No. 13 Indiana Squares Off with Michigan St. Sunday
10/21/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 21, 2011
Join the Hoosier Army | Indiana vs. Michigan State - Match Notes 
| No. 13/10 Indiana (9-3-2, 2-1 B1G) vs. Michigan State (4-7-3, 1-2-1 B1G) | |
| Date | Sunday, October 23 |
| Time | 2 p.m. ET |
| Location | Jerry Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium (Bloomington, Ind.) |
| Live Stats | |
| Live Stream | Indiana vs. Michigan State |
| Match Notes | |
| Social Media | @IUMensSoccer |
SETTING THE SCENE
• Indiana rides a three-game win streak into Sunday's Big Ten matchup with Michigan State. • Indiana looks to remain in contention in the Big Ten race, which is led by 3-0 Wisconsin.
• The Hoosiers are riding the hot foot of freshman Eriq Zavaleta, who had four goals in his last three games and is now tied for the Big Ten lead in that category. • Indiana has lost just once to Michigan State Bloomington in 20 meetings (1-0 2OT in 2009).
NEWS AND NOTES • Indiana took its third win in a row and ninth overall with a 2-0 victory over Kentucky on Oct. 19.
• Indiana is now one game shy of matching its 2010 win total with four regular-season games remaining. • Battling cold temperatures and a horizontal rain, the Hoosiers broke a scoreless deadlock in the 56th minute as Eriq Zavaleta converted a penalty kick for his eighth goal of the season.
• Kentucky was called for a handball in the box, setting up what would be the game-winning score. • It is the third game-winning goal of the season for Zavaleta and second in the past week.
• Nikita Kotlov added an insurance score with a goal in the 82nd minute. His bomb from 35 yards out was his third goal of the season. • Kotlov earned his first start of the season in the match.
• Wind played a huge part in the game with Kentucky getting eight corner kicks with the wind at its back in the first half. That number reversed in the second half with the Hoosiers having a 7-0 corner kick advantage. • Goalkeeper Luis Soffner recorded his sixth solo shutout of the season. Indiana has seven team shutouts in 2011.
• Soffner has already topped his win total from 2010 with nine victories this season. • Indiana has already topped its shutout total from 2010, when it had just three clean sheets.
• Defender Tommy Meyer leads the squad in assists with six, while Harrison Petts is one behind with five. • Indiana's 26 goals have come from seven different players.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
• The Spartans are 4-7-3 overall and 1-2-1 in Big Ten play. Their lone win in the Big Ten came over Penn State (1-0). • Michigan State is coming off a 0-0 tie with Bowling Green on Wednesday afternoon.
• Michigan State has won two of its last four matches with victories over UW-Milwaukee and the Nittany Lions. The lone loss in that span was 1-0 at the hands of Wisconsin. • Adam Montague is the team's top goal scorer with three and is tied for the team lead in points with eight. Mark Barone also has eight points with two goals and four assists.
• The Spartans are in a bit of a scoring drought this season with just 13 goals, while allowing 14. • Goalkeeper Jeremy Clark has played all 1342 minutes, giving up 14 scores for a 0.94 GAA.
• The Spartans are out-shooting opponents 188-132 and have a 85-65 advantage in corner kicks. • Head coach Damon Rensing is in his third season at the helm of the program. He is assisted by Kylie Stannard and Ben Pirmann.
SERIES HISTORY • The Hoosiers lead the all-time series, 35-4-2.
• Three of Michigan State's four wins in the series came in a two-year period in 2008 and 2009. The Hoosiers snapped a three-game losing streak to the Spartans last season with a 3-0 win in East Lansing. • Michigan State's first win in the series, which dates back to 1974, did not come until the 2004 season.
• Will Bruin had two goals and an assist for the Hoosiers in last year's win, while Joe Tolen added a goal and an assist. Alec Purdie also had an assist in the game. • In each of the last six meetings between the schools, the losing team has been shut out.
FOLLOW THE HOOSIERS ON TWITTER
For all the latest IU men's soccer news, follow the Hoosiers on Twitter at @IUMensSoccer.
FRESHMAN IMPACT
• The Hoosiers are getting key contributions from several players who are donning the cream and crimson for the first time in 2011. • Forward Eriq Zavaleta is making his case for Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. Zavaleta leads the team in goals scored with eight.
• He is tied for the Big Ten lead in goals scored with eight and leads the league in points (18) and points per game (1.29). • His eight goals have come on just 30 shots, and he has started all 14 matches. His eight goals are also the most by an IU freshman since Matt Fundenberger had 13 as a freshman in 1997.
• Freshman midfielder Patrick Doody has appeared in 10 games for IU. While he has not yet found the back of the net, Doody has been a key player for Indiana off the bench as they have gone 7-1-2 in his appearances. • Kerel Bradford redshirted in 2010 and is making the most of his first season on the pitch at IU. Bradford has started all 14 matches and has been a key cog for the Hoosiers in the midfield.
ZAVALETA EARNS NATIONAL HONORS • Freshman Eriq Zavaleta has earned national honors for the second time this season as he was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and to the College Soccer News Team of the Week, Soccer America Team of the Week and the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week on Oct. 17.
