Indiana/Mexico U-20 Match Information / IU is a 2-0 winner

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Indiana – Mexico U-20 Match Information

WHO: Indiana University vs. Mexico U-20 National Team

WHEN: Sunday, April 24 at 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Bloomington, Ind.

STADIUM INFO: Bill Armstrong Stadium

DIRECTIONS: Armstrong Stadium is located north of Central Campus and east of Assembly Hall and Gladstein Fieldhouse on North Fee Lane.

TICKETS: IUHoosiers.com

Go Hoosiers!

 

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Rece, Rees key pieces for Indiana this spring

Jeremy Price Herald-Times, Bloomington, Ind. (TNS)
Posted on April 23, 2016 at 3:42 a.m.

Spring is annually the time for the Indiana men’s soccer team to learn more about how the pieces might fit together for the next fall season.

This spring, two of those pieces are Reese’s — actually, make that Rece’s or Rees’, depending on which one you’re talking about.

Rising sophomores Rece Buckmaster and Rees Wedderburn will wrap up their freshman year when the Hoosiers host the Mexico U-20 team at 2 p.m. Sunday at Armstrong Stadium.

For both, the spring finale will bring one final measurement of their progress. Both started their IU careers as outside midfielders, but could well be bidding for a different role in the future.

In the case of Buckmaster, that progress is the result of a crash course in a new position — right back. He’s been a fixture there while incumbent Billy McConnell has sat out the spring.

“It’s going pretty good,” the Fort Wayne native said. “It’s an interesting spring. It’s my first spring here, then I got switched up to right back, so something new that I’ve never really played, but just trying it out.

“… I’ve never played it in my academy days or high school, so just tried it out. I guess it’s working alright.”

You won’t get any disagreement from the coaching staff, who saw Buckmaster — better known as Rico to avoid having multiple Rece’s — as having the explosiveness to contribute but needing to be more assertive in communicating with his teammates.

“I have to talk a lot more than I used to playing right mid,” he said. “That’s a big thing why I’m playing right back, because they want me to talk more, communicate with everybody else a lot more. I was always a shy kid and never really talked when I played, so they’re trying to get me out of my comfort zone.”

Perhaps no team will push Buckmaster more out of his comfort zone than Mexico with its combination of skill and high pressure.

“It’s going to be a great test,” IU associate head coach Brian Maisonneuve said. “I think Rico’s done a great job at right back, and he’s really come along. He’s got the athleticism, he’s got the technical ability. He hans’t played there long, so just in terms of all the nuances of a right back, when to tuck, when to push, it’s going to be a good test against Mexico. But he’s been doing a wonderful job, and the great part is he’s been growing every day.”

That growth has been aided by the veterans surrounding him, particularly center backs Grant Lillard and Derek Creviston.

“Both of them do a very good job of helping him after practice, talking to him about certain situations, and again, he wants to learn,” Maisonneuve said. “So he’s not afraid to come up and ask questions as well. With the leadership around him, they’ve been helping along the way.”

Lillard hasn’t played as much this spring, so Buckmaster has leaned more in games on Creviston, who has also found himself leaning on the newcomer.

“He’s got some speed. He’s helped me out on the wing over there,” Creviston admitted. “He gets up the line, and he can cover 1-v-1 against anyone, and he’s tough to beat.”

Wedderburn is still seeing time in the midfield, but some of that is coming at the No. 10 position as a central attacking midfielder and general playmaker, which suits his skill set.

“(Rees) knows how to play soccer tactically well, and his feet just dance around,” Creviston said. “He can get anywhere, in and out, so he really creates plays for us, gives us a different dynamic up top and just another way to attack.”

The spring has also given Wedderburn, who came to Bloomington by way of Wolverhampton, England, and the West Bromwich Albion U-21s, a chance to make a more complete adjustment both on and off the pitch.

“I’ve enjoyed (the spring). It’s been good to actually get some good time,” he said. “It’s been different, the fact that we’re not playing that many games. It’s more friendlies than competitive, but it’s been really fun. I’ve enjoyed it.

“Getting in the gym, which was better for me getting back into shape, and getting into good shape. That has helped me a lot.”

It’s also helped the coaching staff get a clearer picture of what he is capable of bringing to the table.

