Indiana University Athletics
Back-to-Back National Titles (12-12-04)
12/12/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
CARSON, Calif.- Maybe it was fitting that the 2004 NCAA National Championship game went to penalty kicks. In a season that saw the Hoosiers take zero PK's during the season, ended with senior goalkeeper Jay Nolly's diving save to his left, giving the Hoosiers' back-to-back National Championship for the third time in school history, 3-2, in penalty kicks.
"First of all I would like to commend UCSB. They were outstanding on this day. They say defense wins championships, and we had to defend today," Indiana head coach Mike Freitag said. "I think our game against Maryland on Friday took a lot out of us. We played a very good opponent today. I think it showed our character. They kept fighting until the end, and they ended up being champions. I am very proud of them."
The deciding score for the Hoosiers also came from a fitting spot. Junior forward Mike Ambersley, who had pressed and struggled for parts of the 2004 campaign, nailed IU's final PK to give the Hoosiers a 3-2 advantage in the shootout and set up Nolly's final stand. Ambersley had to watch the Hoosiers win the 2003 national title, missing out on a ring as he was out of school for the year.
Nolly proved his worth as a big game player for the second straight year. In last season's national title game, Nolly made a career-high 10 saves to help the Hoosiers defeat St. John's 2-1. This season, it was his two clutch saves in the shootout portion to give the Hoosiers the victory. For the second straight season, Nolly was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player at the College Cup.
The Hoosiers won back-to-back national championships in 1982 and 1983, and then again in 1998 and 1999. With the win, IU improved to 19-4-1 overall and gave head coach Mike Freitag his first national championship as a head coach. He had won one championship as a graduate assistant and three as an assistant coach under former head coach Jerry Yeagley, who retired last season following his sixth national title.
The Hoosiers started the shootout with Drew Moor, whose attempt was saved by UCSB goalkeeper Kyle Reynish. UCSB forward Drew McAthy gave them the lead in PK's with a goal to left. Sophomore midfielder John Michael Hayden beat Reynish on the next attempt for the Hoosiers to knot it up at one. UCSB forward Neil Jones missed high and to the left to keep the score even and put it back on par.
Senior Greg Badger once again came through for the Hoosiers. He gave IU its first lead of the PK portion as he scored into the left side for a 2-1 advantage. UCSB's Ivan Becerra evened the match up as he scored into the same side as Badger. With the match tied, Reynish and Nolly each came up with big saves on the teams fourth attempts apiece to set up the dramatics.
The Hoosiers got on the board first at the 26:23 mark. Sophomore Jed Zayner gained control of the ball at the midfield strip and dribbled forward into the offensive midfield. The Orland Park, Ill., native sent a low liner forward that led sophomore forward Jacob Peterson just enough to the top of the 18. Peterson was just able to get a foot on it and lift it over UCSB goalkeeper Dan Kennedy, who was coming out to play the ball. It was his 11th tally of the season and Zayner's second assist on the season.
Indiana led until the 82nd minute, when UCSB tied it up. The Gauchos had been applying a lot of pressure to the Hoosiers in the second half and it paid off. Becerra took an initial shot from 10 yards straight on that was block by the Hoosier defense. The ball bounced out to forward Drew McAthy on the left side. He sent a bullet from 10 yards out into the lower left hand corner of the net to knot things up at one. It was his 18th goal of the season.
The overtime periods saw very little action with the Hoosiers taking two shots compared to one for the Gauchos. With time ticking down inside 30 seconds remaining in the first overtime, it appeared that Plotkin got a step on the UCSB inside the box. His shot was blocked by the UCSB defense to preserve the tie. Sophomore midfielder Josh Tudela also had an attempt in the 104th minute. His shot from 20 yards out went wide left of the frame.
UCSB had the first good scoring chance of the match came at in the sixth minute. Jones had a header from eight yards out hit the far post and bounced out. In the 11th minute, the Hoosiers had their first chance. Peterson led junior midfielder Chirico into the 18 from 35 yards out. Chirico beat his defender to the ball, but the shot was denied by UCSB goalkeeper Dan Kennedy.
In the 18th minute, Peterson and Ambersley played give-and-go for another scoring chance. Peterson hit Ambersley in the center of the midfield and then started his run. Ambersley fed it back to Peterson, who had a step on the defender. The UCSB defender was able to recover, and Peterson's shot to the near post was pushed out by Kennedy.
With Indiana leading 1-0 following Peterson's goal in the 34th minute, McAthy had a chance. He beat a defender to the ball at the top of the 18 and took a touch in. Nolly came up with a diving save to his right to deny McAthy's shot from 10-yards out on the left side. Jones was there for an attempted follow, but the ball was deflected by a Hoosier defender and Nolly corralled it.
The Hoosiers almost extended their lead in the 59th minute. Hayden beat a pair of defenders on the left side of the 18 into the box. He back healed the ball to Plotkin, who drilled a shot that Kennedy knocked into the air and caught on the goal line. It was the end result of an impressive possession display for the Hoosiers' in the midfield.
In the 66th minute, junior forward Pat Yates got out on the counter of a free kick for the Hoosiers. He broke free in the midfield. A UCSB was about to catch him, but Yates shot far post only to have Kennedy deny the chance with a diving save to his right.
After the Hoosiers failed to clear the ball, Becerra garnered position for UCSB outside the 18 on the left side in the 78th minute. He fired a shot to the upper left hand corner that went just wide of the frame.
