2006 Hoosiers lowest scoring in history of program at 1.6 goals netted per game

As far as IU men's soccer coach Mike Freitag is concerned, scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in soccer. Apparently, this year it's a little tougher than others.\nThe 2006 IU men's soccer team is the lowest scoring team in the 34 years of the Hoosier program. In the 18 games played thus far, IU has averaged 1.61 goals per game. At the same point last season, the team averaged 2.72 goals per game.\nBut the Hoosiers lost six of the 11 starters from last season, including top goal-scorer Jacob Peterson and Big Ten Freshman Player of the Year Lee Nguyen. Both left IU early to pursue pro careers, and Freitag said the Hoosiers miss their offensive production. \nThe cream and crimson are also combatting better competition than other IU teams, and Freitag said his current team doesn't create enough offensive chances when it controls the ball.\n"Sometimes people get confused what the game is about," Freitag said. "The game's about scoring goals. It's nice to possess and play attractive soccer, but there's nothing wrong with an ugly goal. That's attractive, too."\nEven with the scarcity of goals, the squad has a better winning percentage than last year, and it scores more goals per game than any other team in the Big Ten. And with that fewest-ever-goal mark, it won the Big Ten regular season championship for the 10th time in 11 years.\n"We're just going to keep looking at wins, not how badly we beat a team," \nsenior forward Kevin Robson said. "I think at times this season, we've looked really great on offense. And then other games it seems like we'll play down to our competition and do what we need to get done. It's not a good way to play, but it's been working for us."\nOf the team's 12 wins, nine were won with a one-goal margin, including all four Big Ten victories. The Hoosiers never beat a team by more than two goals.\n"It is slightly troubling because it makes it a lot harder on me and the defense," sophomore goalkeeper Chay Cain said. "We have a lot more pressure to keep the shutout in the bag because we know we're not going to get the five-, six-goal games like last year. At the same time, it is a credit to us because we've been able to (hold the other team to) zero or one goal."\nCain recorded six shutouts and six one-goal games in 15 starts this season. The Hoosier defense allowed 69 shots-on-goal all season, the lowest mark in the Big Ten.\n"Our defense has been solid," senior midfielder John Michael Hayden said. "If we score a lot of goals, that's good, but if not and we win the game, then that's fine."\nScoring goals came a lot easier for the Hoosiers 30 years ago. With 19-0 and 13-0 victories, the 1976 Hoosiers outscored the current IU team in just two games. Freitag played on that team -- the highest scoring in IU history -- which averaged 6 goals per game.\n"The game from those days to now, you can't even compare," Freitag said. "There were only a couple good teams in the country. Now every team is good. Every team is better coached, has better players."\nFreitag always preaches there is a lot of parity in college soccer, and he consistently composes one of the most difficult schedules in the NCAA. Including exhibition, the Hoosiers this season have played teams ranked No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 in the nation. Each of those games was decided by one goal or less.\nClose-scoring games could be beneficial for a NCAA Tournament-bound team like the Hoosiers, Cain said.\n"In the tournament, all the games are going to be really close," he said. "The 0-0 games, you've got to grind out that goal in overtime to get through and advance. From that aspect, I think (low-scoring games) help us out.\n"That said, in the long run, I'd still like the 3- or 4-0 victories"