IU to face Akron, Oregon State

This weekend, the IU men’s soccer team (3-0-1) travels to South Bend to compete in the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament at Notre Dame.  

The competition featured will be the highest-ranked the Hoosiers have played thus far in the regular season. Each of the four teams participating in the tournament — Notre Dame, IU, Akron and Oregon State — is undefeated.

According to the NSCAA Coaches’ poll, Notre Dame is currently 17, with IU and Akron at No. 10 and six, respectively.

Indiana will face Akron at 5 p.m. Friday before going against Oregon State at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

This will be the first time the Hoosiers have met Akron since they were defeated by the Zips in Novemeber 2010 in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship. That game ended with a 2-1 Akron win.

“Akron has always been a big name ever since we started our college careers here,” IU senior goalkeeper Luis Soffner said. “We know they are one of the top programs in the country right now. However, frankly put, we feel we’re one of the same, so we know it will be a good game.”

IU Coach Todd Yeagley said he knows Akron Coach Caleb Porter, in his last season with the Zips before becoming coach of the MLS’ Portland Timbers, very well. The two played together for a year at Indiana and eventually coached together under Yeagley’s father, Jerry.

Porter took the head-coaching job at Akron, and Yeagley went to Wisconsin before returning to Indiana.

“He’s a very intense guy,” Yeagley said. “His intensity makes their team play with a lot of edge, and we have to match that. They are going to be very prepared because Porter will have them very revved up and motivated.”

Akron features seven different scorers this season. Eric Stevenson and Scott Caldwell lead the team with three points each. Both have one goal and one
assist.

Because both teams are so close in the national polls, a win would most likely mean going ahead of the other in the standings.

Momentum and bragging rights will also be at stake Friday night.

“The very beginning of the season has been a good test for us so far,” Soffner said. “But I feel that it has all been building up for this Akron game. This is going to be a really good opponent, and I know that we are just excited to get up there and take them on.”

No matter what happens Friday, the Hoosiers will gear back up Sunday morning to begin the last day of the tournament.

The Hoosiers face an undefeated Oregon State team that has shut out two opponents this regular season with scores of 4-0, 6-0 and 2-2. The Beavers also played to a 2-1 loss against the Timbers in an exhibition match.

The Beavers are led by sophomore forward Khiry Shelton with three goals so far this
season.

No matter what comes their way, Soffner said he believes the Hoosiers are ready.

“This week, we have really been focusing on a team effort,” Soffner said. “We win as a team and lose as a team — more importantly, defend as a team and score as a team. From front to back, if everyone does their job together, then no one can really get through us.”