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Monday, October 26, 2009  |  3 Comment(s)  |   Email   |  Print

Indiana Relishes Upset of OSU

(It was a close-run thing for Indiana. Joan Shepherd photo. Below, Bowling Green on the run v. ND. Brad Davis photo)

By Alex Goff

Indiana upset #13 Ohio State 13-10 Saturday to improve to 3-1 and clog up the top of the men's DI college Midwest league's Eastern Conference.

In a tight match, OSU were within ten meters of the IU line five times without scoring, and were a meter away at the end of time when an obstruction call ended their hopes.

"The match was a must win for us, but OSU didn't make it easy," said IU club president Dave Harbeck. "Their pack was much stronger than when we met them in the Big 10+1 tournament, but we were able to pull it together and get ourselves out of trouble when we had to."

That included the prolonged goalline stand at the end of the game, as they stymied a frustrated Bucjeye side.

"Both teams played all 80 minutes to the fullest," said Harbeck.

No. 8 Tom Pribbeno scored Indiana's only try, while Matt Stutz added a converfsion and two penalty kicks, including the winner.

The loss dropped Ohio State to 3-1. Indiana is now 3-1 after their October 17 loss to Bowling Green will be reversed due to BGSU's failure to produce the paperwork all teams are required to have at every game.

BGSU is still winning, though, as they defeated Notre Dame 28-8 to move to 3-1.

The game was even for most of the day before Bowling Green's backs put it away. Notre Dame came close to scoring several times, but impatience, penalties and dropped passes thwarted them.

Fullback Rocco Mauer scored three for Bolwing Green.

Bowling Green program head Roger Mazzarella said Notre Dame is imporivng.

"Sean O'Leary had to start the program from scratch and the athleticism of the student body as a whole kept most of the games from being blowouts until the players started acquiring rugby skills," he said. "They are just a year or two away from being major players on the collegiate stage."

As for Bowling Green, "We've got plenty of work to do over the next couple of weeks."

Also winners in the Midwest were Wisconsin over Northern Iowa and Purdue over Michigan. Minnesota downed Iowas State 33-17. Wisconsin's superb pack is throttling teams and the Badgers are 4-0 and leading the Midwest-West.

Minnesota is 3-1.
 

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