lead the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships. \nI gazed in disbelief as Bryce Drew shot Valparaiso University into the NCAA Tournament's Sweet Sixteen, shocking basketball fans everywhere. \nI observed a wide variety of Bobby Knight's silly on-court explosions and press conference antics.\nNever once as a kid did I hear the name "Pele." (For those of you scratching your heads, Pele is like the Jordan of soccer.)\nI grew up, like most Indiana kids, loving basketball.\nBut when I came to Indiana University as a freshman in 1999, I started hearing a buzz about another team steeped in rich tradition, a team that personified excellence and class with strong leadership from a great coach. That was the men's soccer team, fresh off a national championship and on its way to a second straight.\nThis past season, I had the privilege of covering this team for the newspaper. I observed as the tradition of IU soccer continued and the legacy of Coach Yeagley solidified.\nYeagley has done for Indiana soccer what Alexander Graham Bell did for the telephone.\nHe came to IU in 1963, when soccer was merely a club sport, something to be played for fun, not meant to represent the University. For ten long years, he petitioned the administration to award the sport varsity status, and finally, in 1973, it did.\nSince that first season, Yeagley has created a dynasty that any coach in any sport on any level strives for.\nIn only the team's second varsity year, it made it to the Elite Eight. Two seasons later, the Hoosiers were in the College Cup, the Final Four of collegiate soccer. \nOver the past 29 seasons, they have been back to the College Cup quite a few times -- 15 to be exact. That averages out to about, oh, every other year. \nOf those 15 College Cups, they have won five, which ties them with the University of Virginia for the NCAA record.\nWith these impressive numbers, Yeagley is able to entice recruits with the fact that every four-year player has gone to, at the very least, one College Cup.\nThis season's team stacked more achievements on top of the already impressive pile of past success.\nThe Hoosiers went undefeated in the Big Ten for the eighth time, winning their ninth post-season conference championship, as well. \nThe defense was the anchor of the team's success, allowing only six goals in the regular season en route to 16 shutouts. And of course, IU made it to its fifth straight College Cup, losing 2-0 to North Carolina in the championship match.\nBut perhaps the most remarkable feat of this season came Oct. 4 against Butler, when Yeagley achieved his milestone 500th victory, becoming only the second soccer coach in NCAA Division 1 history to reach such a number.\nStephen Negoesco, former head coach of the University of San Francisco, ended his 39-year career with 544 victory. Yeagley, in his 29th season, already has 511. Odds are Yeagley will finish his illustrious career with the record for most victories, a record that most likely will stand for quite some time.\nIU soccer will most likely never be king in a state that has always been infatuated with basketball. But with such an impressive past and a bright future, it at least deserves a piece of the crown.
(01/07/02 5:29am)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- After defeating the No. 8 St. John's Red Storm 2-1 in its College Cup semifinal match on Dec. 14, No. 4 IU was upset 2-0 by the No. 7 North Carolina Tar Heels in the Dec. 16 national championship game at Crew Stadium.\nThe Hoosiers, appearing in their fifth consecutive College Cup, aimed for their third national title in four years.\nThe Final Four began when No. 3 Stanford took the field against UNC. The Cardinals dominated the first 80 minutes and appeared to be well on their way to a 2-0 victory when the Tar Heels exploded to score two goals in 64 seconds, sending the game into four overtimes before UNC claimed a 3-2 victory.\nThe marathon match pushed the starting time of the second semifinal game, IU vs. St. John's, back from a 7:30 p.m. to a 9:30 p.m. kickoff.\nIU goalkeeper Colin Rogers said the extra wait contributed to some pre-game nervousness.\n"We had been lying around all day, and when it finally got time to play we had to wait on (the Stanford/UNC) game to finish," Rogers said. "We got really anxious leading up to our game, but we had to remain loose and stay focused."\nThe Hoosiers and the Red Storm both made aggressive attacks at the net.