A bumpy ride with a happy ending

Just minutes after winning last season's national championship, my thoughts drifted to the future. \nAfter hearing Nick Garcia announcing his choice to jump to MLS, I knew the 2000 edition of the soccer Hoosiers would be vastly different than the two squads who brought the hardware home to Bloomington. \nGone was practically the entire starting defense: Garcia, and senior backs B.J. Snow and Dennis Fadeski graduated. With defense winning championships, this was sure cause for concern. But let's not forget we also lost two MLS-quality players on the offensive side, the Ukrainian duo of Aleksy Korol and Yuri Lavrinenko. I hated to think it, but the dreaded phrase that makes sports fans everywhere cringe entered my brain ... "rebuilding year."\nThankfully, IU soccer doesn't rebuild, it just retools. And the accomplishments of this year's group of "retools" are what dynasties are made of.\nTo most people, this season would not be one to look back on with much affection. Not to sound negative, but this season the Hoosiers have done the following: lost their own tournament, accumulated six losses and two losing streaks, lost a conference game for the first time in five seasons, suffered their most lopsided loss in more than a decade and did not play a home game in the NCAA tournament for the first time in eight postseasons. \nSure, not the most impressive season we've had by any means, but perhaps we're a little spoiled. What was impressive was the way the team came together throughout the season.\nAfter losing its first two games, the squad went on the road to face two top 10 teams. Time to crumble, right? Time to hand over the trophy, right? Not so fast, my friends. \nHow do two come-from-behind 2-1 victories over two teams from the best conference in the country sound?\nAfter the 4-1 loss to Creighton, the players looked as if they had been beaten six ways to Sunday. Two days later Indiana came out and took it to an overmatched Florida International team. Although the Hoosiers won only 1-0, it was easy to see the bounce was back in their cleats. \nDays before the biggest conference game of the season at Penn State, starting keeping T.J. Hannig went down with a knee injury. Change the game plan? Pack five guys in the box to help out reserve keeper Colin Rogers? Not a chance. The Hoosiers kept their cool and their game plan, Rogers made eight saves, and the offense fixed its scoring woes in a 3-2 to help give Indiana yet another Big Ten regular season championship. \nAfter losing two games in California to end the season, the Hoosiers went down to Ohio State, though the Buckeyes were thoroughly outplayed for the last 80 minutes of the game. For the NCAA draw the Hoosiers weren't necessarily wondering where they were, but if they were going, which is usually not a big concern for a two-time defending national champion. \nNo sweat. Indiana rolled through the eighth-seeded San Jose State Spartans like it wasn't even there. Hannig looked like he was back in the post-season form he exhibited the past three years. One down, two to go. Then more trouble as Hannig re-aggravated his knee injury sidelining him. \nNo problemo. Rogers stepped in and, after allowing an early goal, shut down Pac-10 champion Washington in Seattle. The 2-1 victory sent the Hoosiers packing once again, this time to Chapel Hill to face the nation's top team, the University of North Carolina. Um, did I mention starting midfielder Marcus Chorvat would be forced to sit out the game after receiving a red card? Oh yeah, sweeper Josh Rife also injured his hamstring during the week. And Phil Presser's knee had so much wrapping it could be mistaken for a mummy.\nNo worries. All Indiana did was shut out an offense that hadn't been blanked all season. The Hoosiers managed to at least neutralize Carolina's "air attack," despite giving up an average of 13 inches per player in height. And Chris Carrieri, UNC's top scorer got "Swanned," a word that will quickly become synonymous with being shut down.\nSo now they head to Charlotte to once again defend their championship. And even though the road to the College Cup has been longer than ever, it could also be the most rewarding trip the Hoosiers have made in their recent rash of final four appearances. And if people still doubt the Hoosiers have what it takes to win it all once again, well, there are three teams sitting at home that think the Hoosiers have their spot this weekend. The Hoosiers only have two more teams to go through to prove that it doesn't matter who is playing for IU, but it's the fight and tradition of those wearing the red and white that matters most.