Last time the IU soccer team faced an NCAA opponent, the University of California at Los Angeles squashed its national title visions in the 1997 National Semi-finals. But as the old saying goes, when you fall off the horse, get back on and ride again.

The Hoosiers face St. Louis, another Final Four team, at 7:30 p.m. today in Bill Armstrong Stadium as part of their 1998 spring schedule. The Billikens lost to Virginia in the 1997 National Semi-finals.

Tickets are $3 for students with a University ID card and $5 for adults.

"St. Louis plays very hard and uses a lot of players," IU coach Jerry Yeagley said. "We're looking for a full 90-minute effort from our players."

The IU soccer team opened spring play Tuesday against Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew. The Hoosiers allowed five first-half goals en route to a 6-1 loss. Sophomore forward Aleksey Korol scored IU's lone goal.

"We got out of the van, and I was like, 'I don't know these guys,"' Yeagley said. "But we haven't had a lot of time or training. We didn't have our legs."

Tuesday's contest in Columbus reunited four Crew players -- Mike Clark, Brian Maisonneuve, Juergen Sommer and Todd Yeagley -- with their alma mater.

Gone from last season's Final Four team are co-captains Chris Klein and Caleb Porter as well as starter J.T. Cerroni. Both Klein and Porter entered the MLS in the 1998 College Draft -- Klein with the Kansas City Wizards and Porter with the San Jose Clash.

Even without their co-captains, the Hoosiers boast a potent lineup.

The Rochester Three -- Korol, Dema Kovalenko and Yuri Lavrinenko -- return for Yeagley. The Rochester Three accounted for 40 of IU's 83 goals last season.

But the Hoosiers will not rely on offense alone. Big Ten Freshman of the Year Nick Garcia anchors a defense that allowed 14 goals and posted 13 shutouts in 1997.

Junior goalkeeper Tony Cerroni will start in goal today.

Without Klein or Porter, Yeagley plans to juggle the lineup against St. Louis.

"We'll play the same formation," freshman goalkeeper T.J. Hannig said. "But we are playing people at different places. We're trying to find the best combination for the fall."

Several players will see significant playing time against St. Louis. Yeagley said midfielders Simon Deery, a senior; Tommy Keenan, a junior; and Dennis Fadeski, a sophomore; will compete for Klein's wide midfield position.

But Yeagley's goal is to find a combination that allows his top three scorers last season -- Korol, Kovalenko and freshman forward Matt Fundenberger -- to be on the field together.