Indiana University Athletics
Scheitrum: Here Come The Hoosiers
11/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 29, 2009
By Kevin Scheitrum
NCAA.com
If you're looking for a pivot point, the Penn State game's not a bad place to start.
Cut to a spot just shy of 39 minutes into the match in Bloomington, Ind. on Nov. 6, with No. 25 Penn State ahead, 1-0, and host Indiana 50 minutes away from missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1986.
To that point, Indiana had, by its usual standards, floundered. Sure, it had played one of the toughest schedules in American collegiate soccer: 12 of the Hoosiers' 18 opponents ended up making the NCAA Tournament. But, the problem was, the Hoosiers - the owners of seven national titles and an NCAA-record 17 College Cup appearances - hadn't won a whole lot. And now, down by a goal to a Penn State team that had proven itself one of the most dangerous teams in the nation, Indiana sat at 8-8-1 in its final regular season game.
A win would, by virtue of the Hoosiers' RPI, most likely earn them an at-large bid into the Tournament. A loss would, by virtue of a sub-.500 record, prolong an already vicious Bloomington winter.
But then came a game-tying goal from Lee Hagerdorn at 38:59 - just the third goal scored by the Hoosiers in the first half on the year. Then, 40 seconds into the second half, Daniel Kelly scored to put Indiana ahead. Over the next 45 minutes, the Hoosiers hung on, grinding their way into Tournament contention.
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