‘Edgy’ Indiana Aims for National Championship Soccer Run
11/16/2017 9:56:00 AM | Men's Soccer
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana's Trevor Swartz is ticked.
Can you blame the junior midfielder?
The Hoosiers have had a soccer season to remember. They enter the NCAA tourney unbeaten (15-0-5), which no other team in the nation has done, and which only two other IU squads have accomplished in the program's tradition-rich history.
Beyond that, they have not trailed the entire season.
Repeat. In 20 matches and 1,934 minutes, they have not trailed for one second.
They have out-scored opponents by a ridiculous 42-4 margin. They have totaled 16 shutouts.
And yet …
IU did not win the Big Ten regular season or conference tourney titles. Michigan won the regular season championship because it won six conference games to Indiana's five. The Big Ten tourney title went to Wisconsin, which took home the trophy in last Sunday's title match via penalty kicks, 4-2.
Let's just say Swartz isn't the only Hoosier who is ticked.
You'd better believe this is a very good thing.
"It made me mad (not winning the Big Ten)," Swartz says. "I think we'll go out with an extra edge throughout the whole tournament.
"That will be in our back pocket -- we don't want to lose."
As the No. 2 overall seed in the 48-team tourney, IU gets a first-round bye. It will play Sunday against the winner between Old Dominion (12-5-2) and North Carolina State (8-5-2).
Losing isn't part of the plan.
"We've been working all year toward this tournament," Swartz says.
For good reason. This rates as perhaps the best team coach Todd Yeagley has ever had, and that includes his 2012 national title squad.
"Seeing how the season turned out, we have a very good chance to make a run at a (national title)," goal keeper Trey Muse says. "We're excited for what's to come. We've worked hard, with more hard work ahead."
What's the key to winning a ninth national championship?
It starts with defense, Yeagley says.
"I've never seen one of our teams make it through (the NCAA tourney) with an average defense," he says. "That's been our cornerstone.
"The good news is we're also in the top five to six (nationally) in the (offensive) attacking categories. This team has phenomenal balance.
"It's not just about defending because we do a lot of attacking. Attacking creates our ability to not have to defend much. And when the ball finds its way in our half, we've been very good.
"The makeup for me to be a championship team is a collective belief, having the right pieces and handle things defensively. We have a lot of those makeups."
Or, as Swartz says, "The key is consistency. It's now basically five, one-game seasons. We just have to perform every game."
This is a new experience for Muse, who has played beyond his true freshman experience. He leads the nation in shutouts (16), goals against average (0.19) and save percentage (92.6).
"I don't know what to expect," he says about the NCAA tourney. "We know it will be tough. Nothing will be given to us. We have to come in with the right mindset.
"We'll do our best to prepare. Coaches will do their best to prepare us for the challenges ahead."
The No. 2 seed ties IU's best-ever selection.
"The NCAA is aware of the margins we've done, aware of the shutouts and the 42 goals, four against," Yeagley says. "That's very compelling against a good schedule. That would push us up the line. We finished three to four in RPI. The body of work and the eyeball test pushed us to the No. 2 seed."
The Hoosiers are certainly battle tested. They played eight matches against NCAA tourney teams -- going 3-0-5. They've also made the NCAA tourney for 31 straight years, the nation's longest streak.
"That's a testament to the quality of our program and the consistency," Yeagley says. "It's hard to do. A lot of good teams not on the board. Quite a few we played. It's not easy to do what this group has done."
If it keeps winning, IU could host three NCAA games before advancing to the College Cup, which is set for Dec. 8 and 10 in Philadelphia.
That could set up a championship showdown against No. 1 seed Wake Forest (17-1-2).
"There's not a feeling of 'Let's talk about Philadelphia right now,'" Yeagley says. "They know how difficult every game is going to be. We want to take out all the things you can't control. We've just got to perform."
Recent NCAA tourney disappointments and the lack of a Big Ten title this season has Yeagley saying, "It's a pretty edgy group right now. They'd play tomorrow if they could. That's a good feeling going into the tournament."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana's Trevor Swartz is ticked.
