Hoosier offense comes alive with two goals

It may not have been pretty, but the IU men's soccer team picked up its second victory Tuesday with a 2-0 win over Louisville. The No. 9 ranked Hoosiers dominated ball control and possession throughout the match, but managed just two goals on the Cardinals' stingy defense. IU (2-1-2) posted 13 shots to Louisville's four and the Hoosiers had eight corner kick opportunities to the Cardinals' one. Louisville (2-3) used physical play to frustrate the Hoosiers' offensive attack as they committed a total of 26 fouls to IU's 15.\nIU coach Jerry Yeagley thought the Hoosiers' ball control was what had the Cardinal defenders off balance and committing fouls.\n"They were chasing us tonight, our ball movement was as good as we have had," Yeagley said. "The possession and combination play and the good short passing except for a few periods in the game I thought was very good."\nThe Hoosiers first goal came 15 minutes into the first half as senior All-American midfielder Ryan Mack found senior back John Swann on an IU corner kick. Mack's kick found its way to the back post of Louisville's goal and Swann deposited the ball in the back of the net with a sharp header. Swann's goal came on his first shot of the season and was his eighth career goal. For Mack, it was his second assist and fourth point of the young season.\n"We have been doing that (corner) all year and we practiced it all practice yesterday," Swann said. "We had been getting unlucky bounces, luckily it went over and Vijay (Dias) had a chance to head it and he knew I was behind him and luckily I got a good head on it."\nSenior All-American Pat Noonan netted his second goal of the year in the 75th minute of the match. Freshman midfielder Brian Plotkin fed Noonan a ball from 30 yards out along the left sideline and Noonan headed it into the top left corner from 12 yards out. It was Noonan's fifth point and second goal on the year and was Plotkin's first career point as a Hoosier.\nYeagley was especially pleased with the play of Plotkin as an attacking midfielder.\n"I thought Brian Plotkin came in and did a very good job, he is coming on and getting better each game," Yeagley said. "When he came here he had no idea what a tussle was, and now he would challenge for a head ball. You can't be a luxury player at this level and I am real pleased with his progress."\nWith the 2-0 shutout, IU sophomore goalkeeper Jay Nolly recorded his first shutout as a victory and first home win of his career. Nolly did not face any shots on goal from the Cardinals as his defensive backfield kept the Louisville offense out of their attack zone for much of the game.\n"It was a great win for us to start off, we are starting to come together in the back," Nolly said. "To put up a shutout for our first home victory was a good way to go out. We are starting to get more confidence and are starting to play well and we are just going to keep getting better."\nIU will travel to Indianapolis for a pair of weekend match-ups in the Butler Classic. The Hoosiers are slated to face the Air Force Academy on Friday, Sept. 13, at 6 p.m. and will battle Hartwick at noon on Sunday, Sept. 15.