Big Ten Network : Men's Soccer Top Stories

Hoosiers beat Louisville to advance

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:21:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Playing against his hometown team, Indiana senior and Louisville native Darren Yeagle recorded his first career multiple goal game with two scores as the Hoosiers defeated Louisville, 2-0, in the first round of the 2009 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship Thursday night on Jerry Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium. Indiana (11-9-1) will play host to No. 12 seed Butler on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Armstrong Stadium. Louisville ends its season at 13-3-4. The win marked Indiana's 75th NCAA Tournament victory (75-24-4) and it is now 27-4-1 in NCAA Tournament openers. "This is the way it is supposed to feel," said head coach Mike Freitag. "We played as a team, we followed the game plan and everybody did their job. We fought, and that is a very good team we beat. It is a team I admired this year. "I thought we defended very well today. They had possession, but they didn't get a whole lot of shots on goal." Yeagle's game-winner came at exactly 57:00 when he poked a header into the lower left past U of L goalkeeper Andre Boudreaux. The play began with a run up the right side from Lee Hagedorn, who then dished off to Ofori Sarkodie who has made a run forward from his backline position. Sarkodie lofted a perfect serve to Yeagle, who was all alone on the back post. "I love it,"" Yeagle said. "I am glad it was Louisville. I haven't been able to play them since my freshman year. I scored on them, but then I was hurt and didn't play much in the last game. It felt good getting that goal."" "We've played each other so many times, and Ken Lolla and Brian Maisonneuve are talented coaches and they had their team prepared,"" Sarkodie said. Yeagle's second goal of the match and fifth score of the season came with under three minutes left in the match off a feed from Eric Alexander. Alexander played the ball up to Yeagle on the left side, and he slotted it under the keeper for the decisive score. ""I looked up and there was no one close to me so I took it to goal,"" Yeagle said. ""I saw Will (Bruin) making a back post run and the guy committed to him, so I just slotted it to the far post and it went under the goalie. It wasn't a great shot, but it went in."" Coming in off the bench in the first half, Yeagle finished with two shots. The game marked a decisive turnaround from the meeting between the schools during the regular season as the Hoosiers fell 4-0 to the Cardinals in Louisville on Oct. 21. Indiana now leads the all-time series with Louisville 16-2. "We just didn't come to play that night," Yeagle said. "We knew tonight the first 15 minutes were going to be a deciding factor." The first half was relatively uneventful for both squads as IU held a slight 5-4 advantage in shot attempts. With 22 minutes to go, Andy Adlard made a run before laying off the ball to Will Bruin, who sent his attempt wide right. Just two minutes later, Louisville had a dangerous attempt when Mark Knight took on IU goalkeeper Luis Soffner 1v1, but Soffner came up with the save, one of two on the night for the freshman. Soffner picked up his eighth shutout of the season. "Our defense was playing well enough but with all (Louisville's) crosses I knew tonight was a night I had to be aggressive in the back,"" Soffner said. ""I didn't want anything to fall in between the penalty spot and the six-yard box. My mindset going into it was to be more aggressive and I know I had a lot of balls in the air." With six minutes to go in the first half, Bruin nailed a header off an Adlard corner kick that just went high to deny the Hoosiers the score. Bruin finished with a team-best seven shots, two of which were on frame. With Indiana clinging to a 1-0 lead and 31:50 left to play in regulation, sophomore defender made a goal-saving sliding block on a shot from Louisville's Colin Rolfe that kept the Cardinals off the board. Indiana has now posted nine shutouts this season.

Big Ten champ OSU, 4 others, make NCAA tourney

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:00:00 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Fresh off winning the Big Ten regular-season and tournament championships, the Ohio State men's soccer team earned the fourth seed in the NCAA Tournament, announced Monday on ESPNews. Big Ten rivals Indiana, Michigan State, Northwestern and Penn State join the Buckeyes in the field. With its highest seed in program history, Ohio State a bye in the first round and will face the winner of Drake vs. Western Illinois Sunday. The time will be announced later this week. "To get a top seed is recognition of the season we have had and the run we had at the end of the season," head coach John Bluem said. "With winning the Big Ten regular season and tournament championships, beating the teams that we did at the end of the season, the RPI just kept get better and better." On the opposite side of the bracket, Boston College and Dartmouth face off in the first round and then take on 13th-seeded St. John's, winner of the Big East Tournament. Undefeated Akron earned the overall No. 1 seed in the tournament, followed by Virginia and Wake Forest with the second and third spots, respectively. With a Top 4 seed, teams earn the right to host through the first four rounds of competition as long as it keeps winning. The Buckeyes are on a four-game winning streak, including two wins as the top seed in the Big Ten Tournament against Indiana and Penn State. With the semifinal win over the Hoosiers, they became the first team to beat IU on its home field twice in one season after having done so just 12 days earlier. Also included in the winning streak of late was a regular-season finale victory against Michigan to clinch the Big Ten Championship. "I'm dumbfounded right now," senior captain Doug Verhoff said. "It's unbelievable how in the middle of the year we were talking about hopefully making the tournament and jumping back on the right track with things. I think a lot of teams -- we had this my sophomore year when we had that run -- a big loss gets to you, and I think our Northwestern loss and our Wisconsin loss kind of got under our skin a little bit and woke us up and since then we've been on the right track." Bluem echoed Verhoff's sentiments on the Wisconsin loss. "We lost that game at Wisconsin and then we won four-straight games against the best teams on our schedule," Bluem said. "The team has found a nice rhythm and the wins have just improved the confidence and belief that the team has in itself to a very good level. At the same time, we are working with them to keep their heads on straight and take it one game at a time." This is the third-consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament and seventh overall for the Ohio State men's soccer program, all of which have come under Bluem's reign. As the No. 5 seed, the Buckeyes advanced to the College Cup final in 2007 before falling to Wake Forest. The previous best finish was a trip to the third round in 2004 where they fell to eventual semifinalist Duke. Tickets for all rounds of NCAA competition hosted by Ohio State will be $5 for adults and $3 for children 18 and younger. Stay tuned to OhioStateBuckeyes.com for the second-round game time.

