Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Blank Ohio State, 3-0 (10-19-03)
10/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -The Indiana men's soccer team won its fifth-straight match in convincing fashion, defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes, 3-0, in front of a crowd of 2,078 at Armstrong Stadium Sunday afternoon. The Hoosiers ran their Big Ten Conference unbeaten streak to 44-straight matches as they moved to 7-3-4 overall and 4-0-1 in conference play. Ohio State fell to 3-9-3 and 2-2-0.
"I was worried coming out at halftime because the first half was sort of a no-contest either way. It was a midfield battle with very few chances," Hoosier head coach Jerry Yeagley said. "In the second half, the guys came out with engines full blast. "I was impressed with the movement off the ball and how we won the second balls. That's as well as we've played in terms of intensity and focus. I think the key factor was the movement by players who weren't in possession of the ball."
The match-up between the Hoosiers and the Buckeyes featured the Big Ten's leaders in goals-against average. Overall, IU was holding opponents to 0.83 goals a game while Ohio State was second at 0.92. The first half proved to be a defensive battle. Indiana out-shot the Buckeyes, 4-3, but neither team giving up high-percentage scoring chances.
In the second half, Indiana grabbed the lead with just over six minutes elapsed off the clock as sophomore Brian Plotkin converted his fourth goal of the season.. Plotkin launched an unexpected, right-footed shot from 20 yards out and buried it into the lower left corner of the net. Senior Drew Shinabarger and freshman forward Jacob Peterson were credited with assists on the play.
"Coach told us at halftime, the first goal was probably to going to make the difference," Peterson said. "Once we got that goal, we knew it was our game."
The Hoosiers went ahead 2-0 in the 58th minute on freshman back Julian Dieterle's second goal of the season. Peterson and sophomore Pat Yates provided the double-assist on the goal. As the Buckeye goalkeeper Ray Burse, Jr., came out, Dieterle got his foot on the ball. He chipped it over Burse's head and it bounced into the lower left portion of the goal.
Just over six minutes later, Peterson struck for a goal of his own. Junior co-captain Ned Grabavoy played a long ball to Peterson, who was streaking downfield. He fired a shot from 12-yards out and beat Burse, Jr., to the left side of the goal.
Junior goalkeeper Jay Nolly and the stingy Hoosier defense picked up a shutout for the fourth straight game. Nolly was forced to make just one save in the match. In its five Big Ten matches, Indiana has allowed just one goal.
"We didn't give up much in the run of our play," Yeagley said. "Our defense played extremely well, individually and collectively.
Yeagley was pleased with the play of Indiana's three seniors, Shinabarger, Vijay Dias and David Prall.
"All three of them showed good leadership and had good performances," Yeagley said.
IU is back in action on Friday night at Armstrong Stadium against the No. 6 Saint Louis Billikens. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. and will immediately follow the Hoosier women's match against Purdue. The game will also be broadcast tape-delayed as College Sports TV's "Soccer Game of the Week."
