Win gives IU at least share of Big Ten title

Sunday was a sad day for seniors Charley Traylor, Chris Munroe and Greg Stevning, as they played their last regular-season home match on Jerry Yeagley Field. But there was no time for sulking. \nWith their 1-0 win over Penn State, the Hoosiers officially clinched at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title. This is the 12th time IU has been crowned regular season champions. \nThe Hoosiers currently sit at the top of the conference ahead of both Michigan State and Ohio State, but the team is still set to face one more conference foe. \nNext weekend, the Hoosiers will take on the Wisconsin Badgers on the road with the hope of clinching the regular season title outright. The team is also set to face Kentucky on Wednesday. \nSenior goalkeeper Chris Munroe said that although it’s a great accomplishment to be at the top of the conference, there are still two more hurdles to get over before the conference tournament begins.\n“It’s nice to reach one of our goals,” Munroe said, “but no one’s satisfied. We still have two regular season games and the NCAAs, so there’s still some work to do.”\nSenior midfielder Charley Traylor agreed with Munroe, saying it is exciting to achieve a preseason goal, but he also has his eyes set on an even bigger prize.\n“I expect to go to Wisconsin next weekend and outright win the conference,” Traylor said.\nEven though they have already clinched a title this season, the Hoosiers know they can’t simply coast until the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments. Junior midfielder Brad Ring said his team still has several hurdles to get over before tournament time.\n“Kentucky plays hard defense,” Ring said. “We’d like to get a victory down there and a victory at Wisconsin to win the Big Ten straight out and to have a streak going into the Big Ten Tournament.”\nIU coach Mike Freitag said his team has a long way to go before the season is over, and needs to fight through some recurring injuries. \nAlthough the team is still far from winning its eighth national championship, Freitag said his players should be proud of what they have accomplished so far this season, especially with the Big Ten conference being exceptionally strong.\n“I think in the past, we took (winning the Big Ten regular season title) for granted,” Freitag said. “Now it’s an accomplishment we’re proud of ... If we are to go up to Wisconsin and get through the regular season undefeated, that is a testament to these guys.”