Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Faces Michigan State in Big Ten Championship Match
11/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 15, 2008
NO. 18/16 INDIANA (12-5-3,) at BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
Nov. 13-16, 2008
McClimon Soccer Complex
Madison, Wis.
Semifinal: No. 3 Indiana vs. No. 1 Michigan State (12-5-1)
Series History: Indiana leads, 33-2-2
Last Meeting: Michigan State defeated Indiana, 2-0, on Oct. 12, 2008
SETTING THE SCENE
• The Hoosiers are aiming for their 12th Big Ten Tournament title as they face Michigan State in the championship match.
• The last time the tournament was played in Madison the Hoosiers defeated Michigan State, 2-0 for the league title in 2001.
• The Hoosiers are 3-1 against the Spartans in Big Ten Tournament games, most recently posting a 1-0 win in the 2007 semifinals.
NEWS AND NOTES
• Indiana is 5-0-2 when playing a team ranked in the NSCAA/adidas Top 25.
• The Hoosiers have shut out six of those seven opponents, most recently posting a 1-0 win over No. 10 Michigan on Nov. 14.
• The Hoosiers have outscored their opponents, 28-20 this season.
• Indiana is 12-0-1 when it scores first.
• Indiana is 9-1-2 in Big Ten Tournament championship matches.
• Indiana and Wisconsin were declared co-champions in 1995 when weather forced the cancellation of the championship game.
• Indiana has posted three-straight shutouts for the first time this season (2-0 vs. No. Northwestern, 1-0 vs. Ohio State, 1-0 vs No. 10 Michigan).
• Indiana is 15-2-4 all-time in Big Ten matches (regular season and tournament) played in Madison.
• Indiana has gone 7-2-1 in its last 10 matches.
• Indiana has shut out Michigan State in two of its last three meetings.
• Half of Kevin Alston's career goals (two) have come against Michigan State.
• The Hoosiers have never lost a match televised on the Big Ten Network, going 7-0-4 in those games.
• In 11 matches televised on the BTN, six of them have required overtime.
• Andy Adlard recorded the game-winning score against OSU, the second time this season he has put away the Buckeyes with a goal in OT.
• Adlard has contributed at least one point for the Hoosiers in six of the last eight games.
• Four of Adlard's six goals this year have been game winners.
• The Hoosiers are 4-0-3 in their last seven Big Ten overtime matches (regular season and tournament).
• Indiana has not lost back-to-back matches this season.
• Indiana's two first-half goals against the Wildcats marked just the second time this season the Hoosiers have scored multiple goals in the first 45 minutes of play (Notre Dame).
• Five of Indiana's 10 first-half goals have come in just two matches (three vs. Notre Dame, two vs. Northwestern).
• Indiana is a perfect 9-0 when scoring two or more goals.
• Senior Kevin Noschang set a new NCAA record when he scored just six seconds into the match in a 1-1 tie vs. Kentucky on Oct. 29. The previous record was nine seconds.
• It is the second time this season IU has scored a goal less than 12 seconds into a match. Against Butler on Oct, 7, sophomore Daniel Kelly scored with just :11 off the clock.
• Andy Adlard scored a goal in three-straight matches for the Hoosiers (Notre Dame, Louisville, at Ohio State). The last IU player to score in three straight was John Michael Hayden in the 2004 season (vs. Butler, Ohio State, Louisville).
• Indiana is 6-5-2 this season when held scoreless in the first half.
• Indiana lost three Big Ten matches for the first time in school history.
• After two straight scoreless matches with the Buckeyes, Indiana's three goals against OSU on Oct. 26 was the most since a 3-0 victory on Nov. 11, 2005.
• Goalkeeper Chay Cain had a season-high seven saves against Ohio State. That is two off his career best of nine set against the Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championships game last season.
• The Hoosiers' 1-0 win over Louisville on Oct. 22 marked the program's 250th victory at the current Armstrong Stadium since it opened in 1981.
• Indiana is 2-for-2 on penalty kick attempts this season.
• In 2008, Indiana lost back-to-back Big Ten matches for the first time since 1995 (Michigan, Michigan Sate).
• Freshman Will Bruin is the only Hoosier to score multiple goals in a match this year, putting home two in a 3-2 overtime win at Evansville on Sept. 30. Bruin also recorded his first game-winning goal.
• Indiana is 4-0-3 in overtime matches this season.
