IU finally returns home

No, the IU men's soccer team has not packed up and moved out of Bloomington. \nThe National Soccer Coaches Association of America's No. 3-ranked Hoosiers return from a five-game road trip spanning the map from New Mexico, Michigan, Pennsylvania and, just this week, Kentucky.\nThe last time IU (7-2-1 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) played a game at Bill Armstrong Stadium was 25 days ago, when the Hoosiers defeated then-No. 14 Notre Dame 2-0. The Hoosiers face their third Big Ten conference opponent this season, No. 19 Michigan, at 2:30 p.m. Sunday on Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium.\n"It's nice to be home," said IU coach Mike Freitag. "Boy, the fans have been great so far this year. I think they are more enthusiastic and excited than sometimes in the past. They are out there in numbers and pretty dang loud, too."\nWednesday evening the team traveled to Lexington, Ky., where IU tied the University of Kentucky 0-0 in front of 2,458 fans -- the second-largest crowd in UK's history. Kentucky packed six defenders in the box right from the opening kick, not allowing IU easy scoring opportunities.\nThe Hoosiers outshot the Wildcats 15-8, but Freitag said it was the most dominating possession performance IU has ever had against Kentucky, and the Wildcats played for a tie right from the start.\n"It's just not good for the college game," Freitag said. "I feel sorry for them, it's their second-largest crowd ever, and I don't think those people will come back now."\nSix of the Hoosiers' 15 shots came from junior Brian Plotkin's foot, including three shots on goal.\nFreitag and sophomore midfielder Josh Tudela said the defensive style of play is nothing new to the Hoosiers, but to counterattack this style, the team needs to prepare and improve in the offensive front of the field.\n"We have to find a way to get behind teams like that in the final third and find ways to combine with each other to put the ball in the net," Tudela said. "There's going to be many other teams that are going to pack it in and just look for a tie against us, and it's going to be our job to look for a way to score."\nIU finished its road trip 2-2-1, with two of those wins coming against conference foes Michigan State and Penn State. When Michigan arrives in Bloomington Sunday, its game against IU will mark the Wolverines' first Big Ten game of the season.\nMichigan comes into the game with a 7-1-2 overall record. The Wolverines last played Oct. 3, tying Louisville 1-1. \nMichigan sophomore forward Bobby Trybula scored the lone goal for the Wolverines against the Cardinals. Trybula is tied for seventh in the conference for total goals with four in nine games. On the defensive end of the field, Michigan gives up 0.67 goals per game through 10 games this season and has five shutouts this season, leading the conference in both categories.\nPrior to the game against Louisville, Michigan beat Kentucky 1-0 in Lexington, as Trybula scored in that game as well.\n"We know we have arguably the two most difficult games on our schedule coming up on the road (against Indiana and Notre Dame)," said Michigan coach Steve Burns in a statement. "We feel good as a team that we will be able to execute in the final third of the field. At the same time, we cannot let down in the back third because we are facing a pair of potent teams in Indiana and Notre Dame (Oct. 13)."\n-- Contact staff writer Steve Slivka at smslivka@indiana.edu.