Feeling home on the road: Hayden ready for Louisville

When junior midfielder John Michael Hayden goes home for dates with his girlfriend, he always brings a soccer ball. That's because in Hayden's life, home is where the heart is, and his heart is tied to the sport of soccer. Even his girlfriend, Hollie Minogue, is a midfielder on the Louisville Cardinals women's soccer team.\nHayden will step onto the pitch in his native Louisville, Ky., for the final time in his collegiate career when the IU men's soccer team (5-1-3) plays the Louisville Cardinals (3-6-1) at 7 p.m. tonight at Cardinal Field.\nNext year, Hayden's senior season, the Cardinals comes to Bloomington as the two teams have alternated playing sites since 1998. \nWhen it came time for Hayden to pick a school to continue his soccer career after graduating from Trinity High School and winning three state titles with the prestigious Midwest soccer club Javanon, the choice came down to IU and Louisville.\n"(At Louisville), I had the opportunity to build a team, and (at IU), the team is good," Hayden said. "(It was a) perfect decision to come (to IU)."\nHayden said even though the trip back home will be brief, he is looking forward to making his final playing appearance in his hometown. Friends and family who normally do not get to see him play will get that opportunity. The trip back home will be a welcome one for Hayden who won't get another chance to visit this fall, and didn't make it home often during the summer because he played in the Premier Development League for the Chicago Fire Premier along with IU teammate junior Jed Zayner.\n"It's like any other game," Hayden said. "It's exciting to go home to see my friends, family, all of them. I get to see them for a little bit after the game and that's about it."\nZayner, along with junior midfielder Josh Tudela, live with Hayden and describe him as a quiet guy until he gets to know people. However, Hayden is loud on the pitch, breaking out last year and finishing second on the team in overall goals, with seven. In a mid-season streak of six games, in which IU went 5-1, Hayden had five game-winning goals.\nBut the game winner that sticks in fans' minds came when Hayden sprinted out of nowhere and headed home a game winner in the College Cup semifinal match versus Maryland. Hayden's header gave IU the 3-2 double overtime victory.\nThis was Hayden's sixth and final game winner for the 2004 season, and what comes as no surprise, it happens to be Hayden's favorite in-game moment.\nComing into tonight's match, Hayden has two goals and one assist this season. He had a chance for a third last weekend, but his shot rang off the post Sunday versus IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis.\n"I expect a lot out of him," IU head coach Mike Freitag said. "I think he hasn't been up to snuff this year, but I know he's going to be fine. He'll continue to get his confidence back and get back to the John Michael Hayden we know."\nHayden is part of a recent line of players from Louisville who chose to don the cream and crimson. Current freshman forward Darren Yeagle went to Trinity High School, graduated defender Chris Pomeroy went to St. Xavier High School and 2003 graduate Vijay Dias attended Ballard High School.\nZayner and Tudela can attest to how far Hayden has come from his tamer high school days, pointing to the crazy songs he makes up to annoy his roommates. The trio describes themselves as brothers now that they live together, and Tudela said fans have yet to see the best of him.\n"He's by far one of the best players to come (out of Louisville to IU)," Tudela said. "He's a very talented player"