Indiana Holds Off St. John’s to Win 2003 NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/14/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Dec. 14, 2003
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(Columbus) – Indiana University held off St. John’s (NY) University 2-1 to win the 2003 NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship in a snowy Columbus Crew Stadium in front of over 5,300 fans.
The Hoosiers jumped in front early and never looked back thanks to two goals within five minutes of each other in the first half. Indiana forward Nick Grabavoy started the scoring at 15:05 on a free kick as he bent the ball around the wall of St. John’s defenders and past the outstretched arms of diving goalkeeper Bill Gaudette into the bottom right corner of the net.
Four minutes and five seconds later Hoosier forward Jacob Peterson, Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the Tournament, scored an unassisted goal on a 40-yard breakaway driving the ball into the bottom left corner of the net. The two goals and the 10 saves of goalkeeper Jay Nolly gave Indiana the breathing room it would need to secure the championship.
“We played a great St. John’s team, who deserved to be here,” said Yeagley. “Our players played hard all year. Our team played for each other this weekend and I am very proud of them. People stepped up this weekend, people who usually don’t play stepped up, as well. Our group never felt they couldn’t win.”
In the second half, the Red Storm mounted a comeback by bringing their defenders up and forcing the issue. The tactic finally paid off as St. John’s forward Ashley Kozicki picked a pass off the ground and chipped it past Nolly into the upper 90 of the goal. The score was assisted by midfielder Chris Corcoran and defender Tim O’Neill.
In the last 15 minutes, with the snowfall increasing and the clock decreasing, the Red Storm began attacking the goal with a flurry of lobs and shots, successfully defended by the IU defense and Nolly, who was named Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the Tournament.
“Towards the end of the game the snow was blowing in my eyes and St. John’s was putting pressure on us,” said Nolly. “I was getting nervous but our team stuck together like we have all year and we were able to pull out the win.”
During the last five and a half minutes Nolly saved three shots while his defense blocked two. Overall, the Red Storm out shot Indiana 19-7, including a plus-seven margin in the second half but were unable to convert an equalizer.
Joining Peterson and Nolly on the All-Tournament team is defender Jed Zayner (IU), defender Seth Stammler (UM), defender Christopher Wingert (SJ), defender Drew Shinabarger (IU), midfielder Will Weatherly (SC), midfielder Josh Tudela (IU), midfielder Danny O’Rourke (IU), midfielder Sumed Ibrahim (UM) and forward Ned Grabavoy (IU).
With three inches of snow falling on the Columbus area overnight, stadium workers began snow blowing the field at 1 a.m. Around 4:30 a.m. the entire grounds crew began shoveling and raking the field until an hour before the match. Tarp was not placed on the field to avoid making conditions excessively slick and the move worked until the last 15 minutes when a second blast of snow covered the field.
The win gives Indiana its sixth national championship and gives retiring head coach Yeagley his 544th win. Yeagley holds the record for most wins in Division I men’s soccer and has been IU’s only coach in its 31 years as a varsity sport.
Indiana Head Coach Jerry Yeagley
On winning the national championship
“We played a great St. John’s team, who deserved to be here. Our players played hard all year. Our team played for each other this weekend and I am very proud of them. People stepped up this weekend, people who usually don’t play stepped up, as well. Our group never felt they couldn’t win.”
Junior goalie Jay Nolly
On the end of the game
“Towards the end of the game the snow was blowing in my eyes and St. John’s was putting pressure on us. I was getting nervous but our team stuck together like we have all year and we were able to pull out the win.”
Sophomore defender Drew Moore
On getting back to Columbus for the game
“The past two days seemed like the longest of my life. All I wanted to do is get back to Columbus and play for the national championship. When I finally got back, it was easy to prepare and direct my attention to playing today’s game.”
Head Coach Dave Masur
On the loss
“Congrats to Indiana on the championship and a hard fought game. It was a tough road to get here and graduations to Jerry. I thought our guys put forth a tremendous amount of effort and we showed a lot of character and preparation to go after something that was a goal of ours since the beginning. Unfortunately, we came up short. It’s like anything you set your sights on. The higher you go the harder you fall. It’s something you have to deal with.”
On Ned Grabavoy and Drew Moor starting for Indiana
“We didn’t know (they were going to start). We prepared for both Ned and Drew to be here. That was a part of the plan from the beginning. There was no surprise.”
Senior Defender Chris Wingert
On the loss
“The toughest part was that I consider myself a winner and today I don’t feel like one. It’s a big disappointment.”
