Men's Soccer Preview (08-05-02)

8/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Aug. 5, 2002

Bloomington, Ind. - No college soccer team in the nation can match Indiana's tradition and success

 26 NCAA Tournament appearances
 15 NCAA College Cup appearances
 Nine Big Ten championships
 Five national titles
 Every four-year player in the history of Indiana soccer has made at least one NCAA College Cup appearance.

The common trademark of these previous Hoosier teams has been a stingy defense that annually ranks among the best in the country. IU led the nation in goals against average (GAA) last season (0.36) and is the only program with three of the top seven single-season GAAs in NCAA history. But with the loss of goalkeeper Colin Rogers, midfielder Tyler Hawley and backs Ryan Hammer and Josh Rife to graduation, Indiana opens the 2002 season with an emphasis on its offense.

"This year, unlike most of the years where defense is the standard thread of IU soccer, expectations will be on the offense. We have as much firepower as any team we have had here," head coach Jerry Yeagley said. "I think we'll be okay on defensive skill. How we are in terms of physical dominance and tough defense, we're going to have to develop. Goalie and sweeper, they organize and direct, and we'll have two new players in those positions. Our offense had better be good at first, because we'll need to give our defense time to solidify."

With a preseason and regular season schedule featuring eight teams that advanced to the 2001 NCAA Tournament, Indiana will have its work cut out this fall. But with the return of 17 letterwinners and six starters, including All-America and National Player of the Year candidates Pat Noonan and Ryan Mack, IU will always be up to the challenge.

The Indiana coaching staff is particularly pleased with Mack's rehabilitation from the torn ACL that forced the 2000 Third-Team All-American to redshirt last season.

"One of the biggest questions that we have entering the season is how we best utilize Ryan Mack," Yeagley said. "He can play forward, underneath at midfield, wide - he can appear in a variety of roles. The key is getting chemistry and the pieces to fit the puzzle. It could be a situation where the players sacrifice where they prefer to play for the good of the team."

Let's take a look at the 2002 Indiana Hoosiers.

GOALKEEPER
With Rogers' graduation, sophomore Jay Nolly enters the season as the starting goalkeeper. He saw action in five matches last fall, recording three saves and not allowing a goal in over 130 minutes of action.

"We're very pleased with Jay Nolly," Yeagley said. "He's real solid in our mind. He doesn't have much game experience, but he played extensively in the spring and didn't give up a goal. He's got the potential to be a top collegiate keeper. His foot skills are as good as we have had here."

Behind Nolly are fifth-year senior Matt Reiswerg and freshmen Matt Schlake and Nathan Scherpenisse.

"Matt has really developed, coming a long way since he was a freshman," Yeagley said. "Both of the freshmen are highly-touted as well. Schlake has been in the Olympic Development pool, and Scherpenisse has played well beyon the high school and club level. But how they stand up against Division I pressure and finishing is yet to be determined."

DEFENSE
Given the defense's youth, the Indiana coaching staff will count upon fifth-year senior and team captain John Swann and redshirt sophomore David Prall for seasoned guidance. A two-time All-Big Ten first-team choice, Swann scored a career-high three goals in 2001, including the second goal in the Big Ten Tournament championship win over Michigan State. Due to a broken foot, Prall played in just two matches in 2001 but started 20 of the 23 matches in which he played in 2000.

"John has proven to be a top-level defender in college soccer, and we'll look to him for leadership," Yeagley said. "David Prall started for us in 2000. It will be good to have him back, too."

Despite playing just four matches in the 2001 fall season, sophomore Michael Bowditch worked hard in the spring and is expected to contend for the starting position at sweeper.

"Michael's stock rose in the spring," assistant coach Mike Freitag said. "He showed that he could handle the position. He can be a leader and provides good offense from the back. He is a solid distributor."

Two other young players who could factor into the defense are freshman Jordan Chirico and redshirt freshman Pat Yates.

"Pat Yates is like The Energizer Bunny. One minute he is saving the ball off the line , and the next minute he is scoring a goal at the other end," Freitag said. "Jordan Chirico is a defensive midfielder, but we could look at him as a sweeper. He is physically and mentally tough."

