BIG WEEKEND

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- During Sunday's Big Ten match, Michigan State celebrated 50 years of Spartan soccer. But afterwards, it was the Hoosiers -- not the Spartans -- who went out for ice cream. \n"I told them if we won, we could get Dairy Queen," IU coach Mike Freitag said.\nNot only did a 2-1 victory against the Spartans guarantee the Hoosiers (6-3-2) a tasty treat on the way home, it gave the cream and crimson an important Big Ten win. The Hoosiers improved their conference record to 1-0-1.\n"Its one of those tough Big Ten battles," Freitag said. "I didn't think we played exceptionally well today. But again, I like the character of this team, and they found a way to win."\nThe Spartans opened the scoring 11 minutes into the game off a throw-in from defender David Hertel. Using momentum generated on a flip, Hertel threw the ball 25 yards over the head of IU sophomore goalkeeper Chay Cain to a crowd of players in front of the Hoosier goal. After the ball was deflected by several players, Spartan forward Kenzo Webster put the ball in the net to give the Spartans the lead.\n"That flip throw will get a lot of players," Cain said. "It's coming down at such a high trajectory that it is really hard to judge, especially with the wind. I made the mistake, got a little push in the back and it went in."\nThe 1-0 Spartan lead stood as the game went to halftime. While the Hoosiers had more possession of the ball, the Spartans created more scoring chances, outshooting the Hoosiers 5-1 in the first half.\nTo start the second half, the Hoosiers were still passive on the offensive end until freshman forward Darren Yeagle drew a penalty kick 18 minutes into the second half. Senior midfielder John Michael Hayden converted on the penalty and tied the game 1-1.\nOn the season, Yeagle has drawn the foul on all three Hoosier penalty kicks.\n"I just try to go toward goal," Yeagle said. "A lot of defenders don't know how quick I am, so I just utilize that."\nBoth teams had a few chances to win the game before the end of regulation but were unable to find the back of the net. For the seventh time this season, the Hoosiers had to play overtime.\nDuring the first overtime, the Hoosiers again controlled the possession of the game, but the Spartans had more dangerous chances. Cain made a couple of crucial saves to preserve the game for the Hoosiers.\n"Every time you make a mistake right in the beginning, you really want step up, forget about it and try to keep your team in the game," Cain said. "So at the end, it was my job to keep us in the game."\nSeven minutes into the second overtime, Yeagle ended the game for the Hoosiers. Sophomore forward Kevin Noschang played a ball to senior Kevin Robson who shot the ball from eight yards out. The ball deflected off a Michigan State defender and to the foot of Yeagle, who scored the game winner.\nWhile the Hoosiers didn't play their best, any win is important in the Big Ten, Freitag said.\n"We still got a ways to go," he said. "We're not playing the way I know we can play. In saying that, we won a very tough Big Ten game today and I'm proud of that."\nAs for Yeagle, scoring the game-winner means more than just a win.\n"I'm getting a large Oreo Blizzard," he said.