Penn State defeats Michigan State to advance to finals

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:01:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Sophomore forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) dazzled under the postseason spotlight, scoring three goals to lead the Penn State men's soccer team (12-6-2) to a 3-0 victory over Michigan State (11-7-2) in a Big Ten Tournament semifinal match-up on Friday. With the win, Penn State advances to play Big Ten champion Ohio State (11-4-4), who knocked off No. 4 seed Indiana 4-2 earlier in the day, for the tournament title at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the host Hoosiers' Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The showdown of the tournament's top two seeds will be televised live on the Big Ten Network. Hertzog, who was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team on Wednesday, notched his first career hat trick to send the Nittany Lions to its first Big Ten Tournament final since 2005. He leads Penn State with 11 goals and has totaled 28 points, the most by a Nittany Lion since Chad Severs posted 37 in 2002. Junior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), one of PSU's three First Team All-Big Ten selections in 2009, registered his team-best sixth and seventh assists and senior midfielder Frank Costigliola (Dix Hills, N.Y.) tallied his third assist of the season. Penn State claimed a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute on an excellent give-and-go play between Hertzog and Braga. Positioned at the top of box, Hertzog held the ball and then sent it wide to an unmarked Braga. The junior midfielder took the ball to the end line and then crossed it. A Michigan State defender attempted to clear the ball but it went to Hertzog, who tipped it up into net. Ten minutes later, the Nittany Lions used a set piece to extend their advantage and notch Corey Hertzog's second goal. Frank Costigliola started the scoring play when he lined up for a free kick on the far left wing from 30 yards out. He sent a looping, curving pass into the box, where a cutting Hertzog flicked it into net off his head past frozen Michigan State goalkeeper Avery Steinlage. Michigan State nearly got back into the game in the final minutes of the half with two good scoring opportunities. With 4:04 remaining, forward Ruben Bega had a 20-yard blast bounce off the post and Spencer Thompson's hard, slicing shot with just over a minute left in the half was snagged by a fully-extended Warren Gross. The Spartans continued the offensive pressure in the second half attempting to cut into Penn State's lead. In the 63rd minute, Jake Fullerton redirected a throw in but his surprising shot from 10 yards out was corralled by a prepared Gross. The Nittany Lions had a prime opportunity to go up by three in the 75th minute, but a 22-yard rocket off the right foot of sophomore midfielder Matt Smallwood (Cochranville, Pa.) clanked off the crossbar. However, just over a minute later Penn State was able to gain that advantage with the capper to Hertzog's hat trick. Near midfield, Matheus Braga won a ball and spotted an unmarked Hertzog streaking down the right wing. He took the pass and moved in closer to bring out the goalkeeper. After Steinlage committed, Hertzog cut to the middle of the field and beat a retreating Michigan State defender and put the ball into an open net. Playing without starters Mark Fetrow (West Chester, Pa.), who was serving a red card suspension, and Andy Parr (Hummelstown, Pa.), who was sidelined by a knee injury, the defense performed brilliantly. Sophomore Patrick Krispin (The Woodlands, Texas), the hero from Thursday's double overtime win over Michigan, and freshman Brian Forgue (Glenmoore, Pa.) filled in capably, helping the defense not miss a beat. Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Warren Gross (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) made five saves en route to his ninth shutout of the season, the most by a Nittany Lion since Conrad Taylor had 10 in 2005. Gross is now tied for fourth all-time on Penn State's season shutouts list. Penn State will face Ohio State for the Big Ten title on Sunday for the first time since 2000 when the Buckeyes were 3-2 victors in Columbus. The Nittany Lions are 4-1 versus Ohio State in Big Ten tournament games and hold a 24-12-4 all-time record in the conference postseason event.

Top-seeded OSU beats PSU, wins Big Ten crown

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:15:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Ohio State men's soccer team is making a case for the renaming of the Hoosier city to Bluem-ington. Head coach John Bluem and the No. 25-ranked and top-seeded Buckeyes captured the 2009 Big Ten Tournament title with a 1-0 win over Penn State Sunday afternoon on Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium. David Tiemstra scored the game-winning goal with 43 seconds remaining in regulation to give Ohio State its second tourney title in three years and its third overall, as well as the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes are now 12-4-4 on the season, while Penn State drops to 12-7-2. "I am breathless. What a hard fought game," Bluem said. "We did not have a good first half today. Penn State, to their credit, were very good all day long today. They gave us fits. They shut us down completely. It took a great effort by Tiemstra to steal a win. I was already thinking about penalty kicks." Tiemstra, a native of Clarendon Hills, Ill., also scored the game-winner vs. Michigan to lead the Buckeyes to the regular-season championship Nov. 7. This is the first time in program history Ohio State has won both the regular-season and tournament championships. Tiemstra and Doug Verhoff were named to the All-Big Ten Tournament Team, while Verhoff earned Defensive Most Valuable Player honors. Penn State's Jason Hertzog was the offensive MVP after netting a hat trick to lead the Nittany Lions over Michigan State in the semifinal. The Buckeyes will find out their NCAA Tournament fate at 5:30 p.m. Monday. The selection show will air live on ESPNews. This will mark Ohio State's seventh appearance in the national tournament, all coming under Bluem's reign.

Buckeyes down Hoosiers to advance

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:13:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Ohio State Buckeyes advanced to the finals of the Big Ten Tournament with a 4-2 victory over the host Indiana Hoosiers. The Buckeyes got a goal and an assist out of Konrad Warzycha, and they are just the second team on the season to post four goals against the Hoosiers. Ohio State moves to 11-4-4 on the season and Indiana falls to 10-9-1. In the fifth minute, Andy Adlard notched his fifth goal of the season on a Daniel Kelly assist giving the Hoosiers the early lead. Kelly's pass into the box was met by Adlard all alone with just the keeper to beat. Adlard sent a shot to the lower right for Indiana's fourth first-half goal on the year and the second-fastest score for the Hoosiers in 2009, as Darren Yeagle scored at the 3:19 mark against Butler. In the 14th minute, Andrew Magill of the Buckeyes made a sliding kick on a Chris Hegngi cross to knot things up. Magill's second goal of the season is his first since a September matchup with Hofstra. At the 30:48 mark, Ohio State grabbed the lead on a Sam Scales tally. Scales' second score of the season came when Konrad Warzycha sent a cross in front of the net, where Scales was waiting to put it home. In the 39th minute, Warzycha sent a laser from 25 yards out. Warzycha scored unassisted as he sent the shot in after picking up a loose ball. In the 48th minute, Will Bruin notched his eighth goal of the season and his second of the tournament to pull the Hoosiers to within one. Lee Hagedorn gets the assist on the goal, as it came on a rebound of his shot. Bruin sent the ball into the lower left. The tally marked the third straight game that the Hoosiers have scored within the first five minutes of the second half. The game is the first of the season where the Hoosiers posted two scores in a loss. In the 50th minute, Joe Moore scored his first goal of the season to restore the Buckeye lead to two. A Buckeye corner kick bounced around before Moore gained control and sent it home. The fourth Buckeye score marked the second time a team had four tallies against the Hoosiers this season, as Louisville completed the feat earlier this season.

