Second half of season opens with in-state rival

After a struggling first half of the regular season for the men's soccer team, which included a tough loss at Notre Dame in double-overtime and two scoreless ties, IU jumps out of conference and hosts Butler at 7 p.m. tonight.\nThe Hoosiers (2-3-3, 0-0-1 Big Ten) were arguably the recipient of a bad break against Penn State Friday. The match was ruled "no contest," according to an IU Athletics press release, because of inclement weather after IU was leading 2-0 in the middle of the second half.\nThe game was played through 66:30, just three-and-a-half minutes short of a complete game. Friday night's match was called after a two-hour weather delay. A full match is scheduled for Nov. 8 in Bloomington. \nCoach Jerry Yeagley said that the game was disappointing, but added he was proud of the way his team started against the Nittany Lions. IU scored less than three minutes into that contest. In addition, Yeagley explained the rivalry with Butler (4-4-1) and said the past records of the teams have not mattered.\n"It's a local derby," Yeagley said. "For years it's been throw out the books. It's for pride in the state. They've had a couple of impressive results. They tied Creighton at Creighton and defeated Kentucky at Kentucky. But they've been inconsistent like us. We need to give our total focus to Butler."\nThe Hoosiers have posted nine consecutive victories over the Bulldogs. Overall, IU owns a 13-1 advantage in the series. Butler's lone win came in the 1995 NCAA Tournament when it outlasted the Hoosiers, 1-0, in Bloomington.\nDespite IU's recent dominance in the series, the Hoosier players and Yeagley said they know the importance of this match. \n"Realistically, every game now is a big part of our season," junior Ned Grabavoy said. "We've had our share of bad bounces. Getting a victory against a tough opponent like Butler would be big."\nJunior Jay Nolly said getting a positive win is key for the team. He added that getting a solid victory would give the team momentum heading into the upcoming road trip.\nNolly has posted two shutouts and has collected 19 saves this year. \nAt the same time, Grabavoy is on the watch list for the 2003 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy, which honors the nation's best college soccer player. He has recorded 10 points on four goals this season. Last year, he tallied a goal against the Bulldogs in IU's win over its in-state foe. \nGrabavoy described his increased leadership role on this team, compared to last season when he was an underclassman. \n"I kind of think of this as my team," Grabavoy said. "Coach was telling me that I need to get into scoring more. (Sophomore) Brian (Plotkin) has also been a main component of this team, and he has helped me."\nIn addition to Grabavoy, Plotkin has notched two goals and dished out three assists for the Hoosiers.\nGrabavoy and Plotkin have been the primary offensive weapons for IU, in a year which is the last for Yeagley, who is retiring at the end of the season. \nYeagley said success all starts with demeanor and highlighted the significance of pride. \n"We have to have a positive attitude," Yeagley said. "We need to take a 'we're Indiana' attitude.' We have to take pride in the uniform."\nThe Hoosiers have out shot their opponents by nearly four shots per contest. They also have 30 more shot attempts on the season than their counterparts, yet have only scored two more goals.\nAs a result, Nolly said the emphasis of practice this week has been finishing. He added that a great deal of finishing and organization has been stressed. \nYeagley said they need to come out the same way they did against the Lions. \nMeanwhile Yeagley, who remains 15 wins shy of tying the all-time wins record, has strong ambitions for this squad. \n"After this match, it's the halfway point in the regular season," Yeagley said. "We want the worst start to the beginning of the season to become the best turnaround ever in the history of the program."\nNolly isn't downplaying the magnitude of this match either. He encapsulated the significance of this game by treating it as a do-or-die situation. \n"It's just as big as the last match," Nolly said. "Every match we play now has to be like a championship match."\n-- Contact staff writer Zack Eldridge at zeldridg@indiana.edu.