• Indiana is 5-0 when scoring three or more goals.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
• Michigan State is 12-5-1 after a 1-0 win over Northwestern in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
• Doug DeMartin was the difference in the game, converting a penalty kick opportunity early in the second half.
• DeMartin, the Big Ten Player of the Year, leads the team with 16 goals and three assists (35 points).
• Louis Stephens is next on the list with four goals and four assists.
• Goalkeeper Avery Steinlage, a first-team All-Big Ten pick, has appeared in 15 games, allowing eight goals for a 0.57 GAA in 1254:16 minutes of action.
• Head coach Joe Baum is in his 32nd season at MSU. He led the Spartans to their first-ever Big Ten regular season title in 2008.
• He is assisted by Damon Rensing and John McElroy.
SERIES HISTORY
• Indiana leads the all-time series, 33-2-2.
• The Hoosiers are 3-1-1 in the last four meetings, including a 1-0 win in East Lansing last season in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
• Indiana's only losses in the series came in 2004 (2-1 defeat in Big Ten Tournament play) and 2008 (2-0 in regular season).
• Michigan State has managed just three goals over the last five meetings and has never scored more than two goals on the Hoosiers (4-2 loss in 1983, 2-1 win in 2004, 2-0 win in 2008).
• Indiana has shut out the Spartans 27 times in 37 meetings, including two of the last three meetings.
LAST TIMES THESE TEAMS MET...
• Michigan State recorded a pair of goals late in the second half to hand Indiana a 2-0 loss on Oct. 12 at DeMartin Stadium in East Lansing, Mich.
• After a defensive battle for 82 minutes, Michigan State scored a pair of goals within 39 seconds of each other. The first goal came at 83:11 as Doug DeMartin recorded his 11th goal of the season. DeMartin found himself free in the right side and snuck a shot into the left side.
• Just 39 seconds later, Domenic Barone had an open look in front of the net and put home his first career goal. Spencer Thompson assisted on both scores.
• Indiana finished with an 18-11 shot advantage, led by Brad Ring and Andy Adlard with three each. Eleven of the Hoosiers' 18 shots were on goal.
• This was just the second time Michigan State had beaten Indiana in 37 meetings. Michigan State's only other victory came in 2004, a 2-1 IU loss in Big Ten Tournament play. It is just the second time the Spartans have held the Hoosiers without a goal.
• With just a minute gone in the second half Indiana was called for a foul just outside the top of the penalty area. DeMartin took the shot and sent it right into the IU wall. He got his own rebound but his shot went wide.
• Rich Balchan had a pair of shots in front of the Michigan State net in the 70th minute with the first ricocheting back out to him and the second smothered by MSU goalkeeper Avery Steinlage. Billy Weaver added a shot on frame in the 77th minute.
• The Hoosiers put together a dangerous sequence in the fourth minute that began with a breakaway from Daniel Kelly. The ball was cleared out by the MSU defense, but Eric Alexander was right there and caught the defenders napping, sending in a shot over their heads that bounced off the post. John Mellencamp was in position to collect the rebound, but his attempt was saved and cleared over the touchline. The ensuing corner kick was caught by Steinlage.
• Ring had a shot go wide in the 12th minute, and Adlard sent in a left footer from 20 yards out that was saved by Steinlage in the 15th minute. Noschang had a shot blocked by Steinlage at 16:15 on a ball that was played perfectly from Will Bruin to Adlard to the senior up top.
• With just under four minutes left in the first half, Noschang got free and squeezed through two defenders, sending in a shot that Steinlage was just able to get a hand on and push wide. The Hoosiers held a 9-4 advantage in shots at the half and had two corner kicks to the Spartans' one.
• Alec Purdie made his Indiana debut in the 62nd minute as he and Noschang came on to give Bruin and Kelly a rest.
WHATEVER YOU CAN DO, I CAN DO BETTER
• Freshman Will Bruin and sophomore Andy Adlard seem to have a healthy competition running for leading goal scorer on the team.
• Both players have six goals on the season, with Adlard holding a slight 15-12 lead in total points thanks to three assists.
• Bruin initially led 2-0 in the goal count before Adlard scored goals against San Diego and UCSB to knot things up.
• Bruin went back up, 4-2, with two goals at Evansville on Sept. 30. Adlard put home scores against Notre Dame and Louisville to even things at 4-4, then took a 5-4 lead with his game-winning score at Ohio State.
