Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Edges IUPUI in OT (11-03-02)
11/3/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 3, 2002
Bloomington, Ind. - Appropriately, it was a senior All-America connection that lifted Indiana over intra-state foe IUPUI on Senior Day Sunday at Armstrong Stadium. In the 103rd minute of play, senior Ryan Mack (Beverly Hills, Mich./Birmingham Seaholm) found senior Pat Noonan (Ballwin, Mo./DeSmet Jesuit) for the golden goal that propelled the Hoosiers (14-2-2) to a 2-1 double overtime win against the Jaguars (3-14-2).
"A lesser team could have lost or tied this match today," Indiana head coach Jerry Yeagley said. "We hung in there and didn't get frustrated to a point where we tried to do things we wouldn't usually do. We created some of the best offensive chances we could ask for and played some great attacking soccer."
About 22 minutes into the contest, Noonan's shot from right to left nailed the post and rolled back out to Jaguar goalkeeper Drew Deffner. It was a sign of things to come. The Hoosiers launched a season-high 33 shots, including 15 of them on goal, but were only able to convert on two of them.
In the 40th minute, sophomore Mike Ambersley (Ballwin, Mo./DeSmet Jesuit) tallied his first goal of the season to put Indiana ahead, 1-0. Noonan found his high school teammate at the top of the 18-yard box and Ambersley knocked the ball into the lower left corner for the score.
Eight minutes into the second half, IUPUI evened the score. Freshman Shane Bonin scored on the run, scoring it left to right for his first goal of the season.
It appeared Indiana would regain the lead just a few minutes later when the Jaguars were called for a foul in the box. The foul set up an IU penalty kick for Mack. Mack shot it to the left, but Deffner pounced right on top of it to save the scoring opportunity.
The two teams played to a scoreless tie in regulation. In the first overtime, Indiana controlled the field and out-shot IUPUI, five to one, but was unable to hit the back of the net.
At the 101:43 mark, the Hoosiers nearly missed sealing the win again. During a scramble in the box, senior defender John Swann (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg), attempted to dump the ball in, but it bounced off the right post.
The frustration ended at 102:57, when Mack shook a defender to create room for himself and fed Noonan at the top of the 18-yard box for the game-winning goal. The connection marked the 10th time this season either Mack has assisted on a a Noonan goal for Noonan has assisted on one of Mack's goals.
"It was a good feeling to get that goal. I think we would have had a lot of disappointed people if we hadn't," Noonan said of the score. "(Ryan) Mack played a good ball to me at the 18 (yard box). It was well-placed."
The goal represented Noonan's 14th of the season and, along with the assist on Ambersley's goal, increased his season point total to 37. The co-captain has scored at least two points in Indiana's last five games. His scoring streak was extended to seven-straight games.
The Hoosiers had 17 corner kicks, a season-high, to IUPUI's one and out-shot the Jaguars, 33-7.
Deffner put on an impressive goal-keeping display as he collected an IU opponent season-best 13 saves for the Jaguars.
Seniors Mack, Noonan, Swann, Phil Presser, Marcus Chorvat, Michael Bock and Matt Resiwerg played in their final regular season home match on Sunday. The class of seven was honored prior to kickoff.
IU finished the 2002 regular season undefeated at home with a 5-0-2 record. The Hoosiers' unbeaten streak at Armstrong Stadium now stands at 13 games (10-0-3) and dates back to the 2001 season.
Indiana will be idle for more than a week until it returns to action in the Big Ten Conference Tournament at Penn State Nov. 14-17. By virtue of a their regular season championship, the Hoosiers will have a first round bye and will not compete until Friday, Nov. 15. IU will face the winner of the No. 4-seed and No.5-seed matchup that will be played on Thursday, Nov. 14, in State College, Pa. Tournament seedings are still unclear with one Big Ten match remaining.
