Oct. 29, 2005

Box Score

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - It was two of college soccer's premier programs on one of college soccer's premier stages, and the match lived up to its billings. The two-time defending national champion Indiana men's soccer team displayed the heart of a champion, coming back from a 3-0 deficit to tie third-ranked Maryland at three in front of a Ludwig Field-record crowd of 6,203. The three-goal comeback in the final 17 minutes of action culminated in a sophomore Greg Stevning header with just five seconds remaining on the clock. The result moved the fifth-ranked Hoosiers to 10-1-6 on the season, including a 6-0-4 record on the road, while Maryland went to 13-3-1.

"I am proud of the boys," Indiana head coach Mike Freitag said. "We challenged them at halftime to make the second half theirs, and they did just that. They displayed the heart of a champion. This was a very tough environment to play in. It was senior night for Maryland, and they had a record crowd. We were tentative in the first half, but we responded and got a tie. I do not like ties, but this was a great college soccer match."

Trailing 3-0 with under 20 minutes remaining in the match, things looked bleak for the Hoosiers. Indiana drew within two on junior Jacob Peterson's ninth goal of the season in the 74th minute. Freshman forward Lee Nguyen beat a defender on the right flank and dribbled into the box. The Richardson, Texas, native sent a cross that ended up on the back post where Peterson hammered it home.

It was again Nguyen wreaking havoc on the Terrapin defense. He created the chance that resulted in the Hoosiers' second goal, drawing them within one at 3-2 with just over 15 minutes remaining. In similar fashion to the opening Hoosier marker, Nguyen found space in the right side of the 18. He sent a centering cross that appeared to be intended for senior midfielder Mike Ambersley, who like Peterson on the first IU goal, was on the back post. Instead of finding Ambersley, the ball deflected off a Maryland defender and rolled just inside the left post.

Nguyen tried to even it himself six minutes later. He unleashed a shot from 25 yards out, but Maryland freshman goalkeeper Chris Seitz make a sprawling save to deny the chance. The attempt came on the counter after a few nervous moments in front of the Hoosier net that were thwarted by sophomore goalkeeper Chris Munroe.

With precious seconds coming off, it looked as though the Indiana comeback attempt would fall painstakingly short. After a throw-in by freshman Brad Ring was cleared out for a corner kick, the Hoosiers scrambled to get the opportunity off. Junior midfielder John Michael Hayden placed the ball down, and Nguyen took the corner after sprinting from the far side of the field. His cross to the left corner of the six found the head of sophomore back Greg Stevning, who headed the ball on net. The shot was nearly cleared by the Maryland defense, but the ball caromed off the crossbar, down and in, evening the match at three with just five seconds remaining on the clock. It was Stevning's first goal on the season.

The assist was Nguyen's second of the match and 10th of the season. It also was his second multi-assist game of the season. His assist total is just one short of tying the Hoosier freshman record. The record of 11 is held by current Hoosier assistant coach Todd Yeagley set during the 1991 season.

"Lee was big for us tonight," Freitag said. "He is a dangerous player and proved it tonight. Lee had a hand in all three of our goals, and he is having an exceptional freshman season."

The first quality chance of the overtime came from Maryland in the 92nd minute. A nice centering pass from the right flank found Terp senior forward Jason Garey. He chested the ball down and hit a shot toward the right post, but Munroe was there to push the shot wide and out for a corner. It was Munroe's third and final save of the evening.

Nguyen took the first chance in the 96th minute for the Hoosiers. Peterson settled a ball to Nguyen 30 yards from net on the right side. After a couple touches, the freshman forward ripped a shot just high over the goal.

With just under seven minutes remaining in the second OT, Nguyen found Ambersley in the middle of the pitch. The Ballwin, Mo., native settled the ball and hit a shot on net that was corralled by the Maryland goalkeeper.

With just 35 second remaining, it appeared the Hoosiers would score the game-winner and earn a magical victory. Junior midfielder Josh Tudela broke free on the left side of the field, 35 yards from goal. He dribbled into the box before sending a centering cross to Nguyen. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year candidate had an open net, but lifted the shot just high over the goal to negate the chance. In the overtime periods, Indiana outshot Maryland, 4-2.

