No. 18 Indiana Rallies for 4-1 Win at Michigan

October 15, 2011

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The 18th-ranked Indiana men’s soccer team rallied from a 1-0 deficit with four unanswered goals from Eriq Zavaleta, Alec Purdie and Nikita Kotlov in a 4-1 victory at Michigan Saturday night.

 Indiana improves to 8-3-2 overall and 2-1 in Big Ten play. Michigan falls to 4-10-1, 1-3 Big Ten.

 “It was a really good moment for our team,” said head coach Todd Yeagley. “We played pretty well in the first half but not very smart in our passing and our movement. Right from the start in the second half we put them on their heels. With our passing and our movement we were able to get behind them at times.”

 The Hoosiers first good chance of the day came just over 10 minutes in. A nice run from Estridge to the left corner allowed service into the box, where a charging Zavaleta took the ball off his stomach and almost put it past Michigan goalkeeper Adam Grinwis. Harrison Petts was also active early with a couple of shots blocked by defenders.

 Indiana thought it had a goal in the 21st minute when Kerel Bradford headed in a long throw from Jamie Vollmer but the referee’s flag was up for the offsides call.

 Less than two minutes later it was Michigan who got on the board first with a goal from Tyler Arnone in the 23rd minute. Arnone shot home a ball played in from Kofi Opare and Matthew Rickard.

 The stats were fairly even at the half with both teams putting up five shots. The Wolverines were credited with three on-goal looks, while the Hoosiers had just one. Petts led the way for IU with three shots in the first 45 minutes.

 Indiana had another ball in the back of the net called off early in the second half with the offsides call. That set off a flurry of activity in front of the Michigan goal that included a missed connection on an open net between Purdie and Zavaleta, a shot high by Zavaleta, and a shot off the post by the freshman.

 Two minute later Nikita Kotlov sends a long throw into the box and Caleb Konstanski is able to get his head on it, but the Hoosiers were called for a foul.

 Indiana’s hard work finally paid off in the 56th minute when Zavaleta put home a ball that was misplayed by Grinwis in front of the net. It is Zavaleta’s second goal in as many games and gives him six on the season. That is the most by a Hoosier freshman since Will Bruin also scored six in 2008.

 The Hoosiers parlayed their momentum into their second goal in the 61st minute with the score from Purdie. The play began with Zavaleta on the right side, playing the ball into Petts in the box. Petts laid the ball off to his left where Purdie slotted it home for his team-leading seventh goal of the season.

 Goal number three came in the 78th minute on a Matt McKain-Kotlov connection. McKain played the ball down to the end line before sending in a perfect cross that Kotlov got his head on and rocketed home for his second goal of the season. Tommy Meyer was also credited with an assist on the play, his team-leading sixth of the season.

 It was goal number seven on the season for Zavaleta in the 86th minute when he took a pass from Petts and popped the ball over Grinwis, who had come off his line. It is the first career multiple-goal game for Zavaleta and his third goal this week. He also had the game-winning goal vs. Butler on Wednesday.

 The Hoosiers return to Bloomington for a two-match homestand beginning Wednesday, Oct. 19 against regional foe Kentucky at 7 p.m. ET. Indiana will then welcome Michigan State to Bloomington on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 2 p.m. ET.

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