University of Connecticut Athletics
Connecticut Defeats No. 5 Indiana in Classic Title Game
9/6/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
STORRS, CT (September 6) – The University of Connecticut men’s soccer team captured the 2003 UConn/adidas Classic title with a 2-1 win over No. 5 Indiana University on Saturday night at Morrone Stadium in Storrs. No. 24 ranked UConn improves their record to 2-2 overall, while Indiana drops to 1-1-2 on the season. Connecticut extended its regular-season home win streak to 18-games with tonight’s win.
Both teams played evenly in the first half, each notching four shots. The Huskies had a good chance to light the lamp in the game’s eighth minute. After a Hoosier foul, Andres Rota (Kingswood, TX) rifled a shot from the outside of the top left corner of the box. IU goalie Jay Nolly dove and made a diving punch save, sending the ball back into the Husky offense. UConn reset and got the ball to an open Willis Forko (Houston, TX) at the top of the goal box. The sophomore defender launched a shot over the crossbar and the two squads remained deadlocked. Indiana broke the tie at the 34:49 mark. IU midfielder Brian Plotkin centered the ball, finding teammate Pat Yates who hit a bullet that UConn keeper Adam Shuerman (Brookfield, WI) managed to get a glove on before it ended up in the back of the net to give IU a 1-0 advantage. The lead was short lived however, as UConn knotted the score at one just two minutes later. Junior back Joe Coyle (Belle Meade, NJ) beat the defense up the right side and centered the ball to a posting Cesar Cuellar (Santa Cruz, Bolivia) at the top of the goal box. Cuellar faked right and spun around to the left and found freshman Steve Sealy (St. James, Trinidad) who rocketed it in from point-blank range.
UConn rode the momentum of its game-tying goal into the second half. After an IU handball at the top of the box, Cuellar ran over the ball without touching it cueing Forko to nudge the ball to the right, setting up Rota who was hidden from the defense by the UConn wall. Rota fired a shot around the Indiana wall and past the screened goalie, putting UConn up for good.
Schuerman earned his second win in as many nights recording four saves in net, while Nolly was forced only to make only one save in net. Despite the loss, IU out shot UConn, 9-5.
In the matinee affair of the UConn/adidas Classic, Boston University defeated Georgetown 2-1 in double overtime. Anders Ostili scored the gamewinner at the 102:14 mark of the game.
Connecticut will play host to BIG EAST rival Seton Hall on Saturday, September 13 at 7:00 pm at Morrone Stadium in Storrs.
