Matches signal positive season

The IU men's soccer team opened its season with a pair of exhibition matches last weekend in Fort Wayne. The Hoosiers dropped their match to Kentucky 2-1 Friday night at the IPFW Soccer Showcase. IU tied Rutgers 1-1 Sunday.\nThe Hoosiers are ranked No. 7 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's preseason top 25 poll. \nFriday, Wildcats' freshman midfielder Nathan Li netted a rebound goal with a mere 26 seconds left in regulation to propel Kentucky to the preseason victory. \nIU coach Jerry Yeagley, who begins his 31st and final season as IU's coach, doesn't want the Kentucky loss to be deceiving.\n"I hope that people won't look at this score and think this in indicative of how (good) IU soccer is going to be this year," Yeagley said in a statement. "We gave up two re-start goals, and I think that's where our youth showed. I was pleased with our play in the second half. We had several chances to score. With a late goal like that, that's sometimes how soccer goes."\nIU tallied its lone goal of the contest in the first half.\nSenior forward Vijay Dias nailed a diving header past the Kentucky goalkeeper for a 1-0 advantage in the 21st minute.\nSenior midfielder and Fort Wayne native Drew Shinabarger recorded the assist on the play. He hit Dias with a cross five yards directly in front of the goal, and Dias finished the play with the goal. \nBut IU relinquished the lead less than 10 minutes before halftime.\nThe Wildcats scored on a free kick in the top right corner of the goal in the 39th minute.\nDespite out-shooting Kentucky in the second period by four, IU could not muster enough offense to force a tie or to earn a win. \nSophomore midfielder Brian Plotkin added a team-high four shots for IU. \nLast season, the Hoosiers won the regular season meeting between the two teams, 2-1, in Lexington, Ky. Later this season, they will meet in IU's last regular season match of the season in Bloomington on Nov. 2.\nAgainst Rutgers, IU was able to tie the contest in the waning minutes.\nSophomore forward and Fort Wayne product Pat Yates scored a pass from redshirt freshman midfielder Josh Tudela to even things up with just 23 seconds left in regulation. Because the match was just an exhibition, overtime was not played.\nThe Scarlet Knights tallied a goal in the 78th minute. They connected on a shot from about 12 yards out to take a 1-0 lead. Twelve minutes later, IU responded in the last seconds to tie the match.\nYates explained the never-say-die-attitude of the team.\n"That's what I love about this team," Yates said in a statement. "Everyone keeps fighting for 90 minutes. We didn't get our heads down when they scored. We'd like to have had a win, but a tie is better than a loss."\nIn the first half, IU sophomore forward Trey Meek took four shots, including two on goal, but the match remained scoreless heading into the break.\nIU finished with seven shots on goal compared to five for Rutgers. Also, junior goalkeeper Jay Nolly collected four saves.\nWhile IU did not win an exhibition match this year, the squad is focused on preparing for the regular season and the task at hand. \nIU opens its regular season this weekend when it hosts the 21st annual adidas/IU Credit Union Classic Friday and Saturday nights. The Hoosiers battle against California Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Armstrong Stadium. Friday at 5 p.m. the University of Alabama Birmingham and Notre Dame will play. The action continues Saturday with IU and UAB at 7:30 p.m. Prior to that contest, California and Notre Dame will play at 5 p.m.