\nSt. John's held the ball in its offensive third for most of the first five minutes but was unable to make any attempts on goal. \nIn the ninth minute of play, IU had its first good chance when freshman forward Mike Ambersley got the ball at the top of the box on a fast break pass. He blasted a shot on goal that ricocheted off the crossbar.\nThe rest of the first half consisted of high-energy up-and-down play. But neither team could get good shots near the box, and much of the play took place in the middle third of the field.\nFour minutes into the second half, St. John's was awarded a free kick at the top of the penalty box after an IU foul. Senior midfielder Jeff Matteo beat Rogers for a 1-0 St. John's lead.\nIU midfielder Phil Presser said he wasn't worried after the goal.\n"After the St. John's score, we got together and told each other that we were the better team and now was the time to show it," he said.\nThe Red Storm held the lead until the 65:53 mark, when forward Pat Noonan headed a pass at the top of the box. Ambersley charged the perfectly placed ball and knocked it in for a 1-1 tie, redeeming his earlier miss from the same spot. \nAmbersley, who was named co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year but had not scored since an Oct. 7 hat trick, said he was happy to be an offensive factor in the victory.\n"To be a freshman in the biggest game of my life and to be able to contribute to my team like that just has me overjoyed," he said.\nNeither team was able to score again in regulation, and the game went into double overtime.\nAt the 112:50 mark, IU freshman midfielder Vijay Dias delivered the winning goal when Ambersley found him wide open on the left side of the box.\nAfter a full day of rest, the Hoosiers met the Tar Heels for the national championship match.\nAs the title game began, the Hoosiers initiated some early scoring threats. Freshman forward Ned Grabavoy created a good chance when he retrieved a deflected ball at the top of the box in the third minute of play. He blasted a shot back at the goal that sailed just over the crossbar.\nHead coach Jerry Yeagley had said in the previous day's press conference that he hoped to stop the Tar Heels from playing the ball in the air. The Hoosiers managed to keep the ball on the ground until the 11:37 mark, when UNC tallied the first score of the game.\nTar Heel junior midfielder Matt Crawford got the ball on the right side of IU's box. He spun on Presser and lofted a pass to junior forward Ryan Kneipper.\nRogers came six yards out from the goal, calling off senior back John Swann, who was marking Kneipper. Rogers then lunged toward the ball, but Kneipper out-jumped him and headed a shot into the back of the empty net to put the Tar Heels up 1-0.\n"(Crawford) played that ball across and I knew I could beat (Rogers) to it because he was pretty much on the penalty kick spot and he wasn't going to get there in time," Kneipper said. "(Swann) was a little bit shorter and I knew I could beat him in the air. I just jumped up and got it."\nAlthough the Hoosiers -- who had only given up six goals on the season -- were surprised by the early goal, Yeagley said he was confident they would even the score.\n"I thought we were going to get (a goal) in the second half," he said. "I felt very confident that after they scored we would score. And it was just one of those days where a combination of excellent defending on their part (and) maybe a touch off on our part offensively, we weren't able to get the job done."\nAt the 74:50 mark, UNC was awarded a penalty kick when senior back Josh Rife fouled UNC freshman Marcus Storey in the box.\nSenior back Danny Jackson took the penalty kick and sent the ball into the left corner of the net to put the game out of reach for the Hoosiers.\n"(UNC) played a tough game," Noonan said. "They got an early goal and never looked back. I want to congratulate (my teammates) too. I thought we kept fighting, never gave up, even when they got that (penalty kick). Unfortunately, we weren't able to get any goals of our own"
(12/07/01 6:05am)