On Indiana’s first and second goals
“The first goal, I forget who was on ball, but the ball was opposite and Chris Cocoran came over to help and fouled. Ned Grabavoy did a great job and he is dangerous with both feet. He does a great job finishing. The second goal, I don’t remember how I lost the ball, but I found myself on a two-on-one break. Peterson looked to slot Ned in and did. I couldn’t step up completely or foul. I wanted to step up at the right time to prevent the one-on-one with the goalie.”
Junior Midfielder Chris Cocoran
On the loss
“It seems like we prepared so hard during the season and the preseason. It’s painful not to reach our goal or aspirations.”
Indiana Notes
*Indiana played in its 12th national championship match on Sunday in Columbus, winning its sixth NCAA men’s title overall and first since 1999.
*Yeagley and the Hoosiers are now 6-6 in NCAA Championship games.
*Head coach Jerry Yeagley coached his final game at Indiana before retiring Sunday. The legendary coach closed his career as the NCAA Division I wins leader with a 544-101-45 record.
*Yeagley became the first coach to win six national championships at one school, a mark that ranks second all-time in NCAA men’s soccer behind the 10 titles won by Saint Louis.
*Seniors Vijay Dias and Drew Shinabarger played in the final game of their careers at Indiana. The pair finished their careers with a 66-18-8 record.
*Junior Ned Grabavoy and sophomore Drew Moore appeared in the Indiana lineup for the first time since the Hoosiers’ game with Penn State in the Big Ten Championship on Nov. 16. The duo left the following to week to join the United States U-20 national team at the World Youth Championships in the United Arab Emirates.
*Ned Grabavoy’s goal in the 11th minute marked the first of his career in NCAA play. It was his 11th goal of the season.
*Jacob Peterson scored his third goal of the NCAA tournament today (his seventh of the season). The rookie finished with seven points in NCAA play, a mark that puts him tied for eighth in the Indiana record books. Pat Yates, who tallied the game winner in double overtime against Santa Clara in the semifinals, also scored seven points during the tournament to tie for eighth in the record books as well.
*Entering today’s match, St. John’s owned a 2-1-0 advantage in the all-time series with Indiana. With IU’s 2-1 win Sunday, the overall series now is tied at 2-2-0.
*The 2003 Indiana team started with the worst record in school history at 2-3-4 after nine games. IU went on a nine-game unbeaten streak to finish the regular season and won 15 of its last 16 games.
*Indiana’s all-time NCAA tournament record is 68-22. The Hoosiers 68 NCAA tournament wins are the most of any school in Division I history.
St. John’s Notes
*St. John’s appeared in its second NCAA championship game. It is now 1-1 all-time in NCAA championship appearances, winning the 1996 title over Florida International.
*St. John’s is now 19-11 all-time in NCAA tournament play.
*The graduating senior class – Matia Damiani, Guy Hertz, Tim O’Neill, Angel Rodriguez and Guy Hertz – finished their four-year career with a 61-17-13 record, two Big East championships, one NCAA championship game appearance and two NCAA College Cup appearances.
*St. John’s used its 22nd different starting lineup this season. The starting lineup for St. John’s was: Bill Gaudette, goalkeeper; Sebastian Alvarado-Ralph, Ryan Kelly, Simone Salinno, forwards; Jean Camere Chris Corcoran, Matia Damiani, midfielders; Jeff Carroll, Chris Leidner, Tim O’Neill and Chris Wingert, defenders.
*Junior Chris Leidner, who missed the Maryland game after being issued a red card in the NCAA quarterfinal game against Creighton, returned to the starting lineup.
*Graduate student Matia Damiani, who had missed the second half of the UC Santa Barbara game and all of the Creighton game after breaking his left arm, started his second-straight game for the Red Storm.
General College Cup Notes
* With the win Sunday in the NCAA College Cup championship match, Indiana ranks first in the NCAA during the last 30 years with six NCAA titles, 16 College Cup appearances and 68 all-time NCAA tournament victories.
2003 NCAA Men’s Division I College Cup All-Tournament Team
GK – Jay Nolly, Indiana
D – Jed Zayner, Indiana
D – Seth Stammler, Maryland
D – Christopher Wingert, St. John’s
D – Drew Shinabarger, Indiana
M – Will Weatherly, Santa Clara
M – Josh Tudela, Indiana
M – Danny O’Rourke, Indiana
M – Sumed Ibrahim, Maryland
F – Jacob Peterson, Indiana
F – Ned Grabavoy, Indiana
Most Outstanding Offensive Player
Jacob Peterson, Indiana
Most Outstanding Defensive Player
Jay Nolly, Indiana
