Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Tie Georgetown, 2-2 (09-05-03
9/5/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
STORRS, Conn. - The No. 5 Indiana men's soccer team was unable to maintain a two- goal lead and forged a 2-2 tie with Georgetown in the opening match of the UConn/adidas Classic Friday night in Storrs, Conn., at Morrone Stadium. IU and Georgetown are both 1-0-2 on the season after tonight's match.
"It's certainly a disappointing result," Hoosier coach Jerry Yeagley said. "I think we deserved to win, but we missed on too many golden opportunities. To give up two goals in four minutes is unacceptable. We had some reserves in and made two mistakes, failure to clear. We should have had that game won with a two goal lead."
Indiana held a 2-0 lead entering the final 10 minutes of regulation, when the Hoyas scored a pair of goals in a span on just four minutes to even the score. Though they controlled both overtime periods, the Hoosiers could not muster the game winner.
The Hoosiers got on the board early in the match as junior forward Ned Grabavoy scored his second goal of the season 4:06 into the first half. Sophomore midfielder Brian Plotkin played the ball just ahead of Grabavoy, who was on the run. Grabavoy beat a defender and punched the ball from the right side to the bottom left corner, giving Indiana a 1-0 advantage.
IU added its second goal in the 66th minute as Plotkin hit the back of the net. Redshirt freshman Josh Tudela launched a shot from just out side of the 18-yard box that was deflected by Hoya goalkeeper Tim Hogan. The ball hit off a Georgetown defender before Plotkin fired it into the bottom left corner.
It looked as if the Hoosiers would coast to the victory, but the IU defense gave up its first goal of the season in the 86th minute. During a scramble in the box, Hoya freshman Ricky Schramm beat IU goalkeeper Jay Nolly to the bottom right corner of the goal to make it 2-1.
Schramm and the Hoyas struck again at the 89:10 mark. The ball got loose in the goal box and Schramm's punched it in to tie the game at two. Daniel Grasso was credited with an assist.
It looked as if IU would answer with 10 seconds left in regulation. Plotkin's shot from the left side was good, but the officials called him off sides, resulting in no goal.
In both overtime periods, Indiana created opportunities to score, but could not capitalize. Freshman forward Jacob Peterson beat a defender and launched a shot to the right side, but Harmon collected an impressive save in the second overtime.
"I thought our defense played very well until they scored. We didn't give up many high percentage chances." Yeagley said. "We should have sustained the intensity we showed in the two overtime periods for the entire game. Our youthfulness showed tonight. We'll see how this young team responds tomorrow."
The Hoosiers will play their second and final game of the UConn Classic on Saturday. IU will face the host and 24th-ranked Huskies at 6 p.m. (Bloomington time) at Morrone Stadium.