During his career at IU, fifth-year senior back Ryan Hammer has never gone home early for the holidays. While most students are leaving Bloomington to visit family and friends the weekend after final exams, he has always had a bit of unfinished business to take care of.\n"Since I've been (at IU), we've gone to the Final Four, so for me it's almost part of our season," Hammer said. "Every year I make plans to go home (for winter break), and I don't schedule the plane ticket until after the Final Four."\nSunday, the fourth-seeded Hoosiers will attempt to achieve their fifth straight bid to the Final Four when they face the Clemson Tigers in the NCAA tournament's Elite Eight. The game will be played at Bill Armstrong Stadium, where IU is 45-3 in postseason play.\nThe four consecutive Final Four appearances and dominance in home tournament games represents only the beginning of a long list of accomplishments for the Hoosiers. Since the program gained varsity status in 1973, it has earned a Division I-best five national championships and appeared in 14 Final Fours with a 60-20 NCAA Tournament record. \nJunior forward Pat Noonan said that IU's storied tradition is very important to this year's squad. \n"It means everything," Noonan said. "To be on a team trying to make it to the final four for a fifth straight year, it means a lot for us to get here again. It is a tradition, being 45-3 at home (in post season play) and having this home field advantage is big for us."\nHead coach Jerry Yeagley said that IU's past success is a motivating factor for current members of the team, instilling pride and confidence in their play.\n"When they take the field, it's kind of a feeling of, 'We're Indiana and it's going to take a heck of a team to beat us,'" he said. "We're the team that wants to go out there and not just react to our opponents, but impose our will. We don't go out with the idea of sitting back and saying 'You do what you want to do and we'll try and stop you.' We go out with the idea of forcing them to play in ways they don't like, forcing them out of their comfort zone."\nIU's defense has played an integral role in forcing opponents out of their game plans, shutting out 15 teams and allowing only six goals on the season. Anchoring that defense are Hammer and fellow fifth-year senior, goalkeeper Colin Rogers.\nBoth Rogers and Hammer sat on the bench for a majority of their Hoosier careers, waiting for an opportunity to prove themselves. \nRogers' chance came on Sept. 30 last season, when starting Hoosier keeper T.J. Hannig sustained a season-ending injury. Rogers went on to post a 9-2 record and a .73 goals-against average.\nThis season, Rogers has started every game, leading the Hoosiers to an 16-3-1 overall record. He has allowed only six goals in 1752:48 minutes of play and lowered his GAA to .31, the best in the country.\n"It was tough to be a backup for a few years," Rogers said. "But in the end, it's worked out. I learned a lot about myself and my abilities during that time. It's really made me appreciate my playing time and the team's success this season a lot more."\nHammer only made three starts before the 2001 season. This season, he has become a consistent member of the starting line-up.\nNoonan said Hammer and Rogers are two of the most valuable players on the team.\n"They're the reason we're here," Noonan said. "They're the reason we got 15 shutouts and the best defense in the nation. To wait your turn and then come out and have a performance like they've had this year, that was a big key for us, and everybody's looking up to them. They've done a great job."\nThe expectations placed on the Hoosiers are high because of the team's past success and current experience, and the players have responded to them, Yeagley said.\n"They led the nation in defense, shutouts (and) fewest goals (allowed)," Yeagley said. "We're champions of the Big Ten. (They've done) things that other teams haven't done here. So they've had a great season, and yet, I think it will be marked by if we make the Final Four or not. \n"That will really be the final determination of, 'Has this been a good season?' And we'll accept that. We'll accept those expectations and thrive on them"
(12/03/01 5:55am)
