Critical matchup awaits Hoosiers

IU coach Mike Freitag said the Big Ten regular season men's soccer title is on the line Sunday, making this weekend's game versus Ohio State (7-4-2 overall, 3-0 Big Ten) the biggest game of the year for No. 8 IU (10-3-1, 4-1-0). The Hoosiers travel to Columbus, Ohio for the their last Big Ten regular season match. Not only would a victory over the Buckeyes solidify the Hoosiers' regular season title, but the win would likely give the team a first-round bye in the Big Ten tournament.\n"That's a huge game for us," said sophomore midfielder John Michael Hayden. "Having the (night off tonight), we have to come out, we have to be ready to play. I think we're confident we are going to win."\nIf the Buckeyes win Sunday, they still have to play Northwestern Oct. 29 in Evanston, Ill., and Michigan Nov. 6 in Ann Arbor, Mich.\nLast season when the Cream and Crimson faced the Scarlet and Gray Oct. 19, 2003, in Bloomington, IU won the match 3-0. Three current players for IU -- sophomore back Julian Dieterle, sophomore forward Jacob Peterson and junior Brian Plotkin -- each put goals on the scoreboard in the victory.\nCombined with its win over Oakland University Wednesday, this is a different Buckeye team from last season as OSU has almost doubled its wins from last season, when the team finished 4-12-4 overall.\n"They've been a little bit off the last couple of years, but they've got good players," Freitag said. "I think they're finding their rhythm. I think maybe earlier in, they were still finding it, and people who've played them lately speak highly of what they're doing.\n"Anytime on the road is a tough place to play, but I think (IU has) rebounded and (is) ready to play."\nThe Buckeyes have yet to let up a goal this season in three Big Ten matches, as the team defeated Wisconsin 1-0, Michigan State 2-0 and Penn State 3-0. The victory over Wisconsin and Michigan State came in Columbus, where Ohio State is 3-2-1 overall this season.\n"I still believe Indiana is the best team in our conference," said Ohio State coach John Bluem in a statement. "They're just a quality team with a number of offensive weapons and great defenders. I anticipate that it will be a challenge, and we are going to have to be sharp and at our best to stay with them."\nOhio State senior forward Justin Cook leads the Buckeyes this season with nine goals and 22 points. The Big Ten named Cook this week's Offensive Player of the Week with his three goals in the Buckeyes' win at No. 20 Penn State. Cook is shooting 50 percent with 22 shots on goal.\nThe only time IU lost to Ohio State in 31 meetings came Nov. 13, 2000, when the two teams met for the second time that season in the Big Ten tournament. IU is 29-1-0 all-time versus the Buckeyes.\nIU comes off a win Wednesday night in Indianapolis versus Butler. Hayden scored his third goal on the season, and junior midfielder Pat Yates notched his first on the season versus the Bulldogs.\n"A goal's a goal," Plotkin said. "A bomb from outside or an own goal like (Butler) had (Wednesday). It's all that matters is it's a point up on the scoreboard."\nGoing into Sunday's match, IU and OSU have played four common opponents -- the University of Kentucky, Michigan State, Penn State and Wisconsin -- as IU is 3-0-1 versus those four teams while OSU is 3-1-0, with the Buckeye's loss coming against Kentucky. IU tied Kentucky 0-0.\n"Ohio State's on a roll," Freitag said. "We'll be ready. We'll be ready." \n-- Contact staff writer Steve Slivka at smslivka@indiana.edu