Penn State beats Michigan in 2 OT

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:12:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Sophomore defender Patrick Krispin (The Woodlands, Texas) played the unlikely hero for No. 2 seed Penn State (11-6-2) on Thursday afternoon, scoring his first career goal to lift the Nittany Lions to a 1-0 double overtime victory over No. 7 seeded Michigan (10-7-1) in an opening round match-up of the 2009 Big Ten Tournament. With the win, Penn State advances to play sixth-seeded Michigan State (11-6-2), who downed No. 3 seed Northwestern 1-0 earlier in the day, at 4:30 p.m. on Friday at host Indiana University's Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The semifinal game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network. The game winner came in the 106th minute, generated off a corner kick from Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). The junior midfielder sent his kick into the box, where it was sent back out by a Michigan defender. Krispin, positioned on the left wing, had the ball come to him. He immediately fired a left-footed bullet from 24 yards out that found its way through the defensive clutter and into net far post, past a diving Michigan goalkeeper. For Krispin, who has played in 15 games this season with three starts, the goal was not only the first as a Nittany Lion but was just his fifth shot of the year. His powerful shot and dead-on aim should come as no surprise, as the Texas native was recruited as a forward but made the successful conversion to defense late last season. Krispin was in the line-up in relief of starting left back Andy Parr (Hummelstown, Pa.), who left the game in the second half with an injury. Penn State outshot Michigan for the game, 25-10, and held a 9-5 advantage in shots on goal. Sophomore forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) led all players with seven shots, including three on frame. Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Warren Gross (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) recorded four saves en route to his eighth shutout of the season. Penn State got off to a shaky start to the game, struggling to gain possession early on. Michigan used that to its advantage, using two corner kicks to keep the ball in the PSU end, resulting in threatening but failed scoring opportunities from Jeff Quijano and Mauro Fuzetti. However, the Nittany Lions soon began to get organized and found their rhythm as the half wore on, leading to several excellent chances, particularly by sophomore forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.). In the sixth minute, after a pretty passing combination involving Andy Parr (Hummelstown, Pa.) and Drew Cost (West Chester, Pa.), Hertzog tracked the ball down on the right wing. However, his angle was bad and his shot was hauled in by Michigan goalkeeper Chris Blais. Penn State's best chance came with 16:50 remaining in the half when a deep pass was served into the box where senior forward Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) was positioned. He headed a pass to Hertzog, who was alone on the left wing. His arcing shot of his knee tipped downward off the crossbar but was quickly cleared by the Michigan defense. The Nittany Lions remained in control in the early going of the second half. Just minutes in, Patrick Krispin served a pass into the box that Corey Hertzog controlled and then pushed to Drew Cost. Trying to get a foot on the bounding pass, Cost mishit it and it trickled to a Michigan defender, who cleared the ball. The landscape in addition to the pace of the game was permanently altered with 37:41 remaining in regulation when a scuffle near midfield between the teams resulted in red cards being issued to Michigan's Justin Meram and Penn State's Mark Fetrow (West Chester, Pa). Both squads played 10-on-10 soccer for the remainder of the game. Gross (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) did his defensive duty to keep the contest scoreless in the 54th minute with an athletic save. He tracked down a shot from the head of Hamoody Saad, jumping high to snag the ball out of the air. Hertzog nearly resolved the issue with just over two minutes remaining in the game. Off a corner kick, he had an uncontrolled ball come to him on the far post. Unmarked, he put a shot on an open goal that was kicked away by Michigan defender Julian Robles, who was posted on the back line. Another prime opportunity came to the Nittany Lions with less than a minute left on the clock. Near midfield, Drew Cost played a through ball, targeting Corey Hertzog who was on a run just outside the top of the box. His attempt to get a foot on the ball and disrupt its path just missed and the Cost shot went wide. Penn State dodged a major bullet in the first overtime to stay alive and set the stage for Krispin's heroics. After a misclear by the Nittany Lion defense off a Michigan free kick, Mauro Fuzetti had a clear shooting path to the goal, but his shot lifted high of net. With the victory, Penn State owns a 3-0 mark versus Michigan and a 23-12-4 all-time record in Big Ten championship play.

IU tops Wisconsin to advance

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:56:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Second-half goals from Will Bruin and Darren Yeagle propelled the Hoosiers to a 2-0 victory over Wisconsin (7-9-2) in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament Thursday afternoon on Jerry Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium. Indiana (10-8-1), the fifth seed in the tournament, will face top seed Ohio State at 2 p.m. ET Friday in a match that will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network. "We had a real good week of practice," said head coach Mike Freitag. "Since the insertion of DK (Daniel Kelly) up top, it has taken a little pressure off Will and it gives us better balance up there. I think they are going to score some goals. "The pieces are starting to fall into place. It would be nice to have all the pieces, but without Tommy today, I thought (Ofori Sarkodie) and Rich (Balchan) did a great job in the middle in the back. The whole back line, Matt (Wiet) and (Lee Hagedorn) also. It was a good team effort." Bruin's seventh goal of the season came just 20 seconds into the second half, giving him a team-leading seven on the season. Midfielder Eric Alexander played the ball up to Bruin, and the speedy sophomore ripped a shot from 23 yards out that hit the lower left past a diving Alex Horwath. Bruin had a team-best seven shots on the day. He also had the game winner in the regular season 1-0 win over the Badgers. "We had a good sequence on the left wing and (Eric Alexander) played it in to me, then I didn't feel anyone on my back so I turned and took a touch and hit it in the corner," Bruin said. Indiana added an insurance goal in the 68th minute from Yeagle on a play that began with a run by Bruin. Bruin took the ball down the field on a counter, taking on three Wisconsin defenders before dishing off to Yeagle. Horwath stopped Yeagle's first shot, but the rebound went right back to Yeagle who tapped it home for his third score of the season. Indiana began the match strong, winning five corner kicks in an eight-minute period but could not convert. Fourteen minutes into the match Lee Hagedorn played a ball to an open Alexander who chipped his shot just high. The Hoosiers finished the first half with an 8-3 advantage in shots and would go on to finish the game up 22-7 in the shot tally. Alexander and Yeagle had four each, along with two from Hagedorn and Nick Blevins. Indiana was playing without the services of central defender Tommy Meyer, who missed the game after receiving a red card in the win over Penn State last Friday. Junior Rich Balchan stepped into the central defense role, and the Hoosiers picked up their eighth shutout of the season. Freshman Luis Soffner earned the start in goal and tallied his seventh shutout of the season, making just one save in the victory. In other quarterfinal action, No. 6 seed Michigan State defeated No. 3 seed Northwestern, 1-0, and No. 2 seed Penn State defeated No. 7 seed Michigan, 1-0 in double overtime.