Freshman midfielder Ned Grabavoy came to IU as the best player in IU's highly touted 2001 recruiting class. In his final high school season he was named National Player of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, was the Illinois Player of the Year and captained the Under-18 U.S. 2000-2001 National Team.\nHopes were high that he could compensate somewhat for IU's loss of All-American midfielder Ryan Mack, who was forced to redshirt after tearing his ACL over the summer. But those hopes were dashed when Grabavoy broke his foot during the second week of preseason practice. He was predicted to be out for 4-6 weeks. \nSix weeks ballooned to 10 and as the regular season began to wind down, Grabavoy was uncertain if he would play at all this year.\n"There were times before I stepped out on the field for my first minute of my career here at Indiana where I was really thinking about redshirting because (my recovery) was taking so long," Grabavoy said.\nBut he decided against redshirting and after some subpar games, came through as a key player in Sunday's sweet 16 victory against Rutgers.\nHe came off the bench early in the first half and accounted for two of the Hoosier's four assists in the game. \nRutgers head coach Bob Reasso said Grabavoy's play accounted for much of IU's momentum. \n"As soon as he got in the game, he changed the game totally," Reasso said. "He's the one that (assisted junior midfielder Phil) Presser for that chance in the box. I think he made a big impact on the game."\nPresser's goal came at the 32:02 mark. The scoring drive was initiated when junior forward Pat Noonan sent a pass to Grabavoy from the far side of the box. Grabavoy then made a quick touch pass to Presser who sent a shot past Rutgers junior goalie Ricky Zinter. Noonan and Grabavoy were both credited with an assist. \nGrabavoy's second assist came at the 56:50 mark when he found sophomore midfielder Vijay Dias streaking toward the goal. Dias took Zinter one-on-one and put the ball in the back of the net to put the Hoosiers ahead 3-0.\nHead coach Jerry Yeagley said Grabavoy played to his potential Sunday. \n"This was an ideal game for Ned because there were some spots in front of their backs and in between their midfield and we wanted him to get in there and get him the ball," Yeagley said. "When he has the ball people run and he gets it to them. That was a tremendous performance today, hopefully he can continue it."\nRutgers junior forward Guy Abrahamson said his team's defense had a hard time containing Grabavoy.\n"Grabavoy seemed to be beating guys pretty easily in the middle," Abrahamson explained. "So then we had to make decisions as backs stepping up and that kind of opened us up."\nAfter a long season of uncertainty and disappointment, Grabavoy finally lived up to his billing as a potent offensive threat. He said after a recovery process that was at times tedious and frustrating, he is back to 100 percent.\n"When I first came back to practice, my passes weren't on. My touch wasn't there (because) I was out for 10 weeks." Grabavoy said. "But these last two weeks after the Big Ten Tournament I really feel like I'm coming back and I'm back to normal"
(11/29/01 6:10am)
Fifth-year senior midfielder Tyler Hawley has seen it all before.\nIn his four years as an active member of the team, he has helped the men's soccer team win three Big Ten and two National Championships and has been to four final fours.\nOf the three fifth-year seniors on this season's IU squad, Hawley is arguably the most experienced. In 1998, as a redshirt freshman, he started in five games. In his sophomore year of eligibility that number escalated to 17. Since then he has been a mainstay in the starting lineup.\nAside from the large amount of playing time Hawley has seen, he has also played nearly every possible position for the Hoosiers.\n"He's the man of all seasons," head coach Jerry Yeagley said. "He's played every position for us. He was our back up goalie last year. He's just done a great job everywhere we've asked him to play; he's a team player."\nLast Sunday, the Hoosiers began NCAA tournament play against Michigan State. In the first half, IU was awarded a penalty kick after junior midfielder Phil Presser was knocked down in the box. \nFreshman forward Mike Ambersley, who Yeagley said was the best penalty kick performer in practice, lined up to take the shot. \nJust before the whistle blew to initiate the kick, Hawley heard Yeagley call his name from the sideline.\n"I heard coach (Yeagley) yell, 'Tyler, you take it.'" Hawley said. "I was so surprised because it's taken me five years to let (the coaches) know that I can make the (penalty) kick."\nYeagley said Ambersley had the edge on penalty kicks in practice, but he chose to go with the more experienced player in Hawley.\n"Here's an NCAA game on the line and you've got a fifth-year senior out there and a freshman and I just felt for both their sakes it was best to have Tyler there," Yeagley said. "He wants to take them. There's something to be for somebody who steps up to the plate and is confident and wants to take (the penalty kicks). So does Mike, I have confidence in both of them, but I felt in that situation Tyler was the man."