Indiana University Athletics
Titans Stun Top-Ranked Hoosiers 10-25-02)
10/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 25, 2002
FULLERTON, Calif. - Under a steady but light rain for most of the evening at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, Calif., the No. 1-ranked Indiana men's soccer team lost for the first time in 11 games to Cal State Fullerton, 2-1. Fullerton used a penalty kick in the 83rd minute to muster the win and hand the Hoosiers their first loss since Sept. 7. Despite outshooting the Titans, 17-10, Indiana slipped to 12-2-2 on the year while Fullerton improved to 6-6-2.
In the early going, Indiana created several chances for itself, forcing Titan goalkeeper Sam Reynolds to make five saves in the first half.
Sophomore Ned Grabavoy took Indiana's first shot on goal early in the game. Grabavoy broke free and booted the ball from the top of the box, but Reynolds was able to make the save. Not too long after the shot, with 15 minutes run off the clock, Grabavoy went down with an ankle injury that forced him to miss the remainder of the game.
Near the 29-minute mark, freshman Brain Plotkin launched the ball from 20 yards out on the right side toward the top left corner of the goal, but Reynolds was able to get his hand on it.
Freshman Jordan Chirico also got a good look at the goal with 9:30 left on the clock in the first half. Chirico broke past a Titan defender but his shot was stopped.
When the opening half ended, the Hoosiers had taken 14 shots to Fullerton's five, but were still without a goal.
Indiana finally got one to go less than three minutes into the second half. Plotkin lobbed the ball ahead of senior co-captain Pat Noonan. Noonan scored it one-on-one to the near post from 15 yards out.
The Titans fired right back with a goal of their own at the 50:10 mark. Brent Whitfield took a pass from Fouzi Elmojihad and knocked it left to right past Nolly to even the score at one.
It appeared the Hoosiers would once again take the lead with 24 minutes remaining in the game. Noonan got the ball in the box and was able to hang on to it as the goalkeeper came out to meet him. He deposited the ball in to the net, but the referee had whistled Indiana offsides. Plotkin was close to putting the ball in again with 13:25 remaining in the game. Plotkin took a set-up pass from redshirt freshman Pat Yates on the left side from about 10 yards out. Reynolds was able to pounce on it for yet another save.
Fullerton took the 2-1 lead in the 83rd minute on a penalty kick. The Hoosiers were called for a hand ball in the box and that set up Hector Orellana, who knocked the game-winner into the bottom right corner.
The Hoosiers kept the pressure on, but were unable to get that tying goal and had thus had their 11-game winning streak snapped.
Nolly made a season-high six saves for Indiana and the Hoosiers were called offsides a season-high 14 times.
Indiana will play its second game of the weekend on Sunday when they face No. 17 UC Santa Barbara at Titan Stadium in Fullerton. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Bloomington time.