Spartans advance in men's tourney

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:37:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Michigan State downed Northwestern to advance to second round action at the Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans picked up a goal in the second half and got solid play in goal from Avery Steinlage to defeat the Wildcats. MSU moves to 11-6-2 on the year, while Northwestern falls to 10-4-4. In the 52nd minute, Tim Granaderos of Michigan State broke the scoreless tie with a shot to the lower left net on a Stephen Lucianke pass. The goal is the second of the season for Granaderos. With 30:23 left in the game, referee Pawel Wydra was injured and replaced by Miguel Panduro Jr. in the middle, and Cien Asoera took over as assistant referee.

Fall championships to air on Big Ten Network

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:25:00 +0000

Fall championships to air on Big Ten Network

Ohio State earns first-ever No. 1 tourney seed

Sun, 8 Nov 2009 16:03:00 +0000

PARK RIDGE, Ill. - Ohio State captured the Big Ten regular-season Championship after defeating border-rival Michigan in front of a home crowd at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on Saturday evening. With the win, the Buckeyes earn their first-ever No. 1 seed and an automatic spot in the semifinals in the 2009 Big Ten Men's Soccer Tournament. The postseason event will be held on the Indiana University campus in Bloomington, Ind., with opening round matchups slated for Thursday, Nov. 12, semifinals contested on Friday, Nov. 13, and the championship game played on Sunday, Nov. 15. The tournament champion will earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. The Big Ten Championship is the Buckeyes' third overall and second in the past three seasons. The Scarlet and Gray complete the conference slate with a 4-2 ledger, leaping over Penn State in the Big Ten standings by virtue of its 1-0 victory over Michigan on Saturday to clinch the title outright. At 3-2-1 in the conference, Penn State and Northwestern finished in a tie for second place, earning No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, respectively in the conference tournament. NU will face defending Big Ten champion and sixth-seeded Michigan State in the tournament opener at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday. The contest will mark the second meeting between the two teams in as many weeks with the last matchup resulting in a 1-0 decision in favor of the Wildcats on Saturday. Tournament host Indiana occupies the No. 4 seed in the bracket and will face No. 5-seeded Wisconsin at 12:30 p.m. ET in Thursday's second quarterfinal matchup. The Hoosiers, who denied Penn State sole possession of the conference crown with a 2-1 triumph on Friday evening, proved victorious in their first meeting against the Badgers on Sept. 25. Quarterfinal action will conclude with second-seeded Penn State taking on No. 7 seed Michigan at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday. The two teams last faced off on the opening weekend of Big Ten play with the Nittany Lions coming away with a 2-0 victory. The top-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes will await the winner of the 4/5 matchup between Indiana and Wisconsin in Friday's first semifinal at 2 p.m. ET. The second semifinal will pit the winner of Northwestern-Michigan State and Penn State-Michigan at approximately 4:30 p.m. ET. The tournament championship game will be held at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 15. For the third-straight season, the semifinals and final will be televised live by the Big Ten Network. Tickets will be sold as day passes and are available for purchase the day of the game for $8 per day for adults and $5 for students and children.

OSU tops Michigan, takes Big Ten crown

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 21:35:00 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio – David Tiemstra scored in the 45th minute of action and the Ohio State men's soccer team held on for a 1-0 win over Michigan and the Big Ten Championship Saturday night at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in front of season-high 1,081 fans. With their first outright regular-season title in program history, the Buckeyes (10-4-4, 4-2-0 Big Ten) earn the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament next week in Bloomington, Ind., and will face the winner of the No. 4 vs. No. 5 seed game. "The effort of our team tonight was tremendous," head coach John Bluem said. "The organization and the timely goal by David Tiemstra were just fantastic. I am just real proud of the guys; they have never given up this year, even though we have kind of had a roller coaster type of season." Tiemstra's goal, his first of the season, came with two seconds remaining in the first half off a corner kick by Eric Shrigley. Shrigley played the ball from the left corner across the goal box where Chris Gomez kept it from going out of bounds by flicking it out to Tiemstra at the top of the goal box. The sophomore from Clarendon Hills, Ill., then shot it over the head of Michigan (10-6-1, 2-4-0) goalkeeper Chris Blais and into the upper left corner of the net. "I still have the chills," Tiemstra said after the game. "The rest of the game I just had the chills. When you don't have a lot of energy left at the end of the game, that just kept me … I mean, it's unbelievable. The goal came on the Buckeyes' eighth shot of the half after nearly 45 minutes of bombarding the Wolverine defense. From the opening whistle, Ohio State controlled play offensively and made several solid runs but sent all seven of the ensuing shots wide. More pressure came in the second period as Ohio State produced nine shots and continued to push forward on the attack. Michigan fought back, however, and came up with several close opportunities from the likes of Mauro Fuzetti and Justin Heram that were squelched by the Buckeye defense and redshirt freshman goalkeeper Matt Lampson. Lampson, a native of nearby Hilliard, Ohio, strengthened his bid for Big Ten Freshman of the Year by finishing the night with a career-high eight saves, including five in the second half, and three in the final 10 minutes alone, against Michigan's 10 second-half shots. After the all-around team effort, the magnitude of the win was not lost on anyone. "I am pretty speechless," junior captain Matt Gold said. "I think I almost broke down in tears the last 30 seconds. Like I started hyperventilating. I have never experienced that before. It's just a sweet, sweet feeling." The Buckeyes took home a share of the 2004 Big Ten title and won the tournament in 2000 and 2007. They will begin play for their third tourney title Friday in the conference semifinals. Stay tuned to OhioStateBuckeyes.com for more information.