“The fall happens so quick, our preseason’s so short, so sometimes it takes a little bit to grow into things,” Maisonneuve said. “He’s had more time this spring, and he’s done a nice job. He’s still continuing to grow and figure some things out. He can play as a No. 10 or he can play wide in the midfield. He’s so dangerous around goal, and defensively he’s done a better job of learning when to step and how we defend and the intensity that we defend at. He’s done a nice job this spring, and I think this game against Mexico will be another good test for him.”

Mexico at Hoosiers
WHO: Mexico U-20 national team vs. Indiana
WHEN: 2 p.m., Sunday.
WHERE: Armstrong Stadium
TICKETS: $10 general public, $5 youth ages 3-18 and IU students/faculty, free for ages 2 and under

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©2016 the Herald-Times (Bloomington, Ind.)
Visit the Herald-Times (Bloomington, Ind.) at www.heraldtimesonline.com

Go Hoosiers!

http://www.elkharttruth.com/sports/...-Rees-key-pieces-for-Indiana-this-spring.html

 

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IU Hosts Mexico U-20 National Team on Sunday

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana University men's soccer team will wrap up the spring season on Sunday afternoon when the Hoosiers host the Mexico U-20 National Team at 2 p.m. at Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium.

Tickets for the highly-anticipated match are $10 for adults and $5 for IU students and youth. They can be purchased online at IUHoosiers.com or at the gate.

"This game is a great opportunity for our players to match up against some of the best young players in the world," Indiana head coach Todd Yeagley said. "The ability to measure up individually and collectively against the quality and skill from Mexico will be a tremendous help as we build our team for the fall season."

On Friday, the Mexico U-20 team defeated Notre Dame, 2-1, in South Bend, Ind. Tied 1-1 at the break, Mexico's Pedro Goulart scored the match winner in the 78th minute.

The annual match against the Mexico U-20 National Team will bring a close to a very successful spring season for the Hoosiers. Entering Sunday, Indiana is 3-0 this spring with wins over SIU-Edwardsville, Butler and UIndy.

"This event is not only a highlight for our players but also for our fans and community to enjoy an international soccer match at Armstrong stadium," remarked Yeagley. "Over the years, this match has become a premier sporting event on our campus."

For complete info on Bill Armstrong Stadium, including directions, go to IUHoosiers.com.

For all the latest on Indiana University men's soccer, be sure to follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Go Hoosiers!

http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2016/4/24/mens-soccer-iu-hosts-mexico-u-20-national-team-on-sunday.aspx

 

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Phil Fives (26m) and Richard Ballard (43m) score goals and lead IU to a 2-0 win. It sounds as if the dense played well throughout the match.

Go Hoosiers!

 

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IU Beats Mexico to Finish Spring Season

By Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com | Twitter

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Richard Ballard made sure Indiana ended its spring on a good note.

The rising redshirt senior midfielder—one of two remaining active member of the 2012 National Championship team—put together one of the more complete games in his career up top for the Hoosiers.

He finished with a goal, an assist and was an offensive standout while the defense pitched a shutout in the Hoosiers' 2-0 win over Mexico's U-20 National Team to close out the spring season Sunday afternoon at Bill Armstrong Stadium.

"I love that he's playing the way he is and scoring goals," rising redshirt senior Derek Creviston said. "It took him four years, but now he's unleashing. So whatever, I'll take it."

Creviston's jab at a longtime friend and teammate, however playful, has serious roots. The Hoosiers are still in the process of figuring out who will replace graduated senior Femi Hollinger-Janzen's eight goals worth of production from a year ago.

Ballard made his case Sunday, picking off a pair of ill-advised Mexican passes in the backfield and causing havoc throughout the game. He picked off a lazy Mexican pass in the 26th minute only to find redshirt senior defender Phil Dives for a one-timer to make it 1-0.

Just before the first half ended, Ballard got into the scoresheet himself off yet another Mexican turnover via a through ball from rising senior Tanner Thompson. He finished with his right foot to the left post from 12 yards out to give IU a 2-0 lead in the 43rdminute, which proved to be more than enough cushion.

"The way Ballard is playing right now, he's going to be a player to cause some problems for our opponents," head coach Todd Yeagley said. "I'm really happy for him being a fifth-year senior. I think that his time has come."

Indiana largely controlled the game, dominating possession throughout the first 65 minutes or so before fatigue started to set in. Yeagley said he expected his team to get tired considering it was the first game they've played in the heat, but even so, the Hoosiers bent, but didn't break when Mexico began pushing numbers.

