Hoosiers Remain Undefeated with 3-2 Win Over Bucknell

September 9, 2011

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – A pair of goals from senior Alec Purdie a late score for freshman Eriq Zavaleta keeps No. 10 Indiana (3-0-1) undefeated for the 2011 season with a 3-2 win over Bucknell (2-2-0) Friday night at the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament in South Bend, Ind.

“It was a good victory tonight,” said head coach Todd Yeagley. “We went up 2-0 in the first half and created a lot of good chances. In the second half, when that third goal didn’t come, we fell out of rhythm a little bit. Bucknell is a tough, physical group that is very good on restarts. That’s how they got both goals today and it made things interesting.

“Coming back to get that third goal after giving up two tough scores shows a lot about our players. I like the psychological reaction we had.”

The Hoosiers staked an early 2-0 lead but saw that evaporate late in the second half.

With the game tied at 2-2, Zavaleta was in the right place at the right time to pick up the rebound in a scrum in front of the net in the 77^th minute. Harrison Petts sent in a corner kick that bounced through to Caleb Konstanski before finding its way to Zavaleta who calmly slotted it home from two yards out. It is Zavaleta’s third goal of the season.

“To come back after giving up those two goals and finding the game winner within 10 minutes, that shows a lot of character,” Purdie said. “We didn’t put our heads down and we kept fighting.

Purdie gave Indiana a 1-0 lead in the 20^th minute with a play that started back in the midfield with Jamie Vollmer. Vollmer played a ball to Harrison Petts on the right side, and Petts brought the ball into the box to take a shot. His shot went off a defender and through a scramble ended up at the foot of Purdie. He calmly shot it home over the ‘keeper.

“That first goal took a little longer to come than we wanted it to,” Purdie said. “That first goal needed to come soon because we had been playing hard and had been all over them for 20 solid minutes. We needed something to show for it.”

Just over three minutes later it was Purdie again finding the back of the net for a 2-0 Hoosier lead. The ball was played into the left corner by Chris Estridge, where Purdie brought it out and shot across the goalmouth.

With its dangerous chances coming off set pieces, Bucknell broke through with a goal in the 61^st minute when a corner kick from CK Kumah went off a Hoosier player for the own goal.

Brendan Burgdorf tied the game at 2-all in the 69^th minute with a header that came off a throw in from Mayowa Alli.

Bucknell finished the game with a 13-12 shot advantage and both teams had six on-frame looks. Indiana goalkeeper Luis Soffner tallied five saves, while Bucknell goalkeeper Tommy Caso had three.

In the first half, Indiana had a good build up early with Purdie to Estridge down the left side. He tried to center to Petts but his first touch went into a defender who played it back to Caso.

Matt McKain had the first shot of the game for the Hoosiers, sending a ball just wide in the eighth minute. A minute later a ball from Petts nearly found the wide-open foot of Zavaleta, but Caso won the foot race to the ball.

With nearly 15 minutes gone by a turnover by Bucknell in the box led to an on-target strike from Zavaleta that was saved by Caso.

With just over 15 minutes to play in the first half Bucknell nearly got a goal back off a corner kick. The Bison’s Luke Joyner got a head on the kick and Soffner was able to make the save. However, the junior goalkeeper bobbled the ball and it sat loose near the goal line as a Bison player came in. Soffner was able to cover the ball before a shot could be taken.

The teams were even at the half in shot attempts with eight each but Indiana had five on goal compared to three for Bucknell.

The Hoosiers wrap up tournament play Sunday against Denver at 11:30 a.m. ET.