NU wraps up second place with win over MSU

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 21:27:00 +0000

EVANSTON, Ill. - Junior forward Matt Eliason's 13th goal of the season just over five minutes in the match held up as No. 17 Northwestern concluded its regular season Saturday with a 1-0 win over Michigan State at Lakeside Field. The victory allowed the Wildcats to finish their Big Ten season with a 3-2-1 record, good for a second-place tie with Penn State. Entering the day, NU had an opportunity to win a share of the conference title if Ohio State were to lose or tie Michigan. However, the Buckeyes earned a 1-0 victory to claim the outright title and the No. 1 seed for next week's Big Ten tournament. Northwestern (10-3-4, 3-2-1) will be seeded third for the tourney and will face off again against the sixth-seeded Spartans (10-6-2, 2-4-0) in Thursday's opening round. As he has done all year, Eliason provided the heroics. On Senior Night, redshirt junior Kevin Valenta fed a ball through the box to Eliason who found himself one-on-one with Jeremy Clark and beat him for the score. It was Eliason's 30th goal of his career, tying him with Jonathan Hall (1986-89) for the school's all-time lead. The Wildcats would finish the opening half of play with an 8-3 advantage in shots. Michigan State came out t he aggressor following the intermission and controlled possession, but Northwestern was able to prevent the visitors from earning any quality scoring chances. The Spartans' closest call came in the final 30 seconds of as Cyrus Saydee fired a shot on goal, but a Wildcat defender was in the right place at the right time to make the stop and preserve the win. NU finished with a 13-9 edge in shots, while MSU had a 9-5 advantage in corner kicks. Misha Rosenthal made two saves to earn his sixth shutout of the season and the 29th of his career.

Gophers blank Hoosiers, 1-0

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 23:49:00 +0000

St. Paul, Minn. - In what could have been the final game of the season tonight (Nov. 6), the Minnesota soccer team made a strong case for it not to be, beating visiting Indiana 1-0. Minnesota (12-5-3, 5-3-2) came into the game needing a win to strengthen their NCAA Tournament resume before the selections are made Monday evening. Indiana (10-7-2, 2-6-2), meanwhile, need a win to snap a three-game skid that saw them fall below .500 in conference play. The Gopher offense created chances all night, but quality opportunities were often stopped by a right-place-right-time Indiana defense. Shots were even at the end of a scoreless first half, with just four per side. Minnesota had the only shot on goal in the first 45:00 minutes while their defense kept goalkeeper Cat Parkhill (Apple Valley, Minn.) without facing a shot on net. "I thought their mentality was fantastic," head coach Mikki Denney Wright said about her offense after the game. "Our two attacking mids and all of our forwards were so mobile and created so many chances, it was a fun game." The Gopher attack ramped up toward the end of the first half and carried into the second where Minnesota held a 6-to-2 edge on shots for a 10-to-6 margin in the game. The lone goal and game-winner came late in the second half on a play set up by the ever attacking Gopher offense. As they had most of the half, the Gophers controlled the ball deep in the Hoosier zone, forcing the ball out the backline to earn a corner kick. In controlling the half, the Gophers took six total corners compared to none for the Hoosiers and held a 9-to-2 advantage on corners in the contest. As she has been all year, Katie Bethke (Eau Claire, Wis.) was called upon to take the kick and unleashed a beauty towards the waiting Minnesota offense. At the front was Molly Rouse (Cambridge, Minn.) who took the ball off a bounce, turned and fired a shot near post that was too much for the Indiana keeper to catch up with. "Molly scored, she's clutch, she scored the game-winner, she deserved it," Denney Wright said. "I'm just really proud of our team, our ability to kill the game, and what a great win for our program." After nearly 80 minutes of battling, the Gophers had finally broken though, calling on their top two scorers to do so. The goal by Rouse was her fifth of the season, setting a new single season career high for the junior. It was also her third game-winner on the season, also setting a career high and tying Bethke for the team lead. The assist was a team leading seventh on the season for Bethke and moves her into an eighth place tie with Alison Rackley on the Gophers' career assist list with 19. The win assures Minnesota of at least a share of fourth place in the final Big Ten standings. Their 5-3-2 mark in Big Ten games makes 2008 and 2009 the first seasons of back-to-back winning records in conference games since the 1998 and 1999 season. On a night set to honor their seniors, the Gophers did so in the best way possible, with a victory. In a season full of memories another has been added, but the possibility for more remains. Seniors Sara Clancy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and Dana Tripp (White Bear Lake, Minn.) will anxiously await the NCAA Tournament selections with the rest of their team, as the 64-team field is announced Monday (Nov. 9) evening. "Dana and Sara have meant the world to our program, have been great people and great players," Denney Wright said. "And we had to send them out right."

