Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Clinch Big Ten Title (10-20-02)
10/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
October 20, 2002
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The No. 4 Indiana men's soccer team finished the Big Ten regular season undefeated and clinched the top seed in conference tournament by defeating Ohio State, 4-2, Sunday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The victory was Indiana's 36th-consecutive in league regular season play and moved the Hoosiers to 12-1-2.
"One of our goals was to win the regular season championships," head coach Jerry Yeagley said. "I think it is tougher to win this one than it is the tournament because you have to play well all season long. We played excellent soccer at times today, some of our best of the season."
The Hoosiers came out firing as they threatened to score twice in the first three minutes. Just 11 seconds in, senior Pat Noonan broke free and took a shot from 10 yards out that bounced off the crossbar.
At the 2:30 mark, senior Ryan Mack crossed the ball in and junior Vijay Dias took a header shot that Ohio State keeper Chad Brown saved.
Indiana surged ahead 15:08 into the game on a goal by sophomore Ned Grabavoy. Mack had control of the ball in the box before an OSU defender knocked it loose. Grabvoy corralled it and fired from the top of the box, giving IU the 1-0 lead. The goal was Grabavoy's sixth of the season.
The Hoosiers tallied their second goal on an All-American connection 24:09 mark. Noonan chipped the ball into the box and Mack scored on a diving header. The ball hit the left and bounced in. The play represented the ninth time this season Mack and Noonan have hooked up for a Hoosier goal.
Ohio State pulled within a goal less than five minutes into the second half. A.J. Weber took the initial shot for the Buckeyes and Hoosier goalie Jay Nolly made a leaping save. But Ohio State kept after it and Peter Withers knocked the ball just past IU defender Josh Reiher to make it, 2-1.
Indiana's third goal came on a corner kick at the 33:18 mark. Freshman Brian Plotkin's corner kick found John Swann's head, giving the senior co-captain his third goal of the year. Plotkin's assist was his third in two games and fifth overall.
IU posted its fourth score of game as Noonan got his 10th goal of the season. Dias' shot from just outside the box was deflected by an OSU defender. Noonan picked up the loose ball and dribbled to the left before driving it past the goalkeeper.
Ohio State nearly scored a second goal with 22 minutes remaining. Adam Schauer passed to teammate Kevin Nugent, setting Nugent up for a point blank shot on the left side near the post. Indiana's Nolly made a stellar play, jumping on the ball for his third save of the game.
The Buckeyes added their second goal of the game with 32 seconds remaining when Sammy Tamporello drilled a shot from the top of the box into the back of the net. The goal was Tamporello's third of the season.
"It is a great accomplishment not to lose a game in the regular season," Noonan said. "The first seed is obviously very big for us because it keeps us from having to win three game."
Indiana's final three games of the season will be against nonconference opponents. The Hoosiers head west to take on Cal State Fullerton on Friday, Oct. 25, at 9 p.m. (Bloomington time). IU will also face UC Santa Barbara in Fullerton on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 6 p.m.
