He didn’t score a goal or record an assist the entire regular season, but that changed Sunday.
Lax scored IU’s only goal in its 1-1 (5-4) win against Northwestern.
“To get a goal from Lax where he plays positionally is another asset to our team and another guy to get a goal,” IU Coach Todd Yeagley said. “We’ve talked about all year we needed production from all over the field.”
Lax received the ball from junior Matt Foldesy and shot from 20 yards out. Given the amount of players between Lax and the goal, senior goalkeeper Tyler Miller had a limited view of the shot and it managed to get by.
“Foldesy laid off a really nice ball and I just tried to put it on frame,” Lax said. “Luckily it went in the goal.”
Lax had taken 13 shots this season before Sunday but only managed to get three of them on goal.
Yeagley said it has been an ongoing discussion with Lax about making sure he’s within his range before he shoots. He was certainly within that range Sunday.
Lax’s role on the team as a defensive midfielder means his contributions don’t always show on the stat sheet.
He essentially serves as the first defender, sitting just above the four defenders in IU’s 4-5-1 formation. This means that in terms of his role going forward, he often distributes and sets up the offensive playmakers who ?create IU’s goals.
“It was nice to contribute and help out those guys in the attack by putting one in the back of the net,” Lax said.
Before Sunday, Lax had only scored one other goal in his career. It came in 2013 in a 3-2 NCAA tournament loss against Akron.
This is the first season in which Lax has been a full-time starter, however, and his play warrants it.
“It’s always good for someone like Lax who puts in a lot of work to get rewarded with a goal,” IU sophomore Colin Webb said.
Not only was Sunday’s goal important for IU’s Big Ten tournament title chances, it came in a match in which his parents were in ?attendance.
“It feels good to get one in during my senior year,” Lax said. “It’s special. My parents were able to come up for the game, so it was good to have them there to see it. It was a special moment for me.”
