No. 3 Hoosiers Travel to Michigan on Wednesday / win 2-0

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The No. 3-ranked Indiana University men's soccer team will head north to Ann Arbor to face Big Ten rival Michigan on Wednesday night.

The match, which will be televised nationally on the Big Ten Network, will kickoff at 7 p.m. ET at U-M Soccer Stadium. Live stats for the match can be found at IUHoosiers.com. With a subscription to the Big Ten Network, fans can also watch the broadcast online.

SETTING THE SCENE
• The No. 3-ranked Indiana Hoosiers enter Wednesday's match with Michigan with a record of 3-0-2 after playing No. 2-ranked Maryland to a 1-1 draw on Friday in Bloomington.
• Playing without preseason All-America honoree Grant Lillard, the Hoosiers led 1-0 after a Richard Ballard goal in the 7th minute, but conceded the tying score in the 87th minute.
• IU is looking to remain unbeaten in the team's first six games for the first time since 2011 and for the 12th time in program history.
• In the team's last 20 Big Ten road openers dating back to 1996, the Hoosiers have posted a record of 18-2-0 in those contests.
• The Hoosiers come in to the 2016 season coming off another terrific season in 2015, reaching the NCAA Tournament for a record 29-straight season and 40th overall in program history.

NEWS AND NOTES
• MF Tanner Thompson was named Top Drawer Soccer's National Player of the Week, the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and to College Soccer News' Team of the Week on Aug. 30.
• Senior MF Tanner Thompson and junior D Grant Lillard were two of 30 players named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List in July. Indiana is one of just four schools in the nation to have two players on the prestigious list, joining UCLA, Seattle and Boston University. Thompson and Lillard are two of three Big Ten players on the list, along with Rutgers' Jason Wright.
• Tanner Thompson and Grant Lillard were both unanimous preseason All-America selections, as both were honored by College Soccer News and Top Drawer Soccer.
• Grant Lillard was also named the top defender in the nation in a preseason poll conducted by Top Drawer soccer of the nation's head coaches.
• The Hoosiers return nine starters from last year's team that made the Sweet Sixteen, including All-America honoree Tanner Thompson and All-Big Ten award winners Grant Lillard, Andrew Gutman and Francesco Moore.
• After qualifying for the NCAA Tournament last year, the Hoosiers extended their streak to 29-straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES
• The Michigan Wolverines enter Wednesday's match with the Hoosiers with a record of 0-3-2 overall on the season and 0-1-0 in Big Ten play.
• In the team's B1G opener, the Wolverines lost at Wisconsin, 2-1, in double overtime.
• On the year, U-M has played then-ranked No. 19 South Florida, Florida Gulf Coast and Yale to draws this year. Michigan's other loss came to Columbia, 1-0.
• The Wolverines were tabbed to place fifth in the Big Ten this season in a preseason poll of the league's coaches, with Marcello Borges Francis Atuahene and Evan Louro all being named to the Preseason Honors List.
• Michigan finished 2015 with a record of 8-6-4 on the season that included a 3-3-2 mark in Big Ten play.
• In the Big Ten Tournament, the No. 6-seeded Wolverines lost to the No. 3-seeded Maryland Terrapins, 5-2, in the opening round.

SERIES HISTORY
• In the overall history between Indiana and Michigan dating back to 1974, the Hoosiers hold a record of 18-3-1 over the Wolverines.
• In last year's contest, the Hoosiers came away with a 1-0 victory in Bloomington on a Grant Lillard goal in the 18th minute.
• IU has won three-straight matches in the series and has won seven of the eight contests played in Ann Arbor.

HOOSIERS IN THE NATIONAL POLLS
• In the National Soccer Coaches of America Association (NSCAA) National Poll, the Hoosiers moved up one spot to No. 3 in the nation.
• Indiana is ranked No. 5 in the country by Top Drawer Soccer and No. 6 by College Soccer News.

IU IN THE STATISTICAL RANKINGS
• In the NCAA statistical rankings released on Monday, the Hoosiers rank 19th in the nation in team goals against average (0.55), 22nd in save percentage (0.842) and 23rd in fouls per game (9.40).
• Individually, Tanner Thompson ranks ninth in game-winning goals (2), while Colin Webb ranks 24th in goals against average (.551).
• As a team in the Big Ten, IU leads the league in save percentage, shutout percentage (0.40), team goals against average and won-lost-tied percentage (0.800).
• Individually in the Big Ten, Tanner Thompson leads in game-winning goals, while Colin Webb leads in both goals against average and save percentage.

UP NEXT
• The Indiana Hoosiers return to Bloomington to host the Northwestern Wildcats in a Big Ten match on Sunday, Sept. 18 at 2 p.m. ET.
• The two programs have met 34 times dating back to the 1983 season, with the Hoosiers holding a record of 26-2-6 over Northwestern.
• Last season, Andrew Gutman scored the game-winner in a 1-0 victory for IU at Northwestern.

Live stats and game notes:
http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2016/9/13/mens-soccer-no-3-hoosiers-travel-to-michigan-on-wednesday.aspx

Go Hoosiers!

 

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No. 3 Hoosiers Blank Michigan in Ann 0

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The No. 3-ranked Indiana University men's soccer team took down the Michigan Wolverines, 2-0, at the U-M Soccer Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Wednesday night.

With the victory, Indiana (4-0-2, 1-0-1 Big Ten) remains unbeaten through the team's first six games for the first time since 2011 and for the 12th time in program history. Michigan falls to 0-3-3 on the season overall and to 0-2-0 in league play.

Richard Ballard recorded his team-leading third goal of the season to go with an assist, while Billy McConnell scored the game-winning goal for the Hoosiers. Rashad Hyacenth and Jack Griffith tallied assists for Indiana in the win.

IU goalkeeper Colin Webb posted his third shutout of the season, making four saves. Webb has now recorded 31 shutouts in his career, tying him for ninth all-time in school history.

In the 18th minute, the Hoosiers had their first chance of the match. Working on the left side, Tanner Thompson sent a great cross to the far post, finding the head of Hyacenth, but the junior's effort missed just wide and out for a goal kick.

In the 27th minute, the Hoosiers jumped on the board first, taking a 1-0 lead. From the right side, Hyacenth sent the ball in to the middle of the 18-yard box, finding the head of Ballard who played the ball towards goal. McConnell was there to clean up the scrum, tapping in the goal from two-feet away for his first goal of the season.

Later in the first half, Webb made a spectacular save to maintain IU's 1-0 lead. Off a free kick, Michigan's header seemed destined to equalize, but Webb made a fingertip, diving save at the far post, deflecting the ball underneath the crossbar where it was cleared out by the Hoosier defense.

After 45 minutes, Indiana held a 1-0 lead at Michigan. Shots in the first half were 5-4 in favor of the Wolverines, but shots on goal were 2-1 for IU. The Hoosiers also held a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks.

In the 78th minute, the Hoosiers sealed the road win with a second score. Running down the left side of the pitch, Andrew Gutman played a beautiful ball across the field, finding Griffith. The redshirt sophomore's shot was saved by the U-M goalkeeper, but the rebound fell to the foot of Ballard, who smashed home the goal from eight yards out to the far right post.

With the victory, IU improves to 19-2-0 in the team's last 21 Big Ten road openers dating back to 1996. In the overall history with the Wolverines, IU now leads the series 19-3-1.

The Hoosiers will return to Bloomington to host Northwestern in a Big Ten match on Sunday, Sept. 18. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET at Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium.

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

http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2016/9/14/mens-soccer-no-3-hoosiers-blank-michigan-in-ann-arbor-2-0.aspx#

Go Hoosiers!