Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

39° Evanston, IL
Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Advertisement
Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive our email newsletter in your inbox.



Advertisement

Advertisement

Elite beat goes on for well-rested NU squad (Men’s Soccer)

When it comes to college soccer, the competition doesn’t get much better than Indiana.

“They’re a perennial Top 25 team, top 3 even,” Northwestern goalkeeper J.D. Martin said of the No. 4 Hoosiers (8-1-2, 3-0 Big Ten). “Four’s a little low for them this year.”

The Wildcats (5-6, 0-2) come into this weekend facing perhaps their biggest challenge of the year at Indiana on Sunday. It’s no secret that the Cats’ chances aren’t good against the defending Big Ten champions and five-time national champions. Indiana posts an 18-0-0 all-time record against NU.

“We just want to be competitive right now,” NU coach Tim Lenahan said. “I have no delusions that we’re a better team than they are. They’re the bar. They’re the standard that everyone tries to emulate.”

Indiana is better than good. The Cats have not seen an opponent this season that is as dominant on both sides of the ball as the Hoosiers, who have outshot opponents 171-86 and have allowed only seven goals. By comparison, NU has been outshot 124-94 and has allowed 14 goals.

“Obviously, we need to do some things to compensate since they’re such a better team than us,” Lenahan said. “They have seven players who can go on to play professionally. We have to try and negate that somehow.”

Leading the Hoosiers offense are forward Pat Noonan, with six goals, and midfielder Ryan Mack, with five. Both are tied for third in the Big Ten with 16 points. Also a threat in the midfield is Ned Grabavoy, who has three goals and six assists.

Defensively, Indiana goalkeepers have made just 20 saves — a testament to its defense, which has permitted only 24 shots on goal — to go along with Jay Nolly’s Big Ten-best six shutouts.

Indiana has a 3-0-2 record in Bloomington, and the average attendance at Armstrong Stadium is 2,606. NU’s highest home attendance of the season came last week when 412 people showed up. The Hoosiers have a 26-1-1 lifetime record against Big Ten opponents at Armstrong Stadium.

Indiana’s only loss came against No. 3 St. John’s on Sept. 7. St. John’s, which was ranked No. 1 as recently as last week, scored three times against the Hoosiers.

The only chink in Indiana’s armor may be its schedule. The Hoosiers face Wisconsin Friday before NU arrives in Bloomington with a week’s rest.

The workload could come back to haunt the Hoosiers. Following a hard-fought 2-1 win over NU last Friday, Penn State went on to lose to Wisconsin on Sunday.

“Penn State and Indiana are the only teams to (schedule conference doubleheaders with NU) because I think they expect Northwestern to be an easy game,” Lenahan said. “Penn State didn’t have an easy game and they lost on Sunday.”

“Soccer’s a funny sport,” he added. “In soccer you don’t have to be better than a team; you just have to be better that day. Our goals just need to be higher on Sunday.”

But the Cats have proven resilient against Top 25 teams with nearly all the odds stacked against them, holding their own against No. 25 Columbia, No. 10 Bradley and then-No. 20 Penn State.

“This is why I sign up to play college soccer — to play Indiana,” Martin said.

NU (5-6, 0-2 Big Ten) at No. 4 Indiana (6-1-2 3-0)

1 p.m. Sunday

Bill Armstrong Stadium

Bloomington, Ind.

More to Discover
Activate Search
Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881
Elite beat goes on for well-rested NU squad (Men’s Soccer)