Soccer team finds net in offensive outburst

The men's soccer team found its offense Sunday with a 6-0 shutout of the IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis Jaguars at Bill Armstrong Stadium, marking the end of IU's regular season.\nThe No.4 Hoosiers (12-3-1) had struggled to score in their previous four outings, losing 1-0 to Notre Dame followed by two 1-0 wins against Ohio State and Rutgers and a 1-1 tie with Princeton. \nJunior forward Pat Noonan, who has been IU's most consistent offensive performer, tallied two goals against the Jaguars. The Hermann Trophy Candidate finished the regular season with 12 goals, eight assists and 32 points. Freshman forward Mike Ambersley is a distant second to Noonan on the IU stat sheet with five goals, four assists and 14 points.\nNoonan credited Sunday's win to a balanced offensive attack.\n"Everybody contributed. It wasn't just one or two people," Noonan said. "We had a couple guys get their first goals. Now we need to focus on the Big Ten Tournament and hopefully keep the offense going."\nSenior midfielder Bobby de St. Aubin said it is important for other players on the Hoosier squad to step up and score, because most defenses gear their efforts towards stopping Noonan.\n"(Noonan) has seen so many double teams and gotten so much attention from other teams that it really leaves a lot of guys with good opportunities," de St. Aubin said. "We're finally starting to finish our opportunities and take some of the pressure off (Noonan's) back."\nDe St. Aubin helped relieve Noonan of some of the offensive load at the 19:43 mark of the first half. Noonan crossed the ball to him at midfield, which he took to the top of the goal box and sent past senior IUPUI keeper Armando Famia.\nIt would be to be a long afternoon for Famia.\nAt the 40:28 mark, Noonan received the ball on a pass from junior midfielder Marcus Chorvat just inside the goal line. He utilized his ball handling skills to get a wide open look at the net and sent the ball into the lower left corner. \nThe Jaguars made a dangerous scoring threat in the first half but were unable to capitalize on the attempt.\nIUPUI freshman forward Jason Noyan sent a header toward the goal deep in the box, which senior goalie Colin Rogers dove to retrieve. Before he could do so, another IUPUI player's foot found the ball and sent it toward the wide open net. Junior back John Swann reacted quickly while Rogers recovered from the dive, stopping the shot. Rogers then collapsed on the ball for the save.\nThe Hoosiers instigated their offensive attack in the second half, scoring four of their six goals. \nNoonan started the rally at the 48:45 mark with a score on a free kick. \nWith 59:59 played in the game sophomore midfielder Vijay Dias took the ball into the box, dribbling through two defenders before sending it in for a 4-0 lead. \nFreshman midfielder J.D. Johnston dribbled into the box and crossed the ball to freshman forward Trey Meek, who put the ball in the net for his first goal of the season.\nHighly touted freshman forward Ned Grabavoy scored his first goal of the season Sunday as well. He has been slowly recovering from a foot injury that he sustained in the preseason and started for the first time against IUPUI. \n"(To score) felt really good, almost relieving," Grabavoy said. "I'm just getting back in there, that was the most I played all year. It's been a real long season and I'd say it wasn't until the end of this week that I felt like I was almost 100 percent."\nHead coach Jerry Yeagley rested many of the starters in the second half. He said the most positive aspect of the win was the play of the reserves.\n"It was an excellent team effort," Yeagley said. "Our reserves played the way they play in practice when they beat (the starters). The guys who came in off the bench didn't play scared. They played to the level that we see everyday in training and we're going to need that"