Title hopes dashed after loss, IU tries to rebuild

For the first time in three seasons, the IU men's soccer team will not be the NCAA champion.\nWhile college soccer's national champion will be crowned this weekend at the College Cup, the Hoosiers can only reflect upon a season full of "what ifs." Notre Dame knocked the Cream and Crimson out of the second round of the NCAA tournament Nov. 22. The 2-0 defeat marked the earliest exit in the NCAA tournament for the Hoosiers since 1995.\n"It was a good season," senior midfielder Brian Plotkin said. "We played some of the best soccer that's ever been played here at IU. We were just unlucky to not move further than we did."\nThe Hoosiers had high hopes heading into the Big Ten season after starting the season with two tournament victories at the Adidas/IU Credit Union Classic and the Oregon State Classic. However, two games into the Big Ten campaign, the Hoosiers fell to fifth place in the conference with a tie against Michigan State and an overtime loss to Penn State.\nThe Hoosiers captured the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten tournament and won their first two games to set a rematch against Penn State. The Hoosiers dominated the game, but a late goal by Penn State gave the Nittany Lions the championship.\n"Little breakdowns hurt us," said sophomore Chris Munroe. "(The mistakes) start small and they end up in the back of the net. We give up goals that we shouldn't as a team -- it starts from the forwards and ends with me. We have to pay attention to little details."\nHoosier players had more than their fair share of laurels during the season. The Big Ten named Plotkin its Player of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten. Freshman forward Lee Nguyen was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, while garnering Big Ten All-Freshman team and First Team All-Big Ten honors. Junior forward Jacob Peterson joined Plotkin and Nguyen, who recently hired an agent, on the first team. Senior midfielder Jordan Chirico and junior defender Jed Zayner were named to the Second Team All-Big Ten.\nSenior Mike Ambersley and Plotkin were also awarded a spot in the Major League Soccer draft combine for this January. \n"I am excited and a little sad about moving on to the MLS," Plotkin said. "I wish I was still playing this weekend before I moved on."\nWhile the Hoosiers could potentially start next season with six new starters, head coach Mike Freitag said he is excited about the future of IU soccer.\n"I'm going to love my team next year," Freitag said. "They may not be 'talented,' but we may be more effective. It may not be as pretty, but it will be effective."\n- IDS staff writer Steve Slivka contributed to this story.