Senior Phil Presser may be Indiana's most versatile returnee. An All-Big Ten first-team honoree, he has started 45 traight matches in his career and had the game-winning goal against Rutgers in the NCAA Tournament.

"Phil has played everywhere in the midfield and is a good defender," Yeagley said. "That's the key to our attack. We want to be unpredictable, difficult to defend. "

Nick Kuklenski, Greg Badger, Heath Creager and Drew Shinabarger could also provide help in the back.

MIDFIELD

Indiana has a tremendous wealth of young talent in the midfield as well. Sophomore Ned Grabavoy, the 2000 NSCAA National High School Player of the Year saw action in just 15 games as a freshman after suffering a broken foot in preseason practice. He finished with one goal and two assists, and Yeagley is looking for even more progress this season.

"Ned was slowed by an injury, but we expect him to come into his own and be our primary playmaker," Yeagley said. "He has special abilities, and when he has the ball, good things can happen."

Danny O'Rourke became the first freshman to start in the defensive midfield last season since John Stollmeyer.

"Danny had an outstanding freshman year," Yeagley said. "He is one of the best athletes ever to play the defensive midfield position here. We look for him to continue to improve and become an even more dominant player."

Vijay Dias' game-winning goal against St. John's propelled Indiana to the College Cup championship game, and according to Yeagley, is a barometer of the Louisville native's development.

"Dias was a pleasant surprise, one of our most improved players last season," Yeagley said. "His progress really took off last season."

A pair of highly-touted freshmen, Brian Plotkin and John Michael Hayden, could also make immediate contributions to the midfield.

"Plotkin is a strong left-footed player who has won a national title at the club level, so he knows what it takes to win," Yeagley said. "Hayden will eventually play in the attacking midfield. He has good distribution skills.

Redshirt sophomore Josh Reiher is rehabilitating a knee injury. He started three of the eight games in which he played in 2001, notching an assist against Michigan.

Yates and Presser each spent time at midfield last spring, and Chris Pomeroy, Noah Gold and Josh Tudela will also provide depth.

FORWARD
The city of Ballwin, Mo., takes special pride in Indiana soccer, as Ballwin natives and DeSmet Jesuit High School graduates Mike Ambersley and Pat Noonan - The DeSmet Duo- provide the Hoosiers with a solid offensive nucleus. Ambersley earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors after finishing sixth in the league in scoring with six goals and six assists. Ambersley and Grabavoy are strong candidates for the Under-20 National Team.

Noonan's list of 2001 laurels include first-team All-American, Big Ten Player-of the Year and All-Big Ten first team. The conference's leading scorer was one of 15 finalists for the Herrmann Trophy and was runner-up for the Missouri Athletic Club's Player of the Year. He needs six goals to move in among the top 10 in IU's illustrious history.

"Noonan had a great junior year and should have an even better senior season," Yeagley said. "Mike has become quite versatile. He played up front last season, but he can also play in the midfield and wide."

If Yeagley feels the need to kick-start the offense, he can turn to senior Michael Bock off the bench. Bock had one goal last season, but it was a valuable one - the game-winner against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament final game.

"Michael is excellent off the bench," Yeagley said. "He is one of our fastest players and has become a good finisher."

Sophomore Trey Meek and freshmen Andy Bathrick and Andy Boesch could add depth to the attack.

SCHEDULE

Indiana annually plays a challenging schedule, both inside and out of the Big Ten. Last season, IU had the top RPI in the nation, and things don't get any easier this fall.

"Year in and year out, we play as tough a schedule as we can," Yeagley said. "Rutgers and Clemson come here for the (adidas/IU Credit Union) Classic to start the season and then we go to New York to play St. John's and William & Mary in a tournament. We also play Air Force and Hartwick at Butler's Tournament, so that should give us a good idea of where we'll be heading into Big Ten.

"There are never any easy games in the Big Ten. We have a 32-game regular season winning streak in the Big Ten, and that will be hard to keep."