\nHawley blasted the penalty shot past Mike Robinson, the MSU keeper. It proved to be the lone goal for the Hoosiers as they shut out the Spartans 1-0.\nThe No.4 seeded Hoosiers are now preparing to face Rutgers this weekend for a chance to advance to the quarterfinals. \nSenior goalie Colin Rogers, who is also a fifth-year senior, said Hawley's defensive contribution will be a large factor in the game.\n"He's always playing good defense, cutting down on the wide serves," Rogers said. "Rutgers has a pretty good wide midfielder who Tyler will probably be matched up against so it's going to be important for Tyler to win that battle defensively and also help us out offensively -- serving some balls in and being big on restarts." \nAs a veteran of post-season play, Hawley has assumed a leadership role. It is a role he shares with the other seniors on the team, he said.\n"I think all the fifth-year seniors, and (true) seniors as well, have to pick up the younger freshmen and sophomores and show them what tournament time is like," Hawley said. "As years past have shown we excel in the tournament. In order to keep that flowing we need to pick up the younger guys and get the intensity level in practice and games at a higher level than usual"
(11/26/01 5:30am)
The men's soccer team advanced to the third round of the NCAA tournament Sunday afternoon, defeating their conference foe, the Michigan State Spartans, 1-0 at Bill Armstrong Stadium.\nIt was the No.4 Hoosiers third meeting, as well as third shutout, against the Spartans this year. The teams last met in the Big Ten Championship game at the University of Wisconsin Nov. 11. In 27 meetings against Michigan State IU is undefeated, outscoring the Spartans 101-6. \nSunday's game did not dictate the dominance the Hoosiers have become accustomed to against MSU. It was a hard fought physical match for the entire 90 minutes, with the only score coming on a penalty kick by senior midfielder Tyler Hawley in the first half.\nThe penalty kick was the result of a fast break threat that was initiated by junior forward Pat Noonan. Noonan dribbled the ball into the corner of the box and passed to a streaking Phil Presser. The junior midfielder was then knocked down from behind by a MSU defender.\nAs IU set up the penalty kick, it did not appear that Hawley would be making the attempt.\n"(Hawley) wasn't the one that was going to take it," head coach Jerry Yeagley said. "(Freshman forward) Mike Ambersley was on the ball. Those two were about tied in terms of who was going to take the penalty kick. At the last minute I yelled 'Tyler'; he's a fifth-year senior and you go with (experience)."\nHawley said he was confident after Yeagley's last-minute decision.\n"I was ready for it," Hawley said. "I thought Mike was going to take it because he was lined up and the referee was about to blow the whistle, then I heard Coach (Yeagley) yell my name from the side and I just decided it was time to show them what I could do and put it in the back of the net." \nHawley did just that, sending the penalty shot past sophomore goalie Mike Robinson at the 11:24 mark.\nIU had some close attempts on the Spartan goal through the rest of the first half, but was unable to capitalize. \nNoonan came through with some big plays which fizzled at the goal line. In one such play, Noonan sent a pass to junior back John Swann deep in the box. Swann sent it towards the net, but it rolled just wide of the near post. \nMSU had some close calls as well. Sophomore forward Thomas Trivelloni sent a header toward IU's goal, but senior goalie Colin Rogers deflected the ball before it hit the back of the net. Soon after that play, sophomore midfielder John Minagawa-Webster blasted a shot at Rogers, who fell on the ball, maintaining the 1-0 advantage for the Hoosiers.\nMinagawa-Webster said he thought the Spartans played well, but had trouble completing their offensive attacks.\n"We know (IU is) a good team all around the field," he said. "We figured as long as we played solid defense we could get something offensively and that's what we did today. We had a few chances but we just couldn't finish them."\nThe Spartans and the Hoosiers both played very physical soccer in the first half, which resulted in a scuffle between Noonan and junior MSU midfielder Nick DeGraw as the first half wound down. Four yellow cards were distributed throughout the game as the referees attempted to curb some of the competitive tension between the two teams.