BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – Some musings on the world of college soccer as I sit in the press box at Indiana University to watch the Hoosiers host Kentucky. I’ll write down my deepest thoughts, such as they are, as they occur during this match.

 

So that’s the deal, and away we go.

 

First of all, it’s been raining all day here. Whoever takes care of the field here at IU has some talent.

 

It’s a field, not a pitch. If it was a baseball game, it would be a field. We’re in America, so it’s a field. A baseball game in England would be played on a pitch. It’s good to know the difference.

 

And it’s zero, not nil.

 

Both teams’ starters doing a 5v5 possession game.  In coaching I’m always worried about someone flying in with a challenge about this point.

 

Other players randomly shooting on goal, which is entirely to benefit the goalkeeper, I’m fairly sure.

 

Referees dressed in all black, which makes me think of my introduction to soccer watching Franz Beckenbauer and Bayern Munich circa 1973 on Soccer

Made in Germany. Whatever happened to Toby Charles? Black was the standard color for referees in those games, I think pretty much everywhere. Now it’s the exception.

 

About a dozen in the IU pep band here to play the Hoosiers on the field. There are no more than 200 people here minutes before kickoff. The weather is awful, it’s a midweek game and, oh yes, the weather is really bad. I expect the game of the year for the true believers who have come out.

 

IU still not out a few minutes after UK. Is it gamesmanship, a longer-than-usual team talk or perhaps a Spinaltap moment under the far side stands?

 

OK, now both teams are out on the FIELD.

 

The press box here is very comfortable, but virtually soundproof. I only knew the national anthem had been completed by the cheer from the fans directly in front of us. That’s OK though. I’m dry and warm.

 

Doing my best Joe Mauceri on the lineups:

 

Indiana

GK: Luis Soffner

D (right to left: Matt Mckain, Tommy Meyer, Caleb Konstanski, Chris Estridge

DM: Karel Bradford

M: Nikita Kotlov, Harrison Petts, Jacob Bushue, Alec Purdie

F: Eriq Zavaleta

Kentucky

GK: Tyler Beadle

D: Marco Bordon, Steven Perinovic, Brad Walker, CJ Tappel

M: Josh McCrary, Josh Mulvany, Charles Pettys, Jacob Kemper, Cameron Wilder

F: Jonathan Brown

 

1st Half 

 

Kentucky likes to get the ball down the wings and cross in. They’ve had two good scoring chances in 10 minutes, including one volley by Jacob Kemper that IU’s Luis Soffner made a great save on. Soffner has really improved this season after, at times, being a liability last year.

 

Jacob Kemper played on a great Javanon club team I had the chance to see play a few times over the years. Do this long enough and there’s a story for almost every player.

 

It’s hard to text and watch and write all at once, but I am very talented. You’re welcome.

 

Rain just driving down now.

 

Nice little move by IU on a free kick almost leads to a goal. I see far less imagination on set pieces these days than I used to. My team is working on free kicks tomorrow in our last practice before our state tournament. Maybe we need to put in a play….

 

As the rain comes down harder, there are more and more “press” members coming into the box here at IU, which is quite large. It’s a little noisy, but no complaints here. I’m dry.

 

Abbey Okulaja making his inimitable stamp on the game as the center referee.

 

For the uninitiated, that is not a compliment.

 

Harrison Petts and Jacob Bushue made a very good central midfield tandem for IU.

 

Thirty minutes in and still pouring. You can see it in the turf just a little bit now, but still remarkable work by the groundskeeping staff here.

 

Jamie Vollmer in now for IU. Somewhere on the site is a video we did at the Sarasota Academy showcase (May, 2010) where he demonstrated his incredibly long throws in, something like 40 yards plus if I recall. Much more to his game than that, however.

 

I like Cameron Wilder’s 1v1 ability. He just earned a corner for UK but the referees botched it.

 

Massive divot uprooted by IU goalkeeper Luis Soffner on a scramble in front of goal. Kentucky definitely getting the better of the action thus far.

 

But I refuse to use the most overused word in American soccer “dominate.” Nobody is dominating. “Dominate” is me wrestling against my 9 year-old.

 

There’s not too much actual domination that goes on club or college soccer, truth be told.

 

Uh oh, looks like Jamie Vollmer may have pulled a hamstring or groin just minutes after coming on. I bet tonight is a difficult night to get loose after watching from the bench. He’s going straight to the locker room.

 

Melanie Schneider brings out the half-time box (there is no better soccer SID than Melanie, by the way – even though she is threatening to kick me out of the press box due to the small detail that IU loses every time I show up). Kentucky coach Ian Collins made no subs in the opening 45 minutes. I want to see more of this in college soccer. IU made 6 subs on the other hand. Hoosier coach Todd Yeagley in the past I thought has been more inclined to make fewer subs, but perhaps I have that wrong.

 

I would so very much like to see the NCAA adopt the same no reentry policy for the 2nd half of matches as they have in the 1st. It would greatly improve the quality of the soccer played at the college level.

 

Two UK subs are over at the front of the IU stand talking to an old friend (who is standing in the pouring rain with a light jacket on. This reinforces my thought that what subs do during pregame and halftime is of no real value.

 

Two young ladies are at the 50 yard line holding up some promotional sign in front of a near empty stand. When the PA announcer finishes his spiel, they immediately use the sign as a makeshift umbrella and stomp off. I hope they are getting paid or work study credit or something for that, because it was totally ridiculous to send them out there. 

 

 

UK definitely played better in the opening 45, let’s see what the 2nd half has in store. It is STILL pouring down.

 

There is a young lady to my left who appears to be part of the UK staff, possibly a student, and she will not stop talking about who knows what (other than the game). I’m not a curmudgeon, honest, but you have to have some consideration for people around you who are working.

 

Harrison Petts had to tie his shoelace and took off the gloves he had been wearing. Upon finishing, he threw the gloves over to the sideline in front of the UK bench. Good man Harry – gloves should be banned.

 

A humble IU team staff member strides over and collects the gloves from in front of the UK bench, without incident (and no, I was not expecting any incident).

 

IU much, much better so far this half. It suddenly occurs to me that the wind, which is strong,  is now at their back (although something of a crosswind).

 

IU win a penalty and I have no idea how. Eriq Zavaleta converts and it’s 1-0 IU.  Ian Collins asking for explanation from Abbey, and he seems satisfied.

 

Karel Bradford  has been guilty of some wayward passes this season, but he covers so much ground as a windshield wiper for IU.

 

A windshield wiper, also known as a destroyer, is a player who sits in front of the back line and concerns himself primarily with disrupting enemy attacks and counterattacks.

 

Steven Perinovic is a good-looking defender for Kentucky. He positions himself well and likes a good tackle.

 

You can see more divots on the field now. One player just stepped in one at full stride and seemed to have his leg almost bow, but he appears to be OK. Something to be concerned about for all.

 

Raining hard here now for at least 2 hours, and still pouring.

 

Kentucky finding their footing now as the wind seems to be dying down. Indiana will wish they had scored another goal.

 

Very good effort by Nikita Kotlov to kill the game off. He has been sick and injured this year quite a bit, but seems to be getting back to his rookie year form. That was a quality goal.

 

Kind of unfortunate for UK to put in such a good effort and get nothing out of it, but IU has played a much better 2nd half. Soccer can be the cruelest of sports, I am reminded again, which makes me wonder why I love it so much. Does that make me a mean person?

 

Time to go home.