Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers to Face Notre Dame (09-17-03)
9/17/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Hoosiers (2-2-2) will play one game on the road and one at home this week. IU travels back to South Bend, Ind., on Thursday, Sept. 18, to face No. 18 intrastate rival Notre Dame. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m at Alumni Field on the Notre Dame campus. The Hoosiers' match at Notre Dame marks the end of a five-game road swing as Indiana returns to Bloomington to open Big Ten Conference action on Sunday, Sept. 21, against the Michigan State Spartans. Game time is set for 2 p.m. at Armstrong Stadium on the IU campus.
About the Hoosiers
Indiana is 2-2-2 on the season and is coming off a weekend split at the Notre Dame Berticelli Tournament. IU dropped a hard-fought overtime match to Akron, 1-0, on Friday. The Hoosiers were forced to play a man down for the majority of the second half and the extra session after Danny O'Rourke received his second yellow card. The team rebounded on Sunday to post a 3-1 victory over Fresno State. The win was Indiana's first since a 3-0 defeat of California in the season opener on Aug. 29.
Junior forward Ned Grabavoy leads the Hoosiers in scoring with 10 points on four goals and two assists. Sophomore midfielder Brian Plotkin is next with seven points on two goals and three assists.
The Hoosiers have dropped in the polls again this week. IU comes in at No. 21 in the adidas/NSCAA poll, No. 19 in the Soccer America poll, No. 18 in the Soccer Times poll and 16thaccording to College Soccer News.
The Opponent
Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish stand at 2-1-2 on the season. At their own Berticelli Memorial Tournament last weekend, Notre Dame defeated Fresno State in overtime, 2-1, and played to a scoreless tie with Akron.
Devon Prescod paces the Irish with three goals and six points. Justin Detter is second on the club with four points on a goal and a pair of assists.
Head coach Bobby Clark is in his third season at Notre Dame after spending five seasons in the same position at Stanford.
Indiana holds a 21-2-1 all-time record against the Irish, including a 10-1 mark in games at Notre Dame. IU won the last meeting between the two teams, 1-0, in the NCAA Tournament on Nov, 27, 2002 in Bloomington. On Oct. 17, 2001, Notre Dame defeated the Hoosiers, 1-0, at IU.
Double Trouble
Junior Ned Grabavoy scored two goals in Indiana's 3-1 victory over Frenso State last Sunday, marking the second multi-goal match of his career. The last time Grabavoy scored a pair of goals was on Oct. 13, 2002, in Indiana's 5-1 victory over Wisconsin.
Chirico Scores First Career Goal
Sophomore midfielder/back Jordan Chirico tallied the first goal of his career on Sunday against Fresno State. After his initial shot was blocked, Chirco laced the bottom right corner of the net with a shot from 20-yards out on the left side. The sophomore also made his second career start against the Bulldogs.
Shinabarger, Grabavoy Named All-Tournament
Senior Drew Shinabarger and junior Ned Grabavoy earned All-Tournament laurels for their play at last weekend's Notre Dame Berticelli Memorial Tournament. The honor is the first for Shinabarger, while Grabavoy made the all-tournament team for the third straight weekend.
Senior Leadership After Indiana's victory over Fresno State, head coach Jerry Yeagley credited a pair of fifth-year seniors to helping the team snap a five-match winless streak. Yeagley said that Drew Shinabarger and David Prall, who both started the match, were instrumental in imparting the intangibles it takes to win to IU's younger players. Vijay Dias is the third member of the Hoosiers' senior class, but did not play last weekend due to injury. Indiana picked up a 1-0 win over Notre Dame in second round NCAA action at Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington. Notre Dame came out firing early, logging the first three shots of the match. But Indiana came back to take the next seven heading into halftime. But neither scored and the score deadlocked at zero. In the second half, Indiana picked up right where it left off. About five minutes in, senior Ryan Mack fired a shot on a breakaway that sailed wide right. Five minutes later, though, the Hoosiers would take the lead. Ned Grabavoy, who returned to the field for IU for the first time in three games, played a nice ball on the run to freshman Brian Plotkin. The 2002 Big Ten Freshman of the Year booted the ball right and into the back of the net for his first goal of the season at 51:03. Plotkin's season point total now stands at eight. In the 63rd minute of play, Notre Dame was dealt a blow as Justin Ratcliffe received a red card for a tripping foul, forcing them to play with 10 players the rest of the way. The Fighting Irish fought valiantly the rest of the way but were unable to overcome the Hoosiers and the deficit. IU sophomore goalkeeper Jay Nolly recorded his eighth shutout. Nolly was solid from start to finish and collected a pair of saves in the match. With the win, IU kept its record unbeaten at home this season and avenged its last home setback. Notre Dame defeated Indiana in the last meeting between the two teams on Oct. 17, 2001, in Bloomington. Ned Grabavoy 10 Jordan Chirico 2 Brian Plotkin 2 Ned Grabavoy 2 Jay Nolly 18
Young Guns
With only five juniors and three seniors on the roster this season, several underclassmen are seeing action for Indiana this season. In every one of the Hoosiers' six games, at least five underclassmen who are true freshmen, redshirt freshmen or sophomores who are new to the team or did not start a year ago have been in the starting lineup. With junior goalkeeper Jay Nolly returning all of those players are starting in the field. In fact, out of a possible 60 starts (10 field players per game), underclassmen have filled 37 of the positions. IU has had at least five new starters in every game and have had as many seven grace the lineup.
Last year vs. Notre Dame (11-27-03)
2003 Statistical Leaders
Points
Goals
Assists
Saves