Rising senior goalkeeper Christian Lomeli made one save in just under 69 minutes of work before being relieved by fellow rising senior Colin Webb. Once in the game, Webb completed the shutout making a pair of diving stops along the way.

"In the fall you're going to have to weather some storms, too," Yeagley said. "Maybe not against the quality of that, but that's what I like. To kind of cut it out, we didn't get frustrated that we didn't have the ball the last 15 (minutes). That was just kind of the way the game was flowing. We just kept things tight and played zeros. That was good."

Indiana's win capped off an undefeated spring season that saw the Hoosiers go 4-0 in full games. The Hoosiers finished with wins over Mexico, the University of Indianapolis, Notre Dame and SIU-Edwardsville before now heading into the summer break.

"You always want to end the spring with a victory, and that was a great way to do it," Ballard said. "It's not even the end, it's just going to continue on throughout the summer and take it to the fall."

Go Hoosiers!

http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2016/4/24/mens-soccer-iu-beats-mexico-to-finish-spring-season.aspx

 

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IU men's soccer beats Mexico in final spring game

by Michael Hughes

The Hoosiers knew what they needed to do to end their spring season.

After watching the U-20 Mexican National Team come back to beat Notre Dame on Friday, IU needed to do two things — defend and press.

The Hoosiers did both by scoring two first-half goals after Mexican turnovers before holding off a second-half Mexican attack on goal for a 2-0 win in the final match of the spring season.

“The boys were fired up for the game, and we weren’t going to take it to them soft off the start,” senior midfielder Richard Ballard said. “We were going to take it to them fired up.”

Ballard started the game by intercepting a Mexican pass in the first couple of minutes and forcing an early save for Mexican goalie Christian Herrera.

Ballard was playing as IU’s striker, a new position for him, and continued to press Mexico’s defense. Then, in the 26th minute, he stole the ball again.

He held off a couple of defenders for a few seconds before playing a back-heel pass into the box to senior midfielder Phil Fives, who blasted a shot past Herrera for the first goal of the game.

“They’re a little bold with their passes back there,” Ballard said. “Not that many teams try to play around that much, so I read them on a couple of them. It’s easy to see where they’re going, and if you have good positioning you can step and take it away pretty quickly.”

After the goal, Ballard continued causing problems by making runs down both sidelines and forcing turnovers.

In the 43rd minute, Mexico turned the ball over again in its defensive third, but this time Ballard didn’t cause the turnover. It was senior midfielder Tanner Thompson with the ball about 30 yards from the goal.

“The way Ballard is playing right now, he’s going to be a player to cause some problems for our opponents,” IU Coach Todd Yeagley said. “I’m really happy for him being a fifth-year senior. I think that his time has come.”

But the task wasn’t done after the first half. Notre Dame also led Mexico at halftime before losing, so the Hoosiers knew the Mexicans would come out throwing numbers forward, senior defender Derek Creviston said.

The Hoosiers handled the pressure, though, and allowed only one shot on goal despite being forced to spend most of the second half in their own defensive third.

“We knew we’d have to sit in and defend a little bit more, and that’s what we did,” Creviston said. “That’s what we work on in practice, and it’s just routine for us.”

The final minutes saw a multitude of chances for Mexico, particularly from Fernando Gonzalez.

He produced the one shot on goal — a header from about six yards out that sent senior goalkeeper Colin Webb the wrong way, but the ball couldn’t get past Webb’s outstretched leg.

Gonzalez also had a shot trickle by the post and another bounce off the post in the last 15 minutes.

“We got impatient and our spacing wasn’t good on our help,” Yeagley said. “They got through us, and that’s when Colin made a couple of great saves and a couple of clearances.”

But the Hoosiers held up, just like they will need to in the fall, Yeagley said.

The win capped off a perfect spring for the Hoosiers, one that saw a variety of players fill the roles of graduating seniors and others insert themselves into positions that already figured to have starters returning.

“It was a big confidence booster for the team,” Ballard said. “This was a test to see how we would fare up, and I think we did excellent. It’s a huge confidence booster. We don’t get too ahead of ourselves, but we know where we are at the end of the spring heading into the fall.”

Go Hoosiers!

http://www.idsnews.com/article/2016/04/iu-mens-soccer-beats-mexico-in-final-spring-game