Hoosiers men edge Penn State, 2-1

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:09:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Penn State men's soccer team (10-6-2, 3-2-1 Big Ten) lost the ability to control its own destiny in the race for the Big Ten regular season title and fell short in its bid to directly secure the No. 1 seed in next week's conference tournament with a 2-1 setback to Indiana (9-8-1, 3-3-0 Big Ten) on Friday afternoon in Bloomington. The Nittany Lions' fortunes for a Big Ten regular season championship now rely on the outcome of two games that will be played on Saturday. In order for Penn State to claim its first conference crown since 2005 and the top seed in the Big Ten Championship, the Lions will need Michigan to defeat second-place Ohio State in Columbus and for Michigan State to down or tie third-place Northwestern in Evanston. Regardless of those results, Penn State can do no worse than the No. 3 seed for the Big Ten Championship. Junior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) accounted for Penn State's lone score, netting his seventh goal of the season. Sophomore forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) recorded his team-high sixth assist of the year on the play. Penn State was outshot for just the fifth time this season, 16-11. Braga and senior forward Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) led the Lions with three shots each. After an evenly played outset to the first half, Penn State drew first blood in the 20th minute. Possessing the ball 10 yards out near the middle of the field, Corey Hertzog flicked a pass to Matheus Braga, who was on a run from behind. Braga received and then rifled a shot from eight yards out that found the lower right of the net. Indiana answered back in the 39th minute. After Penn State goalkeeper Warren Gross (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) deflected wide a shot by IU forward Will Bruin, the Hoosiers would even the game on the ensuing corner kick. Bruin sent his kick far post and found the foot of Lee Hagedorn who punched it in past a diving Gross. The Hoosiers put the game away just 40 seconds into the second half. Off a long combination of passes from two IU players, the ball found Danny Kelly at the top of box. Gross had come off his line aggressively to intercept the ball but missed and Kelly got around his mark and chipped a shot into net from eight yards out. Penn State had a chance to get back in it when Indiana defender Tommy Meyer was issued a red card in the 66th minute, forcing the Hoosiers to play down a man for the final 34-plus minutes. However, the Nittany Lions couldn't capitalize on the advantage and net an equalizer. Next week, the Nittany Lions will begin pursuit of their fourth conference crown when they return to Bloomington, Ind. for the 2009 Big Ten Men's Soccer Championship. To be hosted by Indiana University, the battle for the 2009 title is set to begin on Thurs., Nov. 12 with three first round match-ups. Semifinal games will take place on Fri., Nov. 13 with the championship contest set for Sun., Nov. 15. All games will be played at Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium on the IU campus. Game times and match-ups will be determined once seeding is established upon the conclusion of regular season competition. The semifinals and finals will air live on the Big Ten Network. Penn State possesses a 22-12-4 record in Big Ten Championship play, one of just two conference teams to possess a winning mark in the postseason tournament.

Delgado lifts Badgers to 1-0 win

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 23:04:00 +0000

MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- For Pablo Delgado and the Wisconsin men's soccer team, it wasn't a matter of if, but when. The Badgers managed 13 shots in the second half of their in-state rivalry battle with Milwaukee, but it took all 13 of those chances for UW to secure a 1-0 win over the Panthers in their regular-season finale at Engelmann Field. Wisconsin dominated the run of play over the match's final 25 minutes, but it wasn't until the 89th minute and a score by senior Pablo Delgado that the Badgers secured the victory. Delgado took a ball from Bryan Gerster at the near post and slotted a shot home to the far post from 12 yards out for the game-winner. ""We wanted to get it done,"" said Delgado, who scored his first goal of the season. ""We were creating chances and had to keep pushing, because we knew it would come sooner or later and we were confident. ""It worked out pretty well."" After a rather sluggish first half on the offensive end, the Badgers (7-8-2 overall) came out of intermission with a more organized and consistent attack. Wisconsin put five shots on goal in the second half, including two great looks by Gerster in the minutes leading up to his assist on Delgado's score. In rapid succession, he launched in a shot that UWM keeper John Shakon hauled in at the far post and then laid a low ball into the near post on which Shakon made an outstanding diving save. ""We were starting to build up finally and I just kept playing and things started going my way,"" Gerster said. ""Everything felt like it was on frame for me, and Pablo finally finished it off when I didn't."" The Badgers out-shot Milwaukee by a 13-3 margin in the second half, with the Panthers not recording their first – and only – shot-on-goal of the match until the 79th minute. ""It was an exciting game that had some flows both ways, but I felt overall that our team defense was really solid,"" UW head coach Todd Yeagley said. ""Milwaukee has some dangerous players and it showed tonight, but I liked the way we played in the second half and especially the last 25 minutes."" Gerster and Delgado proved to be the game-changers for the Badgers, and both came off the bench to make their contributions. Together, they combined for eight shots – including three on frame – while playing a combined 75 minutes. ""It's been a long year for me with injuries and everything, so it feels good to be back and help the team win,"" said Delgado, who has missed five games due to injury. ""I was very happy for Pablo, who hasn't played as much this year as he'd like,"" Yeagley said. ""He gave us a lot. We said before the game that everyone needed to be ready, and Pablo really stepped up to fill the role we asked him to fill."" Yeagley used only three reserves, with freshman Ata Ozbay also seeing time, but those that came off the bench provided more than just minutes in relief. ""The timing was good,"" Yeagley said. ""That combo of Bryan and Pablo really gave us the ability to get Scott (Lorenz) and Brandon (Miller) more involved up front in the second half. ""It was great for both of them to contribute in such a big way. Bryan and Pablo really were the difference for us tonight."" Miller and Lorenz tallied four shots apiece, including a pair of good looks Miller converted into shots-on-goal. Lorenz also had a shot on frame in the first half, one of just two the Badgers put on goal in the opening period. Both teams managed five shots in the first half, but neither had any quality chances until the second half, when the Badgers turned up the intensity. ""We were more relaxed out there in the second half, and there was better communication,"" Gerster said. ""It's big finishing the regular season on a win to get some momentum going like we had in the middle of the year."" The Badgers will look to ride that momentum into next week's Big Ten tournament, which is set for Nov. 12-15 at Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. Wisconsin is likely to be seeded third, fourth or fifth for the tournament, with the result of this weekend's final regular-season conference matchups determining the final seeding. ""Now we know what we have to do in the tournament,"" Gerster said. ""With everyone contributing like we did tonight, I feel like we're a threat to win it.""

Late penalty kick dooms MSU vs. No. 1 Akron

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 21:29:00 +0000

AKRON, Ohio - The Michigan State men's soccer team played the No. 1 Akron Zips even through nearly 75 minutes on Wednesday evening. However, with the score tied at one with 15 minutes left in the second half, a Spartan foul inside the penalty area gave the Zips a penalty-kick goal and a 2-1 win. MSU is now 10-5-2 on the year, while Akron remains undefeated at 17-0. "The guys played great tonight," said MSU coach Damon Rensing. "It was a great college soccer game and it's unfortunate that the winning goal came on a penalty kick. We stuck to our game plan and Akron is very good, well organized team. All-in-all, we played the top team in the country very well." The Zips didn't take long to get going, as less than four minutes in, Akron's Teal Burnbury scored on a chip shot from 20 yards out for a 1-0 lead. As the two teams settled in, the each traded scoring chances. Akron held a slight, 5-4, shot advantage after the goal until the 39th minute when Spencer Thompson set up Tim Granaderos to tie the game for MSU. Thompson's cross from the left side found Granaderos who buried the ball in the back of the net from eight yards out and gave the Spartans a big lift heading into halftime. The two teams played evenly through the first 30 minutes of the second half, until the turning point in the 75th minute when a yellow card was issued to the Spartans' Nosa Iyoha for a foul inside the penalty area - leading to a Zips' penalty kick. Akron's Blair Gavin converted the PK, giving the Zips the lead for good. "We created a few more chances in the first half," Rensing said. "I thought our backs were very good, the midfield played great and Jeff Ricondo and Rubin Bega were very good up top. We just missed on a couple finishing passes."

