Indiana falls just short of another national championship
CARY, N.C. — In their 50th season, the Indiana University men’s soccer team was 90 minutes away from the perfect ending to the season — a ninth national championship. The Hoosiers threw everything they had at the Syracuse Orange, fighting back twice to even the score and then heading to penalties. Syracuse edged IU 7-6 on PKs to take its first-ever title.
“What a fabulous game tonight,” IU head coach Todd Yeagley said. “A lot of emotion, a lot of great soccer, a lot of great moments. Congratulations to Syracuse. They had a great season. Penalties are difficult. Even when you win, they’re difficult. No one wants to win like that. There’s not much you can really say or do for these guys right now. They invested a lot in this season.”
And while the ending wasn’t what the Hoosiers hoped for, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t a fantastic season. When the season started, there were so many unknowns. The starting 11 hadn’t been solidified. The starting goalkeeper hadn’t been chosen. The postseason was just a blip on a radar screen. There was work that needed to be done sooner than later.
“We put a tough schedule together,” Yeagley said. “You take a leap of faith sometimes. You put them out there. You need to find out where your team is. If it means losses, then you take it. This team has done a good job evolving.”
IU dropped three regular-season matches to Clemson (3-2), Ohio State (2-1) and Kentucky (3-0). Three losses may not sound horrible, but to the Hoosiers it was unacceptable. They rarely allow three goals a match. This season, they had multiple games where that was the case, including a 3-3 draw with Portland. IU ended its regular season by falling 3-1 to Rutgers in the Big Ten championship.
But that was it. IU would not lose again. The Hoosiers overcame the odds and adversity, shutting out three teams en route to the College Cup: 1-0 vs. St. Louis, 1-0 vs. Marshall and 2-0 vs. UNC Greensboro. IU improved in every match. By the time they played UNCG, people were starting to notice.
“We defend with 11 players,” IU goalkeeper JT Harms said. “It starts with our forwards and trickles down. We have a fantastic back line. We have a great group of goalkeepers and a fantastic coach. You’ve gotta get the job done. It’s all about trusting the process.”
Yeagley agreed. “We train defending a lot. We are confident in our one vs. ones and our two vs. twos. We needed all of this tonight. Experience definitely helps. I look at our back line. They were there in 2020 vs. Marshall. They’re back. And they’re better.”
And then came Pitt. Another team with an international flare, this would be a true test for IU. Were they up to the task? Fourteen minutes in, Ryan Wittenbrink showed they were, burying a penalty kick for a 1-0 lead. In the final minute of the first half, the IU Crabb Band started to play the IU Fight Song. Just as they started to speed it up, Herbert Endeley found Tommy Mihalic, who blasted the ball into the net for a 2-0 lead. The Hoosiers held Pitt scoreless for the final 45 and headed to their 17th College Cup final. With the win, IU earned its 100th NCAA Tournament victory.
“Congratulations to Indiana,” Pitt head coach Jay Vidovich said.” They had a very successful game plan. Indiana is fantastic at man marking. They’re a very organized team.”
The story wrote itself. A perfect ending for a team that finally found its groove and made an undeniable run. Earning a win vs. Syracuse in the final would seal the deal. It would give the Hoosiers their ninth star. And this team would forever be engrained in Hoosier history.
Syracuse was in the process of writing its own perfect ending. Neither team gave up without a fight in Monday’s final. They left everything on the pitch. And while that is said time and time again, it couldn’t be more true for IU and Syracuse.
The Hoosiers started out strong, forcing shot after shot in the early minutes of the match. But Syracuse struck first. Nathan Opoku sent a perfect ball into the upper netting for the 1-0 lead in the 24th minute. There was no stopping that ball. Nine minutes later, Patrick McDonald found the equalizer, blasting the ball into the lower right corner. One minute later, the Orange took the wind out of IU’s sails, when Curt Calov snuck another ball into the net.
With a 2-1 lead entering into the second half, Syracuse sat back a bit and watched the Hoosiers take control. IU slowed Syracuse’s attack and focused on finding the equalizer. Some bad luck and missed calls by the referee seemed to be a bad sign. But the Hoosiers kept fighting. Samuel Sarver passed the ball to Endeley, who fired his shot into the net to even the score.
“It was a physical game,” Yeagley said. “There were some challenges. Two really good teams were going at it, leaving everything out there. I know it’s cliché, but they did. Both teams were grinding. They had a lot of fight. Syracuse is a tough team. I commend them for that.”
Neither team scored in the remainder of the half or the two overtime periods, sending the game to penalty kicks. IU and Syracuse each netted four of their first five. After that, they were one for one, until IU’s Maouloune Goumballe missed his attempt and Syracuse’s Amferny Sinclair made his. The Hoosiers dropped to the ground in defeat, while the Orange celebrated.
The Hoosiers fell short of their storybook ending. But honestly, this 2022 squad has so much to be proud of. The way they battled and commanded respect speaks volumes about the players and coaching staff.
When IU faced Marshall in the 2020-21 College Cup. They looked outplayed. Marshall was full of international players. It was a tale of boys vs. men. They fought until the end but it wasn’t enough.
When asked about the international influence in collegiate soccer now, Yeagley said he welcomes it. “The international influence has been positive. It’s making American players earn it. At Indiana, we have been built on mostly American players. I’ve been told that model is not going to be effective. I disagree.”
This year, IU’s run to the College Cup was outstanding. Prior to the tournament, IU allowed 27 goals. In the five tourney games, they outscored opponents 8-2, with four shutouts and earned a 4-0-1 record. For comparison, they began the season with a 3-1-1 record, outscored opponents 9-7 and posted two shutouts. They allowed six goals in the first two games and didn’t win a game until the third.
It’s fair to say this season was a tale of two teams – the unsure, reluctant starting team and the unstoppable finishing team. They man marked. They dominated play. They passed well. Everyone was strong. If they were knocked down, they got back up. This team definitely left their mark on the program. It may not be a star, but it’s a mark. If you watched them in August and then in December, you’d say, “Wow. They’ve come a long way.” You’re correct. They did. And that speaks for itself.
“I’m just speechless,” Harms said. “I thought we deserved better today. The impact this team has had on the program will go way beyond today.”
While it’s too early to fully reflect on the campaign, Yeagley said he couldn’t be more proud.
“It would have been our ninth championship in our 50th season. We’ve done it [won a championship] in every decade. That’s what I’m most proud of. If we continue to do things well, good things will come.”
Follow Kathryn on Twitter: @Katknapp99.
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