\nYeagley said the aggressive play, though at times excessive, was expected in such a high stakes game.\n"It did get a little nasty a couple times, but we're conference foes playing each other for the third time," he explained. "Ninety-nine percent of it was due to hard competitive play. We're not going to face a team any more physical or more athletic than Michigan State, that's part of their strength."\nThe second half was similar to the first. The hard-nosed play continued, and many scoring attempts by both teams were unsuccessful. Noonan again displayed impressive ball handling and ability to get to the box, but he was unable to score, finishing with 8 of IU's 16 shots on the day.\n"(Noonan) was doing some beautiful things but I thought he pressed a little bit," Yeagley said. "He unbalanced (MSU's defense), drawing two to three defenders and he was trying a little bit too hard, putting too much pressure on himself."\nHawley's goal was enough as the defense came through with their fourth straight shutout. IU has blanked 14 of their 19 opponents on the year.\nWith IU's consistent defensive dominance, one goal can mean trouble for the opposition. Rogers said after Sunday's first half goal, the Hoosiers were confident they would win. \n"It's always a big lift for our defense when (the team) gets a goal," Rogers said. "Our defense is very confident in ourselves. We feel like we can shut down most of the teams in the country. So whenever we get a goal it's a big lift. It kind of energizes us."\nMichigan State head coach Joe Baum said IU's defense was the key to the Hoosier victory.\n"I thought (IU's) keeper, Rogers, was just incredible today," Baum said. "They're a wonderful defensive team, very well coached and they made big plays that they had to make.
(11/12/01 6:00am)
Madison, Wis. -- Thursday night, before the men's soccer team claimed the Big Ten Championship crown, many Hoosier players were honored at the Big Ten awards banquet.\nIU swept the individual awards. Junior forward Pat Noonan was named Big Ten Player of the Year, head coach Jerry Yeagley was named Coach of the Year and forward Mike Ambersley shared Freshman of the Year honors with Chad Severs of Penn State.\nNoonan achieved conference player of the week three times during the regular season. He led the conference in shots, shots per game and points per game. Noonan had 12 goals, 8 assists and 32 points on the season. It was the seventh time in the 11-year history of Big Ten soccer that IU has produced a conference player of the year.\n"This is an award that I credit to all my teammates," Noonan said. "One player can't win games by himself, it is a total team effort and we aren't finished with this year yet by any means."\nAmbersley, who played with Noonan at DeSmet Jesuit High School in Ballwin, Mo., had a strong freshman season. He was second on IU's stat sheet behind Noonan with five goals, four assists and 32 points. His biggest offensive outing was against the Michigan Wolverines Oct. 7 in which he posted a hat trick on three shots. The effort earned him Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors.\n"It was exciting (to be named freshman of the year)," Ambersley said. "It definitely wasn't expected. It wasn't a goal of mine coming into this year. It's something you've got to cherish. It's an honor and I'm glad I got it."\nNoonan said he was happy to see his old high school teammate gain recognition from the conference.\n"He deserved it," Noonan said. "He's been playing really well. He works hard every day, in practice and in games. The fact that he came from DeSmet makes it a little easier for me to appreciate it."\nYeagley has been named coach of the year seven times. He surpassed the 500-win mark earlier this season, becoming only the second coach in collegiate soccer history to achieve the milestone. This year, he led the Hoosiers to their fifth straight undefeated Big Ten season. He credited everyone from the athletic trainer to the Hoosier players for the award.\n"When your team is 6-0 and only gives up one goal (in Big Ten play), they earned that award for me," Yeagley said. "It's the players, the assistant coaches, the whole support."\nAlong with the three individual awards, six players were named all-Big Ten. Senior back Josh Rife, junior back John Swann, senior goalie Colin Rogers, junior midfielder Phil Presser and Noonan were all named to the first team. Ambersley was named to the second team.\nYeagley said the many conference honors are a testament to the respect the Hoosiers get from coaches in the Big Ten.\n"The awards are picked by the opposing coaches, you can't vote for your own players," Yeagley said. "It shows how other coaches in the Big Ten feel about our players and our program. I think we have others who weren't recognized who have done a tremendous job for us. But I think they know that anyone who gets an award, they all share in that. They're all part of it and they're all proud of it"