The Hoosiers looked as though they would be on the attack from the get-go. Ambersley dribbled through the middle of the Maryland defense after the opening kick. He hit a shot on net from 30 yards out, but the attempt was smothered by Terp goalkeeper Chris Seitz just seven seconds into the affair.

It would be the Terrapins who would strike first in the affair. In the seventh minute, Terp senior defender Chris Lancos cut back to the middle of the pitch and found Garey in the box. The Terp's top scorer took a settling touch before bicycling it in to the lower left corner from 10 yards out, putting Maryland up 1-0.

Just over two minutes later, Nguyen was fouled just outside the 18-yard box. In a spot similar to the place where he scored from in the national semifinal, senior midfielder Brian Plotkin took the free kick and placed it just high over the net.

Maryland narrowly missed making it 2-0 in the 13th minute. A throw-in from senior defender Kenney Bertz went to freshman Robbie Rogers on the right side of the 18. Rogers cut back and sent a low liner to the far post. The shot turned pass and just missed Garey who was a half a step late as the ball went out for a goal kick.

Five minutes later, the Hoosiers had a chance on the counter. Junior back Jed Zayner found Plotkin down the middle of the field on a run. The Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy candidate continued his run up the middle before cutting a pass back to the right to a streaking Peterson. The Portage, Mich., native lifted a shot high and wide of the right post.

In the 24th minute, Lancos took a free kick from 25 yards out on the right side for Maryland. He bent it around the right side of the wall to the right post. Munroe was there to make a diving save to force the ball wide of the net.

The Terrapins would make it 2-0 six minutes later, and it was again Garey on the goal. Sophomore midfielder Spencer Allen served the ball down the right flank to Garey on a run. With Munroe coming out and Zayner coming from the left, Garey sent a bending shot that started outside the near post before crossing the goal line on the left side of the box. It was his 18th goal of the season.

Seven minutes later, the Hoosiers nearly drew within one. Ambersley sent a pass to Tudela leading him into the left side of the box. The Evansville, Ind., native cut back to the center and sent a shot to the near post that was blocked out by Terp goalkeeper Seitz.

The Terrapins continued their barrage, making it 3-0 with just under six minutes remaining in the opening half. Bertz sent a long throw-in into the box that found the foot of sophomore midfielder Stephen King, who finished to the upper 90. It marked the first time since Sept. 7, 2002 that Indiana had allowed three tallies in a game. On that date, the Hoosiers gave up a trio of markers in a 3-0 loss at St. John's.

Maryland had a chance to extend its lead out of the locker room. Just under two minutes into the second half, Bertz hit a header to the far post off a corner kick. The shot had Munroe beaten, but the Hoosier defense was there with junior midfielder John Michael Hayden clearing it off the line.

Less than four minutes into the second stanza, Peterson made a nice run up the right side and sent a centering pass. Ambersley got a touch on the ball, but not enough to force it across the line as it rolled along the goal line before hitting the right post. Senior midfielder Jordan Chirico made a charging run to attempt to push the ball into the corner, but the Maryland defense was able to push the ball out for a corner.

In the 68th and 69th minutes, the Hoosiers had a quartet of chances but could not find the back of the net. After a ball was cleared out of the Terp box, freshman Brad Ring hit a low liner from 20 yards out on the right side that was deflected just wide of the near post by the Maryland defense. On the ensuing corner, Plotkin headed a ball back across the middle of the six-yard box. It narrowly missed the head of Zayner and was punched out by the Maryland goalkeeper. The ball ended up with Hayden, who sent a bending shot to the left post, but the attempt was deflected wide by the Terrapins, resulting in another corner. Nguyen sent corner to the middle of the box that found Zayner's head, but his shot went wide of the right post.

The matchup between two of the nation's top five scoring offenses lived up to its expectations. Maryland entered the mach ranked third nationally at 2.94 goals per game, while the Hoosiers were fifth at 2.81 per contest. In the up-and-down offensive match, the Hoosiers outshot the Terrapins, 18-14.

The Hoosiers return to the friendly confines of Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium for Senior Night on Thursday, Nov. 3. Indiana will host top-ranked Akron at 7 p.m., where seniors Mike Ambersley, Jordan Chirico and Brian Plotkin will be recognized for their contributions to the Hoosier tradition.