• Two games later Bruin recorded his fifth goal, the game winner in a 2-0 victory over Northwestern.
• Adlard's game winner in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals against Ohio State gave him a 6-5 advantage, but the next day it was Bruin's turn to score the winner, giving IU a 1-0 win over Michigan in the semifinals with his sixth score.
BIG TEN HONORS
• The Indiana University men's soccer team was recognized for its efforts this season, highlighted by a pair of first-team All-Big Ten selections and Freshman of the Year honoree Will Bruin at the annual awards banquet held Thursday night in conjunction with the Big Ten Tournament in Madison, Wis.
• Junior defender Kevin Alston was unanimously selected to the All-Big Ten first team, one of just three unanimous first-team picks. This season Alston has started all 19 matches at left back while contributing two goals and an assist. Last season he was a second-team honoree.
• Joining Alston on the first team is senior defensive midfielder Brad Ring. Despite missing the last three matches due to injury, Ring was named to the first team for the second consecutive season. In 14 starts this season, Ring has one assist while putting up 40 shots. He has also played a large role in Indiana's five of Indiana's shutouts this season, four of which came against ranked opponents.
• Sophomore midfielder Andy Adlard and junior midfielder Eric Alexander earned spots on the second team. Adlard has been an offensive leader for IU this season with six goals, including today's game winner against Ohio State, and three assists for a team-best 15 points. His 52 shot attempts in 19 matches is also a team best. This is his first All-Big Ten honor.
• Alexander is now a three-time All-Big Ten honoree after being named to the All-Freshman squad in 2006 and the first team in 2007. This season he has started all 19 matches in the midfield, tallying two goals and three assists. Alexander's first goal of the season came in a 3-0 win at No. 24 UCLA, followed by the game-winning score in a 3-2 overtime victory over Wisconsin.
• Bruin, a forward, and defender Tommy Meyer were both unanimous selections to the All-Freshman team. Bruin is second on the team in goals scored with five, most recently putting home the game winner in a 2-0 win over No. 8 Northwestern on Nov. 7. Bruin also had a pair of goals in a 3-2 win at Evansville and started his career with a goal in a 3-0 win at No. 24 UCLA.
• Meyer has appeared in 13 matches with 11 starts in central defense for the Hoosiers and has played a role in five shutouts this season, including a 2-0 win over No. 8 Northwestern and today's shutout of Ohio State.
• Bruin becomes the 10th Hoosier to earn Freshman of the Year honors. It is the third time in the last four years that an Indiana player has taken home the award, with Lee Nguyen honored in 2005 and Darren Yeagle in 2006. Indiana assistant coach Todd Yeagley won the inaugural Freshman of the Year award in 1991.
• Sophomore Rich Balchan is Indiana's Sportsmanship Award winner. Balchan has started all 19 matches for Indiana, playing roles in both the central defense and defensive midfield. He assisted on Bruin's game-winning goal at Evansville, as well as Adlard's goal against UC Santa Barbara.
BIG TEN DOMINATION
• Since the Big Ten began sponsoring men's soccer in 1991, the Hoosier have dominated the league.
• The Hoosiers are 80-10-9 in regular season matches, tallying nearly 30 more victories than second-place team Penn State (52).
• Indiana has never lost in its Big Ten opener, going 15-0-3 in those matches.
• IU has won 11 Big Ten tournament titles, sharing the 1995 crown with Wisconsin.
• Indiana has also been crowned regular season champion 13 times, including nine-straight seasons from 1996-2004. IU won back-to-back regular season titles in 2006 and 2007.
• Indiana has been the league's goals-against average leader in 15 of 17 seasons, including 2007 when the Hoosiers allowed just two goals in six matches for a 0.31 GAA.
• IU has had a league-record 10 Big Ten Players of the Year, including two of the last three seasons.
• The Hoosiers have also boasted the Freshman of the Year three of the last four years, including Will Bruin in 2008.
BRING ON THE TOP 25
• Perhaps the Hoosiers should schedule nothing but top 25 teams as Indiana is 5-0-2 when playing a team that is ranked in the NSCAA/adidas top 25 at the time of the match.
• The Hoosiers tied then-No. 12 Akron, 0-0, tied then-No. 5 South Florida, 0-0, defeated then-No. 24 UCLA, 3-0; defeated then-No. 9 Notre Dame, 3-1, defeated then-No. 14 Louisville, 1-0, defeated then-No. 8 Northwestern, 2-0 and defeated No. 10 Michigan, 1-0.