• Zavaleta earns the recognition after tallying three goals in a two-match span for the Hoosiers. He netted the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Butler on Oct. 12, and added a pair of scores in a 4-1 win at Michigan on Oct. 15. • The two goals vs. Michigan give Zavaleta his first career multiple-goal game.
• Indiana moved up five spots to No. 10 in this week's Soccer America poll and up five spots to No. 13 in the NSCAA top 25. • The Hoosiers remain at No. 18 in the College Soccer News top-30. IU moves up three spots to No. 14 in the week 9 Top Drawer Soccer Tournament 48.
NCAA RPI • The first NCAA RPI list came out on Oct. 18 and the Hoosiers lead the Big Ten at No. 19.
• Other Big Ten RPI numbers: Wisconsin 22, Ohio State 63, Northwestern 65, Michigan State 87, Penn State 120, Michigan 149.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Eriq Zavaleta's eight goals is the most by a freshman since Matt Fundenberger had 13 in 1997. • The Hoosiers' 18 shots against Butler was just one off its season high (19-Dayton).
• 54 percent (6/11) of Indiana's starting lineup is either a freshman or sophomore. In addition, the first two players off the bench are also sophomores. • Indiana has 27 assists on 26 goals this season.
• Indiana is out-scoring its opponents 12-4 in the first half. • The Hoosiers have scored 12 goals in the first half and 14 goals in the second halrf so far this year. • Twelve different players have scored points for IU this year.
• Purdie has topped his previous career best for goals in a season with seven so far this year. He had three in 2010, and five total for his career entering the 2011 season. • The Hoosiers have scored nine of their 26 goals within the first 30 minutes of the match this season. Five of those have come within the first 20 minutes of play.
• Indiana has been limited to single digits in shot attempts twice this season (at St. John's, Creighton). • The Hoosiers have been held scoreless in the first half for four-straight matches (Creighton, Butler, Michigan, Kentucky).
• Indiana has earned seven Big Ten Player of the Week awards so far this season. That is more than the 2009 (1) and 2010 (4) seasons combined. • Indiana is averaging 2,521 fans per home match this season.
HOOSIERS IN THE BIG TEN (as of 10/20) • The Hoosiers are at or near the top of the standings in several Big Ten statistical categories.
• Eriq Zavaleta leads the Big Ten in points with 18 and points per game with 1.29. He is tied for the conference lead in goals scored (8) and goals per game (0.57). • Alec Purdie is tied for second in points (16), points per game (1.14) and is third in goals (7) and goals per game (0.50).
• Purdie leads the conference in game-winning goals with four, while Zavaleta is second with three. • Tommy Meyer is second in assists (6) and assists per game (0.43), while Harrison Petts is third with five. Chris Estridge is tied for fourth with four assists, while A.J. Corrado is tied for eighth with three.
• Goalkeeper Luis Soffner leads the Big Ten in save percentage (.831) and is third in goals against average (0.77(. He ranks second in saves (54) and saves per game (3.86) and is third in shutouts (5) and shutouts per game (0.43).
OFFENSIVE DEFENDER
• While known as a lights-out defender and a top professional prospect, senior centerback Tommy Meyer has found his offensive side this season. • Meyer has found himself much more involved in the offense this year and leads the team with six assists.
• Meyer had a pair of assists in the 6-0 win over Dayton on Sept. 4 and added two more in a 2-0 win at Rutgers on Sept. 18. • His fifth assist of the year came on Eriq Zavaleta's goal vs. No. 11 Louisville. He also assisted on Nikita Kotlov's goal in a 4-1 win at Michigan on Oct. 15.
• His six assists rank Meyer second in the Big Ten Conference, as well as his 0.43 assists per game average.
NEW TO ME...AND YOU
• While they may not be freshmen, these key players are new faces for Hoosier fans in 2011. • Sophomore A.J. Corrado came to Indiana from SMU in the spring of 2010, and the Hoosier native has had an immediate impact.
• Corrado's first career goal came in a 2-0 win at Rutgers on Sept. 18. Appearing in all 14 matches, he also has assisted on the game-winning goal vs. No. 16 Penn State, and had a pair of assists in a 6-0 win over Dayton on Sept. 4. • Corrado is from Zionsville, Ind. and played alongside sophomore Harrison Petts at Zionsville Community HS.
• Sophomore Jamie Vollmer is in his first year at IU after spending 2010 at Butler. Vollmer has appeared in all 14 matches, with 13 starts, and has one assist on the season. • The midfielder is best known for his long throw-ins that have incredible accuracy and come in to play in the box each time.
OH...OVERTIME • Extra minutes have not been kind to the Hoosiers this season as they are 0-1-2 in overtime contests.
• Indiana started the season with a 0-0 double overtime tie at No. 12 Notre Dame on Aug. 27. The Hoosiers were also held without a goal in extra time in a 0-0 double overtime tie at No. 16 St. John's on Sept. 16. • Their first loss in overtime came on Oct. 5, a 3-2 defeat at the hands of No. 11 Louisville. Indiana held a 2-0 lead until the 73rd minute, when the Cardinals fired off two quick goals to tie the match, then scored the game-winning goal less than five minutes into overtime.
• Indiana is 6-7-15 in overtime matches over the last five seasons.
Players Mentioned
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