IU Men's Soccer Blank Northwestern 3-0

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The Indiana men's soccer team got goals from Dylan Mares,Nikita Kotlov and Kyle Sparks en route to a 3-0 win over the Northwestern Wildcats (9-6-3, 1-4-1 B1G) Friday night at Lakeside Field in Evanston, Ill.

 

With the win Indiana finishes the regular season at 6-11-1 overall and 2-4 in Big Ten play.

 

Indiana was on the attack in the early going as Harrison Petts had an early shot that was saved, and a shot from sub Mares was just wide of the frame.

 

In the 23rd minute, NU's Cole Missimo sent his shot off cross bar, and it bounced back out where the rebound header from Joey Calistri was cleared off the line by IU goalkeeper Colin Webb.

 

Webb made his second start of the year in goal, picking up his first career shutout and first Big Ten victory.

 

Indiana took a 1-0 lead in the 34th minute with Mares' second goal of the season. The sequence started with a Petts shot off the left post that bounced back out to Femi Hollinger-Janzen. His shot was saved by NU keeper Zak Allen spilled the ball and Mares was there to put home the rebound.

 

Northwestern came right back as Eric Weberman got off a shot that Webb used a quick kick save to stop. Indiana ended the half up a goal with an 8-7 advantage in shot attempts. Both goalkeepers had two saves to their credit.

 

Northwestern had a pair of shots early in the second half but the IU defense, led by Webb, calmly cleared the ball out of danger.

 

Indiana's first shot of the second half gave it a 2-0 lead in the 67th minute as Kotlov one-timed a cross from A.J. Corrado off the underside of the cross bar and in for his fifth goal of the season. That is tied with Tommy Thompson and Femi Hollinger-Janzen for the team lead, while Corrado adds to his lead in assists.

 

Missimo again came right back after the goal with a shot that Webb had to go down to his right to block out of play. With 18 minutes to play Missimo had one go off the underside of the cross bar for the second time but luck was on Indiana's side as it bounced back into the field of play and was cleared by IU.

 

Indiana added a third goal in the 71st minute when Kyle Sparks tallied his second of the season. A bending corner kick from Corrado was cleared out, but Jacob Bushue got a head on it, getting it back into the mixer where Kotlov flicked it on to Sparks.

 

Northwestern and Indiana finished with 11 shots each, while Webb tallied six saves. Mares led the way with three shot attempts.

 

The Hoosiers return to action next Wednesday in the quarterfinal round of the 2013 Big Ten Tournament in Columbus, Ohio. Indiana has secured the No. 5 seed and could face either Michigan or Michigan State.

 

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