• Even more impressive: The Hoosiers have shut out six of the seven top-25 teams it has faced, with only Notre Dame putting one in the net.
• Indiana also has wins over Duke (2-1), Butler (2-0) and Ohio State (3-2; 1-0), all teams that have been ranked at some point in the 2008 season.
SILENTLY MAKING NOISE
• Quietly making a big impact in the midfield has been sophomore Andy Adlard.
• After struggling to find a role on the field last season, Adlard has taken to his midfield role and has been an active part of the Indiana offense.
• Adlard contributed the game-winning score in back-to-back victories over No. 13 Louisville (1-0) and at Ohio State (3-2 in OT).
• He hit a penalty kick in regulation against the Cardinals, while it was a free kick just 1:19 into the first overtime period that gave him the winning score at OSU.
• Adlard also put home the game-winning score in a 1-0 overtime victory over Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
• Adlard also has goals against San Diego (2-1), UC Santa Barbara (1-2) and No. 9 Notre Dame (3-0).
• He added a pair of assists in a 2-0 win over No. 8 Northwestern on Nov. 7.
• Adlard is currently tied for the team lead in goals (six), and is tops in points (15) and shot attempts (55).
• After coming in off the bench in the first two matches, Adlard has started 18 straight.
• He is second on the squad with 26 on-goal looks.
• Adlard has also taken both of Indiana's penalty kick attempts this season, burying his shots against San Diego and Louisville.
MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME
• Indiana came racing out of the gates against No. 9 Notre Dame on Oct. 16, recording three first-half goals to take an insurmountable 3-1 lead into the locker room at the break.
• Entering the game the Hoosiers had scored just three first-half goals all season.
• Kevin Alston got the scoring started at 23:29, and Kevin Noschang followed with the game winner less than three minutes later.
• Andy Adlard closed out the scoring with his third goal of the season coming at 41:32.
• Indiana now holds a 10-9 advantage over its opponents in first-half goals. It also holds an 14-11 advantage in the second period and 4-0 advantage in overtime.
INDIANA IN THE BIG TEN
• The following is where Indiana ranks in the latest Big Ten statistics (as of 11/14):
TEAM
Shots: 2nd (327)
Goals: T-3rd (28)
Assists: 6th (17)
Goals Allowed: T-3rd (20)
Saves: 6th (64)
Shutouts: T-3rd (8)
INDIVIDUAL
Shots: Andy Adlard, 5th (55); Will Bruin, 6th (53)
Goals: Andy Adlard, T-7th (6); Will Bruin, T-7th (6)
Assists: Eric Alexander, T-9th (4)
Goals-Against Average: Chay Cain, 3rd (0.96)
Saves: Chay Cain, 4th (58)
Shutouts: Chay Cain, T-2nd (8)
RANKING THE HOOSIERS
• After closing the season with a 2-0 win over then-No. 8 Northwestern, Soccer America bumped Indiana six spots to the No. 16 slot.
• The Hoosiers moved up five spots to No. 18 in the NSCAA/adidas rankings.
• Indiana moved up two spots to No. 18 in the latest College Soccer News rankings.
• The Hoosiers moved up one spot to No. 16 in the Soccer Times rankings.
NCAA RPI RELEASED
• The NCAA released its third and final RPI rankings of the season for men's soccer on Nov. 11 and the Hoosiers are in the No. 3 spot.
• In the initial RPI ranking released on Oct. 12, the Hoosiers were No. 9. The second rankings came out on Oct. 28 with Indiana holding the No. 1 spot.
• Out of the seven Big Ten teams, four are ranked in the top 25 with Indiana joined by No. 6 Michigan, No. 12 Northwestern and No. 14 Michigan State.
• Of the remaining three teams, Ohio State No. 33, Wisconsin is No. 36 and Penn State No. 146.
• The Rating Percentage Index is a mathematical measurement of a team's strength.
• The NCAA tournament selection committee uses it to help determine which teams will receive at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament, as well as seeding in the tournament. The formula consists of a team's winning percentage against Division I opponents (25 percent), the opponents' strength of schedule (50 percent) and the opponents' opponents' strength of schedule (25 percent).
NCAA TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
• The NCAA will announce the 48-team field for the 2008 NCAA Tournament on Monday, Nov. 17.
• The announcement will be carried live on ESPNews from 6-6:30 p.m.
