Indiana Knocks Off No. 11 Men's Soccer, 3-2

OMAHA, Neb. - Creighton couldn't overcome a 2-0 deficit and the loss of its biggest playmaker, as sophomore Jose Gomez received a first-half red card in a 3-2 loss to Indiana Saturday night at Morrison Stadium. The 11th-ranked Bluejays scored both of their goals short-handed and allowed just one while playing with 10 men, but it wasn't enough to overcome a pair of first-half Will Bruin goals for the Hoosiers. The loss was CU's first at home this year, dropping the Bluejays to 8-2-0 overall, while the win improved Indiana's record to 6-4-1 on the season.

Bruin notched his first tally of the night in the 29th minute. The preseason All-American used his 6-foot-2 frame to win a ball in the air, heading it over Creighton goalkeeper Brian Holt as he came out to make a play on the ball. Harrison Petts served the ball from long distance for Bruin. The score marked the first time this season CU did not score first in a match and the first time all season the Jays had trailed with time on the clock.

Less than two minutes later Bruin again found the back of the net. Nikita Kotlov started the play sending the ball out wide to Alec Purdie on the right side. Purdie sent the ball to the middle of the box where Bruin was set up near Holt. The Hoosiers' leading goal-scorer tallied his 10th of the season by working it around Holt and IU led 2-0 in the 31st minute.

Already playing from behind, the Bluejays found themselves shorthanded starting in the 36th minute. Gomez, who leads the MVC with seven assists, was called for a red card for a play away from the ball and he was sent off, putting the Bluejays a man down for the final 54 minutes.

The Bluejays came out fired up in the second half, catching the Hoosiers off guard with a quick strike just 13 seconds after the second half whistle. Kyle Deremer took the kick and sent it deep to the right side of the field, where Dion Acoff settled the ball and was able to find Ethan Finlay. The MAC Hermann Trophy candidate sent a rocket into the back of the net from about 15 yards out to cut the IU lead to 2-1.

Indiana, ranked as high as 20th by Soccer America, regained its two-goal lead in the 67th minute when Purdie's shot deflected off of a Bluejay defender and went into the air and over Holt in goal. Purdie's second goal of the season was set up by Daniel Kelly's service.

Finlay scored his fourth goal of the week in the 88th minute when he knocked in a header from Kris Clark's corner kick. The score was Finlay's team-leading and career-best ninth of the season. The junior now has 23 career goals to rank 10th in school history, while his 13 goals and 32 points at Morrison Stadium are second-best in Bluejay history.

Nate Mitchell made his first career start for the Hoosiers in goal, stopping two shots, including a one-on-one breakaway attempt by Acoff early in the match.

The loss wrapped up a 3-1-0 homestand for the Jays, as they will now take to the road for the next four matches, including the next three inside of the Missouri Valley Conference. Creighton will face preseason MVC favorite Evansville next Saturday without the services of Gomez, who will be serving his red card suspension.

NOTES: A season-best 3,383 fans turned out for the Homecoming match ... Creighton is now 5-1-0 at home this season and 57-12-11 all-time at Morrison Stadium ... The Jays had not allowed more than one goal in their previous 16 home matches, dating to a 3-2 win over Evansville on Oct. 11, 2008 ... Finlay is the first Bluejay to crack the top-10 in career goals since Mike Tranchilla ended his career second in CU history with 55 goals in 2002 ... The Jays are 3-3-0 all-time against seven-time NCAA champion Indiana ... This was IU's first trip to Omaha ... CU has scored more goals this season (21), than it did all of last season (20) ... The Jays had allowed just one goal in the first half in their first nine matches this season, before allowing two to the Hoosiers.

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Players Mentioned

Dion Acoff

Kris Clark

Kyle Deremer

Ethan Finlay

Jose Gomez

Brian Holt