Air Force, Hartwick pose physical threats

Physical teams have caused the IU men's soccer team trouble early this season and that's just what they will face this weekend as they travel to the Butler Classic for a pair of weekend matches. The No. 9 ranked Hoosier squad will face the Air Force Academy at 6 p.m. tonight at Kuntz Field in Indianapolis and will then go to battle with Hartwick College at noon Sunday. The games begin a five-game road trip for the Hoosiers.\nHoosier coach Jerry Yeagley hopes the matches will bring up the level of IU's physical play.\n"There are no easy games," Yeagley said. "Hartwick and Air Force are two very hard teams, physical component teams that we struggle against at times. We are more of a finesse team that doesn't like to get into a physical tussle as much as we would like to get into a technical skills game and we need to up that in some of our players."\nIn their 30 year history, the Hoosiers (2-1-2) and Air Force (2-2) have never met, while this will be the fifth match-up against Hartwick (2-1-1). IU owns a 4-0 record against Hartwick, but the two teams have not met since 1984.\nSenior forward Pat Noonan said it would be important for the Hoosiers to scout each team well heading into the weekend.\n"We don't know too much about them, so we will have to watch a little film," Noonan said. "They are physical teams so they are going to give anybody a challenge, especially a talented team that likes to keep the ball on the ground. They are going to be knocking people around, so we will have to adjust and find a way to win and out fight them."\nAnother key factor for the Hoosiers will be the continued development of sophomore keeper Jay Nolly. In five games, Nolly has posted two shutouts on six saves and has recorded a 0.92 goals against average.\nNolly credited the Hoosier defense in front of him with helping him improve as the season progresses.\n"Having a presence back there is important and I also try to make sure the team has confidence in me, because that makes them feel better," Nolly said. "It is real nice to have (experienced players in the back), because as we develop our core group back there it is good to have some really good players to build around."\nThe Hoosiers offense has sputtered early this season as they have tallied just five goals in five games, despite being touted in the preseason as possibly the best offensive attack in Hoosier history.\nEven after picking up a 2-0 victory over Louisville Tuesday night, Yeagley is still looking for the Hoosiers to convert better on their final chances.\n"Our defense is good and our ball movement is good, but now we need to work on our execution in the final third," Yeagley said. "We get a little stagnant at times when things start to get a little to easy, but we just need to keep our foot on the pedal and finish."\nYeagley was pleased with the team accepting responsibility for their actions on the field.\n"I think the team is starting to take a little more ownership, as a coach you want and need that to happen," he said. "It has to be their team and they have to hold each other accountable and make sure nobody lets down. We are seeing that develop and that is very promising, all of our great teams had to get to that point"