Indiana University Athletics
A Look at the Hoosier-Nittany Lion History
9/29/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 29, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - One thing is for certain come Friday night, two teams with a history of exciting matches will square off in front of a national television audience as the two-time defending national champion Indiana men's soccer team hosts Penn State as part of the Fox Soccer Channel Game of the Week. Game time is slated for 7 p.m., on Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium. The evening will serve as Youth Soccer night, and the first 2,000 fans into the stadium will receive an IU soccer poster compliments of adidas.
The Hoosiers and Nittany Lions are no stranger to television affairs. Each of the last two seasons, the Big Ten rivals' tussle has been broadcast on television. Last season, the then-No. 6 Hoosiers' victory over then-No. 3 Penn State, 2-1, in Happy Valley was shown on CN8: The Comcast Network. In 2003, the Big Ten title game tilt in Bloomington was shown on CSTV. IU captured the title by virtue of a 4-1 penalty kick victory.
The Hoosiers are 23-6-3 all time against Penn State, including a 12-1-1 mark in the last 14 matches against the Nittany Lions. Indiana also has had great success at Armstrong Stadium against PSU, running a record of 12-1-1.
Both Indiana and Penn State enter the match coming off ties. The Hoosiers played a 0-0 draw with Michigan State in their Big Ten opener on Sept. 25, while the Nittany Lions tied St. Bonaventure, 1-1, on Sept. 27. Indiana enters the match at 4-0-3 and 0-0-1 in the Big Ten, while Penn State is 2-5-2 overall. The match will serve as PSU's Big Ten opener.
"Penn State is one of those teams that is always tough to play against," Indiana head coach Mike Freitag said. "They have become somewhat of our rival since they joined the Big Ten in 1991. When we face one another, more times than not, it is an entertaining match. I expect much of the same from them on Friday as well."
Last season, 4,583 fans packed Jeffery Field in University Park, Pa., to see the Hoosier-Nittany Lion affair. IU got the on board first in the 14th minute as Brian Plotkin placed a corner kick on the head of Mike Ambersley at the far post. The Nittany Lions drew even 14 minutes later as Brian Devlin one-timed a rebound into the lower left corner of the net. Jacob Peterson notched what proved to be the game-winner eight minutes before halftime. Josh Tudela found Peterson at the left post for the score.
The 2003 season saw a pair of classic affairs between the two rivals. In the last regular-season match played at Armstrong Stadium, the Hoosiers paid tribute to long-time and former head coach Jerry Yeagley with a come-from-behind victory. In his final regular season match at Armstrong Stadium, the Hoosiers sent the architect of the program out with a tremendous showing.
The 2003 regular season affair was originally slated for Sept. 26, but was postponed until Nov. 8, because of a thunderstorm that caused a two-hour delay. The Nittany Lions jumped on top 2-0 in the opening half of the Nov. 8 match, scoring in the 26th and 43rd minutes. Joe Zewe scored the first PSU goal, and Chad Severs added the second just before halftime.
Indiana roared back in the second half, scoring a trio of markers to clinch the program's eighth straight Big Ten regular season title.
After goals from Pat Yates and Drew Moor, Plotkin scored the game-winner in the 84th minute off a cross from Ned Grabavoy.
"This was a thriller," Yeagley said after the match. "I've never been more proud of a team wearing the IU uniform, coming back they way they did. They played together and for each other. It was a total team effort. I will remember this one. Champions work through the bad run of play. That's what winners do.""
In the Big Ten title game match, the Hoosiers scored first when Plotkin one-timed a beautiful set of passing from Grabavoy and Peterson into the lower left corner of the goal. The Nittany Lions were able to even things up two minutes before the break on a goal by Mike Lindemann. He headed in a corner kick from David Walters sent a cornerkick.
The match remained deadlock through the second half and overtime periods. IU claimed the Big Ten tournament championship by converting their first four PK attempts in the shootout and watching goalkeeper Jay Nolly make two impressive saves.
The Hoosiers have won the last eight regular season affairs between the two schools. In 18 of the 32 matches played between IU and Penn State, the match has either ended in a tie or been decided by one goal.