(11/08/01 5:44am)
With the best record in the Big Ten, the men's soccer team earned a bye into the second round of the conference tournament this weekend, which will take place at the McClimon Soccer Complex in Madison, Wis.\nThe No. 4 Hoosiers (12-3-1, 6-0) will have an opportunity to relax Thursday while Michigan and Wisconsin battle for the right to meet them Friday at 2 p.m. for the semi-final match.\nSenior goalie Colin Rogers said although the bye is a benefit, the team hasn't forgotten last year's tournament, in which they lost to Ohio State.\n"(The bye) is a little bit of an advantage in that we have the day off while (Michigan and Wisconsin) are going to play a hard-fought 90 minutes," Rogers said. "But we just keep looking back at last year, and we had the same advantage (as the No. 1 seed), and it didn't work out for us. We know whoever we play, Michigan or Wisconsin, it's going to be a battle."\nAlthough IU defeated Michigan and Wisconsin in the regular season with shutouts of 3-0 and 4-0, respectively, both possible opponents have the ability to create some problems for the Hoosiers this weekend.\nWisconsin (10-7-1, 3-3) boasts two of the best offensive performers in the Big Ten. Senior forward Dominic DaPra leads the Big Ten in scoring with 15 goals and 34 points. His goals per game average is good for 10th in the nation at .92 and he ranks 14th nationally with 2.12 points per game.\n"(DaPra) is a goal scorer," Wisconsin coach Kalekeni Banda said in a press release. "Just give him the opportunity to put the ball in the back of the net and he can do that. He's shown he can do that all throughout his career."\nSenior Aaron Lauber joins DaPra at the forward position. Lauber was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week Nov. 5 after tallying four goals against Northwestern Nov. 1 and scoring the winning goal in a 1-0 upset of No.14 Ohio State last Sunday.\nSenior back Ryan Hammer said Wisconsin has a talented squad.\n"(DaPra and Lauber) are pretty solid," he said. "I think they're a team that you can't take lightly. They like to counter and like to play possession and try to move the ball around. They're a pretty skilled team."\nMichigan (9-6-1, 3-3) brags two goalies who have been awarded Defensive Player of the Week. Just as Wisconsin did, Michigan upset Ohio State last week. \nFreshman goalie Brian Lau earned the win as well as the player of the week award after shutting out the Buckeyes for a 1-0 victory. It was the first win against a ranked opponent for the Wolverines. \nFreshman goalie Joe Zawacki earned player of the week honors for Sept. 17-23 after blanking Butler and Northwestern for 1-0 victories.\nSenior back Josh Rife said both teams are respectable but was most impressed with Michigan in the regular season. \n"I think Michigan would give us a little more trouble," Rife said. "Overall, their team speed was real quick. I think that kind of caught us off guard the first time, and we had a little difficulty with them."\nHead coach Jerry Yeagley said Michigan would prove to be a tough match-up, but added that playing Wisconsin could be challenging as well. \n"Michigan is a team that has really matured over the year, whereas Wisconsin has been a bit of a Dr. Jeckyll," he said. "You never know which one is going to show up, and that's dangerous. We definitely won't take either team lightly, and we'll have to be ready. I think either of those two teams could surely beat any team in the conference"
(11/08/01 5:40am)