Nolly was joined on the all-tournament team by Plotkin, senior midfielder and M.A.C. Hermann Trophy finalist Danny O'Rourke, Hayden and Zayner. UCSB's McAthy was the College Cup Most Outstanding Offensive Player.
"First of all I would like to commend UCSB. They were outstanding on this day. They say defense wins championships, and we had to defend today," Indiana head coach Mike Freitag said. "I think our game against Maryland on Friday took a lot out of us. We played a very good opponent today. I think it showed our character. They kept fighting until the end, and they ended up being champions. I am very proud of them."
The deciding score for the Hoosiers also came from a fitting spot. Junior forward Mike Ambersley, who had pressed and struggled for parts of the 2004 campaign, nailed IU's final PK to give the Hoosiers a 3-2 advantage in the shootout and set up Nolly's final stand. Ambersley had to watch the Hoosiers win the 2003 national title, missing out on a ring as he was out of school for the year.
Nolly proved his worth as a big game player for the second straight year. In last season's national title game, Nolly made a career-high 10 saves to help the Hoosiers defeat St. John's 2-1. This season, it was his two clutch saves in the shootout portion to give the Hoosiers the victory. For the second straight season, Nolly was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player at the College Cup.
The Hoosiers won back-to-back national championships in 1982 and 1983, and then again in 1998 and 1999. With the win, IU improved to 19-4-1 overall and gave head coach Mike Freitag his first national championship as a head coach. He had won one championship as a graduate assistant and three as an assistant coach under former head coach Jerry Yeagley, who retired last season following his sixth national title.
The Hoosiers started the shootout with Drew Moor, whose attempt was saved by UCSB goalkeeper Kyle Reynish. UCSB forward Drew McAthy gave them the lead in PK's with a goal to left. Sophomore midfielder John Michael Hayden beat Reynish on the next attempt for the Hoosiers to knot it up at one. UCSB forward Neil Jones missed high and to the left to keep the score even and put it back on par.
Senior Greg Badger once again came through for the Hoosiers. He gave IU its first lead of the PK portion as he scored into the left side for a 2-1 advantage. UCSB's Ivan Becerra evened the match up as he scored into the same side as Badger. With the match tied, Reynish and Nolly each came up with big saves on the teams fourth attempts apiece to set up the dramatics.
The Hoosiers got on the board first at the 26:23 mark. Sophomore Jed Zayner gained control of the ball at the midfield strip and dribbled forward into the offensive midfield. The Orland Park, Ill., native sent a low liner forward that led sophomore forward Jacob Peterson just enough to the top of the 18. Peterson was just able to get a foot on it and lift it over UCSB goalkeeper Dan Kennedy, who was coming out to play the ball. It was his 11th tally of the season and Zayner's second assist on the season.
Indiana led until the 82nd minute, when UCSB tied it up. The Gauchos had been applying a lot of pressure to the Hoosiers in the second half and it paid off. Becerra took an initial shot from 10 yards straight on that was block by the Hoosier defense. The ball bounced out to forward Drew McAthy on the left side. He sent a bullet from 10 yards out into the lower left hand corner of the net to knot things up at one. It was his 18th goal of the season.
The overtime periods saw very little action with the Hoosiers taking two shots compared to one for the Gauchos. With time ticking down inside 30 seconds remaining in the first overtime, it appeared that Plotkin got a step on the UCSB inside the box. His shot was blocked by the UCSB defense to preserve the tie. Sophomore midfielder Josh Tudela also had an attempt in the 104th minute. His shot from 20 yards out went wide left of the frame.
UCSB had the first good scoring chance of the match came at in the sixth minute. Jones had a header from eight yards out hit the far post and bounced out. In the 11th minute, the Hoosiers had their first chance. Peterson led junior midfielder Chirico into the 18 from 35 yards out. Chirico beat his defender to the ball, but the shot was denied by UCSB goalkeeper Dan Kennedy.
In the 18th minute, Peterson and Ambersley played give-and-go for another scoring chance. Peterson hit Ambersley in the center of the midfield and then started his run. Ambersley fed it back to Peterson, who had a step on the defender. The UCSB defender was able to recover, and Peterson's shot to the near post was pushed out by Kennedy.
With Indiana leading 1-0 following Peterson's goal in the 34th minute, McAthy had a chance. He beat a defender to the ball at the top of the 18 and took a touch in. Nolly came up with a diving save to his right to deny McAthy's shot from 10-yards out on the left side. Jones was there for an attempted follow, but the ball was deflected by a Hoosier defender and Nolly corralled it.
The Hoosiers almost extended their lead in the 59th minute. Hayden beat a pair of defenders on the left side of the 18 into the box. He back healed the ball to Plotkin, who drilled a shot that Kennedy knocked into the air and caught on the goal line. It was the end result of an impressive possession display for the Hoosiers' in the midfield.
In the 66th minute, junior forward Pat Yates got out on the counter of a free kick for the Hoosiers. He broke free in the midfield. A UCSB was about to catch him, but Yates shot far post only to have Kennedy deny the chance with a diving save to his right.
After the Hoosiers failed to clear the ball, Becerra garnered position for UCSB outside the 18 on the left side in the 78th minute. He fired a shot to the upper left hand corner that went just wide of the frame.
Nolly was joined on the all-tournament team by Plotkin, senior midfielder and M.A.C. Hermann Trophy finalist Danny O'Rourke, Hayden and Zayner. UCSB's McAthy was the College Cup Most Outstanding Offensive Player.
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