Schmitt, Michigan top Northwestern in 2OT

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 17:50:00 +0000

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Senior/junior forward Matt Schmitt (Muskegon, Mich./Reeths-Puffer) scored the "golden" goal in the 102nd minute of action to send the University of Michigan men's soccer team to a 1-0 double overtime victory over No. 12 Northwestern on Sunday at the U-M Soccer Complex. Schmitt, who scored his second goal in as many games, was in the right place at the right time for the game winner. On the previous possession, the Wolverines had back-to-back blocked shots from junior forward Justin Meram (Shelby Township, Mich./Yavapai College), one of those shots deflected off of the goalpost onto Schmitt's foot, who put it just past Northwestern's Misha Rosenthal to give U-M head coach Steve Burn's his 100th career victory and the 100th program victory. Junior/sophomore midfielder Adam Shaw (Lone Tree, Colo./Highlands Ranch) and senior forward Mauro Fuzetti (Houston, Texas/Stratford) led the way for the Wolverines with four shots each. Junior/sophomore goalkeeper Chris Blais (Seattle, Wash./Kennedy Memorial) made four saves on the afternoon and earned his sixth shutout of the season. The Wolverines were knocking on the door throughout the second half and both overtime periods and it looked like U-M was going to get the victory in regulation with a goal from Meram in the final seconds. Meram put a shot just past Rosenthal but it was called back with a handball call from the referee. Northwestern also had two quality opportunities in the second half to get on the board. The first was a shot from Drew Pavlovich that hit the post and rolled out of bounds and the second was a header on a corner kick from Piero Bellizzi that went just over the crossbar. The teams entered the second half deadlocked at 0-0 after a first half that was a typical Big Ten slugfest. U-M and Northwestern put on a battle with both teams playing an evenly matched game on both sides of the ball. Neither team registered a shot on goal until the 25th minute of the half when Michigan freshman defender Brian Klemczak (Livonia, Mich./Stevenson) hit a shot from the right side that was scooped up by Rosenthal. From that point the teams seemed to battle back on forth on both sides of the ball but the Wolverines seemed to have the upper hand in terms of possession and registered several shots on goal. Northwestern's Oliver Kupe looked like he was going to give the Wildcats the early 1-0 lead after breaking through the U-M defense but Blais made a point blank save, one of his four of the game, to keep the game knotted at 0-0. The Wolverines were able to control the midfield in the first half. Junior midfielder Alex Wood (Northville, Mich./Northville), getting his first start of the season, was able to serve several spectacular long balls through the midfield and Shaw really proved to be U-M's workhorse battling for each and every ball that came his way. The Wolverines close out the 2009 regular-season on Saturday (Nov. 7) when they travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on Ohio State in a televised. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. in Jesse Owen Memorial Stadium.

Late goal propels Ohio St. over Indiana

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 16:59:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Eric Shrigley scored in the 93rd minute to give the Ohio State men's soccer team a 1-0 win over Indiana on Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium on Sunday afternoon in front of 1,338 fans. The win keeps the Buckeyes in the hunt for the Big Ten championship with a 9-4-4 overall record and a 3-2-0 mark in the conference. The Hoosiers drop to 8-8-1 overall and 2-3-0 in the Big Ten, effectively ending any chance for the conference crown. Shrigley's goal, his second game-winner this season, gave Ohio State its first victory over Indiana since the 2000 season and only the third in the history of the programs. The Buckeyes previously defeated Indiana during the 1955 season before the Big Ten Tournament win in 2000. "I am over the moon right now," John Bluem, Ohio State head coach, said. "I thought today was a great all-around effort and team win. There were not a lot of opportunities on either side, but I thought the defense really kept us in the game - Matt Lampson was solid in goal - and we just never gave up. "Taking a cue from a great program, the coaches told the guy we would get them ice cream on the way home if they won, so we are looking forward to that on the drive back to Columbus." Midway through the 93rd minute, Andrew Magill sent an untouched through ball from the top of the penalty area. Shrigley gathered the loose ball in the goal box and sent it into the back of the net for the win, the Buckeyes' first in extra time since Aug. 31, 2008, against Central Florida. There were limited opportunities for scoring in regulation, with Shrigley launching a rocket over the crossbar in the 89th off a direct feed from David Tiemstra. Magill and Konrard Warzycha were the lone remaining Buckeye players to tally shots with three and two, respectively. Indiana out-shoot Ohio State 8-7 on the day and held a 4-3 advantage on corner kicks. Both goalkeepers - Lampson and IU's Nemanga Kostic finished the day with four saves. In addition to the unprecedented historical significance of the win, it also allows the Buckeyes to stay in the hunt for the Big Ten Championship, awarded this year to the winner of the regular season (see updated standings below). The Buckeyes close out the 2009 campaign next weekend against Michigan at 6 p.m. Saturday in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. "We are looking forward to playing a very quality Michigan team next week," Bluem said. "We will let the chips fall where they may fall in terms of the Big Ten Championship and tournament seeding - all we can control is our team's performance against the Wolverines and the outcome of that game."