Can you blame the junior midfielder?
The Hoosiers have had a soccer season to remember. They enter the NCAA tourney unbeaten (15-0-5), which no other team in the nation has done, and which only two other IU squads have accomplished in the program's tradition-rich history.
Beyond that, they have not trailed the entire season.
Repeat. In 20 matches and 1,934 minutes, they have not trailed for one second.
They have out-scored opponents by a ridiculous 42-4 margin. They have totaled 16 shutouts.
And yet …
IU did not win the Big Ten regular season or conference tourney titles. Michigan won the regular season championship because it won six conference games to Indiana's five. The Big Ten tourney title went to Wisconsin, which took home the trophy in last Sunday's title match via penalty kicks, 4-2.
Let's just say Swartz isn't the only Hoosier who is ticked.
You'd better believe this is a very good thing.
"It made me mad (not winning the Big Ten)," Swartz says. "I think we'll go out with an extra edge throughout the whole tournament.
"That will be in our back pocket -- we don't want to lose."
As the No. 2 overall seed in the 48-team tourney, IU gets a first-round bye. It will play Sunday against the winner between Old Dominion (12-5-2) and North Carolina State (8-5-2).
Losing isn't part of the plan.
"We've been working all year toward this tournament," Swartz says.
For good reason. This rates as perhaps the best team coach Todd Yeagley has ever had, and that includes his 2012 national title squad.
"Seeing how the season turned out, we have a very good chance to make a run at a (national title)," goal keeper Trey Muse says. "We're excited for what's to come. We've worked hard, with more hard work ahead."
What's the key to winning a ninth national championship?
It starts with defense, Yeagley says.
"I've never seen one of our teams make it through (the NCAA tourney) with an average defense," he says. "That's been our cornerstone.
"The good news is we're also in the top five to six (nationally) in the (offensive) attacking categories. This team has phenomenal balance.
"It's not just about defending because we do a lot of attacking. Attacking creates our ability to not have to defend much. And when the ball finds its way in our half, we've been very good.
"The makeup for me to be a championship team is a collective belief, having the right pieces and handle things defensively. We have a lot of those makeups."
Or, as Swartz says, "The key is consistency. It's now basically five, one-game seasons. We just have to perform every game."
This is a new experience for Muse, who has played beyond his true freshman experience. He leads the nation in shutouts (16), goals against average (0.19) and save percentage (92.6).
"I don't know what to expect," he says about the NCAA tourney. "We know it will be tough. Nothing will be given to us. We have to come in with the right mindset.
"We'll do our best to prepare. Coaches will do their best to prepare us for the challenges ahead."
The No. 2 seed ties IU's best-ever selection.
"The NCAA is aware of the margins we've done, aware of the shutouts and the 42 goals, four against," Yeagley says. "That's very compelling against a good schedule. That would push us up the line. We finished three to four in RPI. The body of work and the eyeball test pushed us to the No. 2 seed."
The Hoosiers are certainly battle tested. They played eight matches against NCAA tourney teams -- going 3-0-5. They've also made the NCAA tourney for 31 straight years, the nation's longest streak.
"That's a testament to the quality of our program and the consistency," Yeagley says. "It's hard to do. A lot of good teams not on the board. Quite a few we played. It's not easy to do what this group has done."
If it keeps winning, IU could host three NCAA games before advancing to the College Cup, which is set for Dec. 8 and 10 in Philadelphia.
That could set up a championship showdown against No. 1 seed Wake Forest (17-1-2).
"There's not a feeling of 'Let's talk about Philadelphia right now,'" Yeagley says. "They know how difficult every game is going to be. We want to take out all the things you can't control. We've just got to perform."
Recent NCAA tourney disappointments and the lack of a Big Ten title this season has Yeagley saying, "It's a pretty edgy group right now. They'd play tomorrow if they could. That's a good feeling going into the tournament."
Players Mentioned
Midfielder/Defender
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