Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Wisconsin
Chirico Scores Game-Winner as Hoosiers Advance
11/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 10, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. - Without leading scorer and senior tri-captain Brian Plotkin, the two-time defending national champion Indiana men's soccer team got the game-winner from another senior leader Jordan Chirico on its way to a 2-0 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament. Plotkin was forced to miss the match due to an accumulation of cautions when he picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in the IU win over then-No. 1 Akron. The win improved the Hoosiers' mark to 12-1-6 on the season as the IU defense picked up its 12th shutout of the campaign.
"It was a good win," Indiana head coach Mike Frietag said. "It was one of those dangerous games. We controlled things at the beginning and kind of got lulled to sleep by it. Give Wisconsin credit, they came out fighting and really put some pressure on us in the second half. With that being said, I felt we played good team defense. I never felt like Wisconsin was able to get that really dangerous chance. We just need to finish our chances and put games like this away earlier."
In the seventh minute, the Hoosiers had their first scoring opportunity. Junior midfielder John Michael Hayden cut back and fired a shot wide of the upper right corner from 25 yards out.
Junior midfielder Josh Tudela fed fellow classmate Jacob Peterson forward in the 12th minute, setting up a one-on-one with the Badger goalkeeper Jake Settle. Peterson attempted to send the ball to the left post, but it was kicked away by Settle. The rebound fell to Tudela and his lifting shot went high of the crossbar on the right side.
Chirico put the Hoosiers on the board for good at the 13:02 mark. He and freshman forward Lee Nguyen played give-and-go. The end result was Nguyen setting up Chirico into the penalty area down the right side. The Conesus, N.Y., native beat a Badger defender to the ball and toe-poked it in from 10 yards out just under an on-rushing Settle.
It was the third marker and first game-winner of the season for Chirico. With the assist, Nguyen ran his season total to 12, eclipsing the IU freshman record of 11 that he had previously shared with current assistant coach Todd Yeagley.
Nguyen nearly set up another Hoosiers' score five minutes later, when he found senior forward Mike Ambersley at the top of the 18. The Ballwin, Mo., native ripped a shot that was smothered by Settle.
The Hoosier defense held the Badgers without a shot until the 29th minute. Off a free kick on the right side, Wisconsin freshman forward Victor Diaz bent the ball near post but Reid Johnson could not flick the header back on goal, as it went well wide of the post.
With under three minutes remaining in the opening half, a great series of passing set up another Hoosier chance. Ambersley broke free on the left side before centering a pass to redshirt freshman Kevin Noschang, who pushed the ball to sophomore Charley Traylor into the left side of the penalty area. Traylor ripped a shot to the upper left corner that was blocked by Settle.
Less than two minutes into the second half, the Hoosiers had an opportunity with a three-on-two advantage in the attacking third. Hayden broke free in the midfield, taking the ball from a Badger midfielder. He drew a defender and led Peterson open down the left side. Peterson took the ball in the penalty area before crossing the ball back to Hayden. Instead, the ball hit a Badger defender but was stopped from going in the goal by Settle.
In the 51st minute, Nguyen gathered a clearance from Ambersley along the left touchline. He sent a leading pass to Peterson on the right side of the field. After a few touches, the Portage, Mich., native ripped a shot to the far post, but it went wide for a goal kick.
Wisconsin had its three best scoring chances in the middle of the second half, but sophomore goalkeeper Chris Munroe was there to stifle the opportunities. In the 63rd, Diaz sent a lofting pass into the 18-yard box. Reid Johnson got on the end of it and headed a shot toward the far post that was smothered by Munroe.
In the 71st minute, a nice leading pass set Diaz free on the left side, but Munroe came out quickly and beat Diaz to the ball. The Badgers had another chance eight minutes later. Diaz sent a high cross into the box from 35 yards out on the right side. Forward Christopher Ede was able to head the ball back to the right post, but Munroe corralled the shot attempt. The Hoosier net-minder finished with two saves, picking up his ninth clean sheet of the season.
The Hoosiers iced the game in the final minute with Peterson's 10th goal of the season. With the Badgers pressing forward for the equalizer, the ball was cleared out by the Hoosiers. Ambersley ended up on the end of the clearance and led Peterson forward into the attacking half. Peterson with a Badger defender on his back, sent a shot into the left corner from 18 yards out. It was Ambersley's sixth helper on the season.
The goal moved Peterson up another spot on the Indiana career goals list. It was the 28th score of his career, moving him into a tie for 19th for Sean Shapert (1986-89). He trails 18th place and current assistant coach Todd Yeagley, who had 29 career goals.
Indiana advances to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament at the Leonard B. Thomas Athletic Complex in Evanston, Ill. The third-seeded Hoosiers will play second-seeded Ohio State at 2:15 p.m. CT on Friday, Nov. 11. The Buckeyes defeated seventh-seeded Northwestern, 1-0, in the opening round. The other semifinal of the Big Ten Tournament will be top-seed Penn State and fourth-seeded Michigan State at 11:45 a.m. CT on Friday. The Big Ten title game will be played at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday, Nov. 13, and will be televised live on College Sports Television (CSTV).
