Indiana University Athletics
IU Eyeing Another Championship Weekend
11/13/2015 10:19:00 AM | Men's Soccer
By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – There's just something about Indiana and banners.
Regardless of the sport, teams talk about them. Men's soccer is no exception.
By the end of the weekend, the Hoosiers may be adding another.
Indiana is two wins away from winning its 13th Big Ten Tournament title after advancing to the semi-finals with a win against Wisconsin last weekend. The Hoosiers will play Maryland on Friday for the right to play the winner of the Ohio State-Rutgers game in Sunday's finals in Columbus, Ohio.
"It's a title opportunity, so it's always a big opportunity," head coach Todd Yeagley said. "We always want to put another banner up, as we call it, so it's a motivated team and we're really excited for this game."
Indiana (12-4-2, 4-3-1) and Maryland (9-5-4, 3-2-2) have become well familiar with one another over the last 12 months.
The Terrapins ended the Hoosiers' Big Ten title hopes in last year's conference tournament finals. Last month, the two teams played to a scoreless draw in their lone regular-season matchup.
Though Indiana hasn't forgotten the recent results, Yeagley said they're irrelevant to this weekend's game. There's no talk of avenging last year's loss or any signs of bitterness toward Maryland, he said.
The opportunity to add another championship is motivation enough.
"I don't really feel as if it's Maryland (we beat), it's any sweeter," Yeagley said. "Our guys are excited for the game. They're not really looking at last year and revenge and all that. They just want to win this year."
Coincidentally, IU's draw with Maryland is one of the lone blemishes on Indiana's record over the last seven weeks.
The Hoosiers have strung together five consecutive wins since the tie with the Terrapins and have only one loss in their last 11 games.
Yeagley has long talked about the importance of peaking at the end of the season when results matter most. Based on Indiana's recent play, the Hoosiers appear to be doing just that.
"Going into this weekend, I'm pretty confident," freshman defender Andrew Gutman said. "We're playing well. I'm excited that we're kind of hitting stride right at tourney time. Maryland, personally I think they're one of the top teams we faced. If we play well, hopefully we get it done."
Gutman has reason to be confident. He's been a centerpiece on an Indiana defense that's conceded only five goals in its last 11 games.
Maryland should test that streak of strong play. The Terrapin offense picks and chooses when to play aggressively, which Yeagley said can be a challenge. They'll lure an opponent into playing casually, and when they do, Maryland takes advantage.
"You just have to respect how they play," Gutman said. "If you get caught cheating, they're going to punish you, so you just have to play well and play smart."
For Indiana, that means more of the same. The Hoosiers haven't trailed since conceding an overtime goal to Ohio State more than a month ago, which has IU feeling poised heading into championship weekend.
"You want to feel confident," Yeagley said. "You can't give that in a speech, you can't give that in a video session, you've got to feel it.
"This team is feeling pretty confident."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – There's just something about Indiana and banners.
Regardless of the sport, teams talk about them. Men's soccer is no exception.
By the end of the weekend, the Hoosiers may be adding another.
Indiana is two wins away from winning its 13th Big Ten Tournament title after advancing to the semi-finals with a win against Wisconsin last weekend. The Hoosiers will play Maryland on Friday for the right to play the winner of the Ohio State-Rutgers game in Sunday's finals in Columbus, Ohio.
"It's a title opportunity, so it's always a big opportunity," head coach Todd Yeagley said. "We always want to put another banner up, as we call it, so it's a motivated team and we're really excited for this game."
Indiana (12-4-2, 4-3-1) and Maryland (9-5-4, 3-2-2) have become well familiar with one another over the last 12 months.
The Terrapins ended the Hoosiers' Big Ten title hopes in last year's conference tournament finals. Last month, the two teams played to a scoreless draw in their lone regular-season matchup.
Though Indiana hasn't forgotten the recent results, Yeagley said they're irrelevant to this weekend's game. There's no talk of avenging last year's loss or any signs of bitterness toward Maryland, he said.
The opportunity to add another championship is motivation enough.
"I don't really feel as if it's Maryland (we beat), it's any sweeter," Yeagley said. "Our guys are excited for the game. They're not really looking at last year and revenge and all that. They just want to win this year."
Coincidentally, IU's draw with Maryland is one of the lone blemishes on Indiana's record over the last seven weeks.
The Hoosiers have strung together five consecutive wins since the tie with the Terrapins and have only one loss in their last 11 games.
Yeagley has long talked about the importance of peaking at the end of the season when results matter most. Based on Indiana's recent play, the Hoosiers appear to be doing just that.
"Going into this weekend, I'm pretty confident," freshman defender Andrew Gutman said. "We're playing well. I'm excited that we're kind of hitting stride right at tourney time. Maryland, personally I think they're one of the top teams we faced. If we play well, hopefully we get it done."
Gutman has reason to be confident. He's been a centerpiece on an Indiana defense that's conceded only five goals in its last 11 games.
Maryland should test that streak of strong play. The Terrapin offense picks and chooses when to play aggressively, which Yeagley said can be a challenge. They'll lure an opponent into playing casually, and when they do, Maryland takes advantage.
"You just have to respect how they play," Gutman said. "If you get caught cheating, they're going to punish you, so you just have to play well and play smart."
For Indiana, that means more of the same. The Hoosiers haven't trailed since conceding an overtime goal to Ohio State more than a month ago, which has IU feeling poised heading into championship weekend.
"You want to feel confident," Yeagley said. "You can't give that in a speech, you can't give that in a video session, you've got to feel it.
"This team is feeling pretty confident."
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