Some may look at the four Final Four appearances and two national championships the men's soccer team has produced during the past four years and speculate that the squad's senior class must be spoiled rotten. \nBut backs Josh Rife and Ryan Hammer, midfielders Bobby de St. Aubin and Tyler Hawley and goalie Colin Rogers have paid their dues, and they do not take anything for granted.\n"What makes this group (of seniors) unique is that all five of them had to prove themselves here," head coach Jerry Yeagley said. "They didn't come in as stars."\nRife and de St. Aubin both put in time at smaller, less successful college programs before transferring to IU for the 2000 season. Rife made the move from Texas Christian University while de St. Aubin relocated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Both said the move was because of the desire for a challenge.\n"TCU was a good opportunity when I started out, but I was looking for a higher level," Rife said. "Indiana just came off winning back-to-back national titles, and I had played against them. They were kind of familiar with me, so it seemed like a good fit."\nAs soon as Rife obtained his release from TCU, he was picked up by the Hoosiers and added immediate depth to their defense. Although he had been a midfielder for most of his career, he was shifted to sweeper and achieved All-Big Ten second team last season.\nDe St. Aubin said he felt like he was in a "stalemate" at UW-Milwaukee. He credited his move to IU to the program's winning tradition and dedication to excellence. \n"(At IU) you have to prove yourself every day, and that's why guys decide to come here, because they want to get better," de St. Aubin said. "They want to be the best player they can be, and it helps having people push you everyday."\nHammer and Rogers redshirted their freshman years at IU. Although this is their fifth year on the roster, neither of them saw significant action until last year.\nRogers backed up T.J. Hanning his sophomore and junior years and played in only four games. He acquired the starting goalie position in September of last year after Hanning sustained a season ending injury. He went on to post a 9-2 record with a .72 goals against average.\nThis season he was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week twice, improving his GAA to .40. He said his time on the bench has helped him to value his current starting status.\n"It's made me appreciate my playing time now a lot more," he said. "Every game that I get to play now I go out and play as hard as I can, because I had to work so hard to get to where I am."\nHammer participated in only three games before the 2000 season, in which he made 14 appearances. This season he is a consistent starter.\nYeagley said although Hammer and Rogers did not play regularly until last year, they never became discouraged.\n"Hammer and Rogers definitely paid their dues for a long period of time, and they worked hard and stayed focused and didn't get disgruntled," Yeagley said. "That's very gratifying for me to see (players) who have had to take the tough route and can raise their game, and they have."\nHawley has seen his playing time escalate in each of the past three seasons. As a redshirt freshman, he played in 14 games, starting in five; as a sophomore he appeared in 24 games with 17 starts; last season he saw action in 20 games, making 16 starts. \nYeagley said Hawley has been a jack-of-all-trades for the Hoosiers.\n"(Hawley) has played up top, he's played in the back, he's played in the center of midfield and he's played wide at midfield," Yeagley said. "He's made the adjustment each time and done what's best for the team."\nThese seniors are now nearing the final chapter of their collegiate soccer careers. All that is left is the Big Ten Tournament, which takes place this weekend at the University of Wisconsin, and the NCAA tournament. \nAlthough they are nearing the end of their final season, they say it is not something they've spent a lot of time thinking about.\n"I guess, just like everyone, you want to take it a game at a time and just enjoy every game, every minute, every second you're out there, because you never know if it could be your last," Rife said. "So you just enjoy the moment."\nHammer said his accumulated experience over the past four years would benefit him in his final postseason.\n"The difference from the (previous) postseasons is that I'm more experienced," he explained. "I still get the butterflies going into it, but I think with more experience I'm more confident and know what's expected, what it takes to win."\nHawley said only one thing will make his last postseason completely satisfying.\n"I think the saying goes, 'You always want to win your last game.' If I can win my last game I'll be happy," he said. "That will be another national championship"