Hoosiers weather the Red Storm

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- For the sixth time in school history, the Hoosiers captured the NCAA National Championship Sunday, capping IU coach Jerry Yeagley's 31-year career.\nIU beat St. John's 2-1 Sunday as a snow storm swirled at Crew Stadium. The win gives the Hoosiers their first title since 1999 and sixth in the 31-year history of the program. \n"This group just never felt they couldn't win, and that's part of the IU tradition. When you are in championships and the most important game is on the line, that's when we are at our best," Yeagley said. "I couldn't be any happier for our guys. I couldn't be any more proud."\nIU junior goalkeeper Jay Nolly fought off a heavy St. John's attack during a snowstorm that began with about 15 minutes remaining. The Red Storm outshot the Hoosiers 19-7 and 9-2 in the second half. Nolly's lone surrendered goal came with 12:04 left in the second half when freshman Ashley Kozicki snuck behind the IU defense and chipped in a goal.\n"It was tough because it kept blowing in my eyes, and when you're winning a game late, it's tough not to sit back and kind of just let them come at you," Nolly said. "I was getting a little nervous because everything started to get wet, and they started pumping shots into the box."\nNolly was able to withstand the attack and preserve the win for IU.\nAs snow swirled around the early morning hours in Columbus, so were rumors of the return of junior forward Ned Grabavoy and sophomore defender Drew Moor for the title game. Both U20 players were able to arrive in Columbus and start for the Hoosiers. Grabavoy arrived in Columbus Saturday night, but Moor, who suffered flight connection problems, caught a flight from New York and made it to Columbus two hours before kickoff.\nGrabavoy, who took the restart kicks for the U20 team, scored IU's first goal off a restart with 30:01 remaining in the first half. \nThe junior co-captain blasted a shot to the lower right hand corner of the net, beating a sprawling keeper for his 11th goal of the season. The goal was IU's first restart goal of the season, which according to Yeagley usually accounts for about 40 percent of the Hoosier's scoring. \n"Sometimes you just have the feeling that it is going in," Grabavoy said. "To get on the board first in the championship game was very huge for our team."\nThe Hoosiers' second goal and eventual game winner came with 25:46 remaining in the first half when freshman forward Jacob Peterson broke loose at midfield and drove to the box, where he fired a shot to the lower left corner of the net. \nThe goal was Peterson's seventh of the season and first of the tournament, where he was awarded Most Outstanding Offensive Player. Peterson has yet to turn 18 years old.\n"I did not think I deserved to be the Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the tournament. It is kind of a big honor for me," Peterson said. "Last year, I knew coming to IU we could play for the National Championship. It is just a great feeling. It's the biggest win I've had in my career."\nThe Hoosiers endured a scare in the first half with 24:45 left when Nolly deflected a shot from senior Simone Salinno that wound up at the foot of sophomore Jean Camere who whistled a shot into the arms of Nolly for the save.\nAt 2-3-4 on Oct. 2, Yeagley said he knew the Hoosiers would be a different team come the second half of the season. He didn't imagine they would be the best team. \n"I said this team will be different at mid-season than at the beginning, while others were discounting us since we were off to our worst start in team history," Yeagley said. "But the players knew that we had a good team, and we were paying well and just couldn't catch a break. You have to be good and have to catch some breaks to win a championship."\nThe Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the tournament was awarded to Nolly, who recorded 10 saves in the final match and 15 for the entire tournament.\nSeven Hoosiers were selected to the All-Tournament team including freshmen defender Jed Zayner and midfielder Josh Tudela, and seniors midfielders Danny O'Rourke and Drew Shinabarger. Peterson, Grabavoy and Nolly were selected, as well. \n"We've had others (teams) get a star, but no other group that has won a championship in our jersey has achieved more from the start of the season to the end in terms of development and growth," Yeagley said. "That's what's special about this championship. It was a total team effort with a group of guys who came together and played their hearts out and worked for each other."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.