Michigan St. closes out home season with 1-1 tie

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 16:48:00 +0000

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State men's soccer team ended its regular-season home slate with a 1-1 tie with San Diego State on Sunday at DeMartin Stadium. MSU is now 10-4-2 while SDSU, currently No. 11 in the latest edition of the RPI, is 6-4-5. "We just didn't have the sharpness today in possession but we stuck together well as a team and hung on there," said Rensing. The Aztecs outshot MSU, 6-3, in the first half but neither team generated many threatening scoring chances. MSU's best opportunity came in the 13th minute when Rubin Bega's shot from 22 yards out just missed the upper right corner. The Aztecs put the Spartans on their heels to start the second half, but two terrific stops in a one-minute span by Spartan goalkeeper Avery Steinlage and a hit post kept the game scoreless. MSU weathered San Diego State's early second-half offensive, and after Cyrus Sayde was taken down on a counter attack just outside the penalty area, the Spartans set up for a free kick from 19-yards out in the 61st minute. On the restart, Spencer Thompson set the ball for Bega who sent an arching shot over the wall and the hands of SDSU keeper Brad Byrns for the game's first goal. "Their keeper looked to be cheating toward the near post and I was able to hit the ball with a good amount of pace and get in there back post," said Bega. SDSU came back to tie the game however in the 77th minute, as Khadim Diouf took a long pass down the left side and beat the MSU defense and Steinlage with a shot from 8-yards out. With neither team able to take the lead late in regulation, the game went into overtime where the Aztecs continued to press the Spartans, who were playing their third game in seven days. Steinlage finished with five saves for MSU while SDSU's Byrns recorded two stops for the game. "Avery was very good today and made some timely saves," Rensing said. MSU will face the consensus No. 1 team in the nation on Wednesday (Nov. 4) when it travels to Akron to take on the Zips at 7:30 p.m.

Penn St. beats UW, takes over first place

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:07:00 +0000

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men's soccer (10-5-2, 3-1-1 Big Ten) maintained control of its own destiny in the race for the conference title and at the same time moved into sole possession of first place in the Big Ten with a 2-1 victory over Wisconsin (6-8-2, 3-3-0) on Saturday afternoon at Jeffrey Field. With the win, the Nittany Lions complete their first undefeated season at home (7-0-2) since 2001 when they went 7-0. Penn State, which tops the Big Ten with 10 points, can uphold that position with a Northwestern loss to Michigan on Sunday. The Nittany Lions and Wildcats entered the day tied for second with seven points, two behind Wisconsin. With a win over Indiana next weekend in Bloomington, Penn State can secure at least a share of its first regular season Big Ten championship since 2005. Junior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) got Penn State on the scoreboard with his sixth goal of the season, converting on a penalty kick opportunity, the Nittany Lions' fourth of the year. Sophomore Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) netted the game winner, his fifth of the season and his eighth goal overall. Senior forward Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) earned his fifth assist of the year on the play. Hertzog and Yeisley are tied for the team lead in goals, assists, and points. Penn State started the game on a shaky note, struggling to gain possession while dealing with constant Wisconsin pressure. But the tide turned at the midpoint of the half and the Nittany Lions began to gain scoring opportunities. In the 28th minute, Frank Costigliola lobbed a pass from just inside the box deep into the UW zone, where Corey Hertzog was got free of the Wisconsin defense. However, his diving stab at a header shot just missed. Penn State thought it had another chance when Hertzog was taken down hard inside the box but no penalty kick was awarded. Sophomore midfielder Mackenzie Arment (Manheim, Pa.) nearly gave PSU the lead in the 31st minute, when after checking into the game just three minutes earlier, ripped a shot from 20 yards out that went just wide of an open goal. The Nittany Lions' aggressive attacking style finally paid dividends in the waning moments of the first half. Deep inside the box, Jason Yeisley was attempting to jump and get a head on the ball but was shoved in the back by UW defender Aaron Nichols, drawing the foul and the resulting penalty kick. Braga drew the shooting assignment and put it easily past Wisconsin keeper Alex Horwath with just 18 seconds remaining in the half. Penn State again weathered a Wisconsin storm early in the second half to strike back with solid runs and viable scoring chances of its own. In the 57th minute, Frank Costigliola played a beautiful ball from the left wing near midfield to Mackenzie Arment deep on the right wing. Arment centered the pass to Jason Yeisley but his shot went just high of net. One minute later, a rocket off the foot of sophomore defender Justin Lee (Derwood, Md.) was on target but saved by the Wisconsin goalkeeper. Lee was central to another scoring opportunity in the 63rd minute when his pass into the box was nearly headed in by fellow sophomore defender Mark Fetrow (West Chester, Pa.), sailing just high. Arment hooked up with junior forward Treavor Gelsinger (Shady Grove, Pa.) for another chance soon thereafter. Arment found Gelsinger just inside the box with pass. Gelsinger held the ball up with his back to the goal, turned suddenly, and got off a blistering shot that was corralled by the UW keeper. Penn State's pressure again bore fruit in the 78th minute when Jason Yeisley and Corey Hertzog teamed for a goal for the fifth time this season. Hertzog hit Yeisley with a pass, who then pushed it back to Hertzog, who was speeding down the left wing. He broke left to gain a shooting angle and put a left-footed shot past the Wisconsin defender and keeper and into net far post from 14 yards away. Wisconsin cut the PSU lead in half three minutes later when Scott Lorenz found Jon Rzepka open on the far post off a free kick on the right wing. He put it in high for his second goal of the season. But the Penn State defense would hold in the final minutes, giving the Nittany Lions the crucial win. The tape delayed game will be re-aired on the Big Ten Network tomorrow, Sun., Nov. 1, at 4 p.m. With two wins this season, including its 1-0 triumph over Michigan State on Oct. 4, Penn State is 3-3 all-time in games broadcast on the BTN. Seniors Diego Correa (Niteroi, Brazil), Frank Costigliola, Vincent Salvatico (Chester Springs, Pa.), Jacobo Vera (Pamplona, Spain), and Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) played their final regular season game at Jeffrey Field on Saturday. The group was honored for their contributions to the program in a special pre-game Senior Day ceremony. The Nittany Lions will conclude regular season play on Fri., Nov. 6 when it visits Bloomington, Ind. and Bill Armstrong Stadium for a 3 p.m. match-up with archrival Indiana (8-7-1, 2-2-0 Big Ten). Penn State has taken four of its last six meetings with IU, including last season's 1-0 upset win over the 17th-ranked Hoosiers at Jeffrey Field. The postseason will kickoff the following weekend when the Lions return to Bloomington to begin pursuit of their fourth conference crown at the 2009 Big Ten Championship. To be hosted by Indiana University, the tournament is scheduled for Nov. 12-15.