Box Score I Box Score (.pdf)

CLEVELAND - The IUPUI men's soccer team collected its first road win of the season as it slid past host Cleveland State, 1-0 at Krenzler Field on a cold, soggy Wednesday (Oct. 19) afternoon. Freshman Sam Fuller netted the game-winner in the 59th minute to account for all of the scoring and senior Tyler Keever registered his sixth shutout of the season at the other end of the field.

CSU (6-7-1) came in atop the Horizon League standings and ranked No. 45 in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer.

"It was a great win," Head Coach Isang Jacob said. "Played a very good Cleveland State team. I scouted them on the way to Western Illinois and saw them play at UIC and we knew we'd have our hands full.

"We had to make some personnel changes. We knew coming in we weren't going to have very many chances, but we knew when we had chances, we had to make the most of them."

True to form, the Jaguars were limited to just four shots, including just one try in the first half. However, IUPUI (5-8-2) tilted the field at halftime and opened the second half on the attack. Both Kyle Hyland and Perez Agaba had shots on goal in the early part of the second half before Fuller finally struck paydirt with his team-high third goal of the season.  

Agaba shifted the ball out wide to Matt Guy, who chipped a ball over CSU goalkeeper Brad Stuver, who was caught off his back line. Fuller finished the play by heading a shot into the empty net.

"We told them they play a high line and when teams play like that, their goalkeeper has a tendency to play high also," Jacob said. "We emphasized to them to take what was given. Some of the players thought the ball was going in anyways, but Sam wanted to be sure of it. It was a good play on his part."

Fuller, who's been more of a super sub this season, tallied on Wednesday in just his second career start. All three of his scores this season have been game-winners.

"We've liked Sam coming off the bench because he can see how the tempo of the game is, but with the personnel changes we made, he had to start. He had to start for us to get this result," Jacob said. "Personally, I think it was one of his best games."

From there, the focus shifted back to holding the lead as wind and rain wreaked havoc on the playing conditions.

"We know when we get a lead, when we score first, we do well," Jacob said. "Our goal was to throw the first punch and then hold on defensively."

The back line held the Vikings to just nine total shot attempts and only three on frame. Keever plucked all three tries for his 12th career shutout. The Indianapolis-native did catch a lucky break with less than a minute left in regulation as Caleb Eastham had a shot hit the post with just over 40 seconds to play.

"The backs played well again today," Jacob said. "Joe (Meyer) came in and played really well."

Wednesday's win capped the non-conference portion of the schedule as IUPUI will conclude the regular season with three straight Summit League games. On Saturday, the Jaguars will host IPFW in league action at Kuntz Stadium at 7:00 p.m.. That match will mark the annual Senior Night celebration and members of IUPUI's 1991 District Championship team will be recognized at halftime.