Good afternoon and Happy Halloween UIndy fans, there's a lot to be happy about in the Greyhound Nation and Around the Pound is your one stop shop for the good news. Visit us every Monday to hear about how the Hounds did!
MEN'S SOCCER
The University of Indianapolis men's soccer made the first step in their hunt for another GLVC Championship, downing the No. 6-seed Rockhurst Hawks by a score of 2-1 in the quarterfinal. The star of the show was Ibo Yilmaz who netted both of the Greyhounds goals, along with the dagger in the final minutes of the contest. The double goal day for Yilmaz sent the Greyhounds to a date with the Lewis Flyers on this Friday in Romeoville, Ill.
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COACH'S CORNER
With a win in the GLVC quarterfinal, we stopped into the office of Gabe Hall to see how he feels about his team's performance. The energy around the team is excitement according to Hall.
"It's always good to get in and win and get into a knockout competition and find success early on. I think it sets us up well, for the next one," Hall said. "It's just a reminder that this is the time of year where, you win or you go home, and these guys understand that. This is what we're fighting for here, the expectations are we're always fighting for the conference championship, and I think they went out there and they played free, and they played with some enjoyment."
The conditions for the match were less than favorable, with the rain coming down the entirety of the match. However, Hall said that the preparation and experience this team has had this season with matches against Maryville in the rain kept the Greyhounds composed.
"So, take confidence in the fact that we've been in the situation. And I think that was the big theme throughout the whole week leading up to the game is we've now been in every situation that we need to be in to be prepared for the game," Hall said. "So, they can take confidence out of their preparation. And knowing that anything that they face on game, they've already seen. And I think that's a big thing for players to understand and be confident in the fact that there are no surprises at this time of year."
Ibo Yilmaz was the lead man offensively for the Greyhounds netting both of the goals in the contest. Hall said that is why they brough Ylimaz in, that he's a true scoring threat. He said that early in the season Ylimaz struggled with injury but once he has come back, he's been dominant as expected.
"He's really turned it on, he's done what we knew he was capable of and so, I think that that rest has really benefited him. And it's allowed him to get to where we all knew he would be," Hall said. "The first goal, it's a good run, it's a calm finish at the back post. He's a goal scorer, so he doesn't panic in those moments, he created a couple other really good opportunities off the dribble that just didn't come off, and then the final goal just comes from pure work and determination. Once he won the ball off the goalkeeper, it was a tight angle. And he made no mistake of it right. And that's again, he's a pure goal score."
Coming up on the semifinals against Lewis, Hall said the gameplan doesn't change, the mindset doesn't change, they are just focused on playing the best UIndy soccer they can.
"I think sometimes people get caught up in the hype of it's a tournament, it's a semifinal. The reality is it's another game, and we've played we've played lots of games as individuals, and if we continue to go do what we do, we're going to be fine," Hall said. "We don't need to do more, but we can't do less. We don't need to think it's a bigger moment than the game that we played in August. So, at the end of the day, we're trying to get into the NCAA tournament. We're trying to make a run in the NCAA Tournament. That game at the beginning of the season is just as important as this game on Friday."
FOOTBALL
Key Stadium was protected by the UIndy Football team once again, as they finalized their revenge tour with a routing of Missouri S&T, 42-16. The Greyhound offense shined the brightest in the second quarter, racking up 28 points off of four JaQuan Bucanan rushing touchdowns, the most in a quarter by a Greyhound running back in the GLVC-era of UIndy Football. The defense was on lock in the first half as well with Kivonte Houston and KJ Roudebush combining for three interceptions.
VOLLEYBALL
UIndy Volleyball suffered two loses on their final homestand, dropping a Friday match to Missouri S&T by a score of 3-1, and then the next day falling to UMSL 3-1 as well. Before the action on Saturday, the Greyhounds celebrated a group of seven seniors in this year's senior day.
POLL SEASON
For winter sports the GLVC Preseason polls were announced last week with the Greyhounds arriving near the top for many of them.
Wrestling
After a season which saw the Greyhounds at No 6 at Nationals last season, the stakes continued to be high with the coaches of the conference selecting the Hounds as the favorites for this upcoming season.
Men's Basketball
Returning All-GLVC second and All-GLVC Defensive teamer Jesse Bingham along with a plethora of other big pieces, the Greyhounds are being predicted to finish first in the GLVC, as voted on by  the coaches of the conference. Â
Women's Basketball
With a new coach and slew of new players the women's basketball team was slotted at No. 6 in the GLVC Preseason poll.
UP NEXT
Monday, Oct. 31
Men's Golf at The McDonough Cup
Tuesday, Nov. 1
Men's Golf at The McDonough Cup
Women's Basketball at Illinois State, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 4
Men's Soccer vs Lewis, GLVC Championship Tournament, 1 p.m.
Swimming & Diving at McKendree, 2 p.m.
Women's Basketball at Northern Kentucky, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 5
Cross Country at GLVC Championships
Wrestling at Kaufman Brand Open, 10 a.m.
Swimming & Diving vs Wabash College / Butler, 1 p.m.
Football at William Jewell, 2 p.m.
Volleyball at William Jewell, 4 p.m.
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