Hoosiers nab tourney spot

The NCAA Selection Committee announced the pairings for the NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament Monday afternoon. The IU men's soccer team waited to see who it would play, and if it would host a game, after it won the Big Ten Tournament 1-1 Sunday by advancing on penalty kicks against Penn State (9-10-1, 1-5-0 Big Ten).\nThe Hoosiers (12-3-5, 5-0-1) received a top-eight seed, which means they have a first-round bye and will host at least one game; and if they win their first match, they will host another. IU will play the winner of the Cincinnati (10-4-5) vs. Kentucky (12-6-1) game 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 26, at Armstrong Stadium. \n"It's great. We were hoping for a top-eight seed and we got it," junior goalkeeper Jay Nolly said. "We're excited. Kentucky's a tough team. Every time we play them it's a battle. We have to prepare for both teams, though."\nIU has recorded 15 trips to the College Cup, advancing five of the last six years.\nA top-eight seed means IU will play two matches at home, a place where the Hoosiers haven't lost since Oct. 17, 2001, when they fell to Notre Dame, 1-0. Fittingly, the Hoosiers last loss this season came against the Fighting Irish Sept. 18, when they lost in double overtime.\n"I was pleased in light of losing (junior forward) Ned (Grabavoy) and (sophomore defender) Drew (Moor) that we got a top-eight seed," IU coach Jerry Yeagley said. "Sometimes, that affects your seeding. Last year, we had to go on the road and play at UConn and that was a challenge."\nThe Hoosiers lost to UConn, 1-0 in the third round of the tournament last year, after hosting a second-round contest against Notre Dame.\nJunior midfielder Danny O'Rourke described what it would be like to play Kentucky in the second round, a team IU defeated at home, 1-0 Nov. 2.\n"We played them once and it was a physical battle," O'Rourke said. "Every time we play them it's tough. It's going to be a battle."\nThe Wildcats play Cincinnati in a first round matchup in Lexington, Ky., either Friday or Saturday.\nOther notable teams on IU's side of the bracket include defending national champion UCLA (18-1-1), No. 4 seed North Carolina, No. 5 seed Notre Dame, and the only other Big Ten team to make the tournament, No. 12 seed Michigan (13-6-0).\nUCLA won the 2002 Men's College Cup, 1-0 against Stanford University in Dallas. UCLA is the only team in the tournament with only one loss.\nThe Bruins, who were awarded the top seed in the tournament, were assigned to the same half of the bracket as IU. A potential quarterfinal matchup between UCLA and the Hoosiers would take place at UCLA. But the Hoosier players said they know they have to take care of business. \n"Playing UCLA, that would be awesome," Nolly said. "We have to worry first about our games prior to that matchup."\nThe 48 teams will be competing for the right to play in the 2003 Men's College Cup Dec. 12 and 14 in Columbus, Ohio, at Columbus Crew Stadium. IU last advanced to the College Cup in 2001 and last won the National Championship in 1999, when it defeated Santa Clara.\nMaryland (17-2-1) is the No. 2 seed for the tournament, while Wake Forest is the No. 3 seed. They are both on the opposite side of the bracket from IU. \nIn addition to IU having to win two games, UCLA would need a victory against the winner of the Tulsa (12-5-2) vs. University of Central Florida (12-5-3) game, which will take place either Friday or Saturday, and then UCLA would need to win another match to play IU. \nYeagley said there's no matchup that's set in stone.\n"There's no guarantee (UCLA) may win," Yeagley said. "But I don't fear anyone."\n-- Contact staff writer Zack Eldridge at zeldridg@indiana.edu.