Indiana University Athletics
DIPRIMIO COLUMN – Big Ten Beware
10/30/2018 10:54:00 AM | Men's Soccer
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana is in full soccer beast mode.
Understand that.
The postseason has arrived in all its Cream 'n Crimson possibilities.
Brace yourself.
The Hoosiers, having blitzed their way to the Big Ten regular season title in record fashion, doing what had never before been done, now have a conference tourney championship in sight.
Get in their way at your own risk.
"We've played almost every top-10 team," midfielder Frankie Moore says. "We know what to expect and what's expected of us. We know what we have to do and how to do it."
Do they ever.
Consider the No. 2 national ranking, a 15-2 overall record and six-match winning streak in which they outscored opponents, including a pair of ranked teams, 9-1.
"We can play in any style or condition," Moore says. "No matter what, we can figure out a way to win."
Beyond that, IU is the first team in Big Ten history to go 8-0 in league play (Maryland and Rutgers joined the league in 2014), and the first to go unbeaten and untied in conference action since Penn State went 6-0 in 2005.
Now it's a new season and opportunity (IU opens tourney play Sunday by hosting the winner between Northwestern and Ohio State) with nothing guaranteed, although it's close given the Hoosiers are 20-0-2 in their last 22 matches at Armstrong Stadium, and are 23-0-13 in their last 36 matches against Big Ten teams.
"From here on out," midfielder Trevor Swartz says, "we can't lose any more games. We want to keep it rolling."
IU has rolled from unexpected motivation. A stunning 3-0 early October loss at then No. 4 Kentucky steeled the Hoosiers in ways victory couldn't.
"It was a wakeup call," Moore says. "It's weird to say a loss was good for us, but it was. It shows we can be beaten on off games. Losing the way we did, if we don't bring our best, things like that can happen. It made us locked in."
A "locked-in" Indiana is as dominant a force as there is in college soccer. It has won 15 Big Ten regular season titles, 12 conference tourney crowns and eight national championships.
Last year it was the national runner-up for the seventh time.
"Has that loss (to Kentucky) helped us in this run?" coach Todd Yeagley asks. "I think so. It reset little detail things that are important.
"You learn a lot from a loss. The goal is to learn from wins. Sometimes I can be as hard on them after wins than a loss."
Defense remains IU's biggest weapon. It has allowed only nine goals all season with 11 shutouts.
"Team defense has been the standard here," Yeagley says. "It's been great for a lot of years. The last couple of years, they've set new marks."
IU starts postseason play without two of its top players. Midfielder Griffin Dorsey and forward Justin Rennicks (who scored Sunday's overtime game winner against No. 12 Michigan State) are playing with the U.S. U-20 national team in the Conacaf U-20 Championships in Florida. They'll be gone for three weeks.
For most programs, that could be a deal breaker.
Not for the Hoosiers.
"Those are two really good players," Moore says, "but we have eight to nine guys on the bench who could start at 95 percent of the other teams in the country. It's the next-man-up philosophy. We're ready for anything."
Yeagley coaches to ensure they are. He's already tweaked the lineup to prepare for their absence. Dorsey, for instance, didn't start against Michigan State.
"You saw more Ian (Black); you saw A.J. (Palazzolo); we got Thomas (Warr) in against Ohio State," Yeagley says.
"(Dorsey and Rennicks) are two really important guys for our team. The locker room knows it, but they're not rattled. They know there's another guy who can step up.
"We have to. We have to keep winning, and keep everything ready for them to come back. There's enough in that locker room to keep us moving forward."
It's been that way since the early 1970s when soccer first became a varsity sport at IU. The reasons are as true now as they were them -- chemistry, talent, depth and coaching.
"They enjoy each other," Yeagley says. "It's a fun group. They know how to have a good time, and how to keep it focused and serious when they need to. They have the experience to know how to do that.
"It's fun to be around that. We're winning and having success. You want more of that. You don't want to have that other feeling. A lot of times it's more that drive not to lose than wanting to win."
IU is building not to lose again this season, and if you believe Moore, it won't have anything to do with luck.
"I used to be pretty superstitious. Now I'm a big believer that you make your own luck.
"If we keep playing this way, a lot more luck will follow."
#GoIU
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana is in full soccer beast mode.
Understand that.
The postseason has arrived in all its Cream 'n Crimson possibilities.
Brace yourself.
The Hoosiers, having blitzed their way to the Big Ten regular season title in record fashion, doing what had never before been done, now have a conference tourney championship in sight.
Get in their way at your own risk.
"We've played almost every top-10 team," midfielder Frankie Moore says. "We know what to expect and what's expected of us. We know what we have to do and how to do it."
Do they ever.
Consider the No. 2 national ranking, a 15-2 overall record and six-match winning streak in which they outscored opponents, including a pair of ranked teams, 9-1.
"We can play in any style or condition," Moore says. "No matter what, we can figure out a way to win."
Beyond that, IU is the first team in Big Ten history to go 8-0 in league play (Maryland and Rutgers joined the league in 2014), and the first to go unbeaten and untied in conference action since Penn State went 6-0 in 2005.
Now it's a new season and opportunity (IU opens tourney play Sunday by hosting the winner between Northwestern and Ohio State) with nothing guaranteed, although it's close given the Hoosiers are 20-0-2 in their last 22 matches at Armstrong Stadium, and are 23-0-13 in their last 36 matches against Big Ten teams.
"From here on out," midfielder Trevor Swartz says, "we can't lose any more games. We want to keep it rolling."
IU has rolled from unexpected motivation. A stunning 3-0 early October loss at then No. 4 Kentucky steeled the Hoosiers in ways victory couldn't.
"It was a wakeup call," Moore says. "It's weird to say a loss was good for us, but it was. It shows we can be beaten on off games. Losing the way we did, if we don't bring our best, things like that can happen. It made us locked in."
A "locked-in" Indiana is as dominant a force as there is in college soccer. It has won 15 Big Ten regular season titles, 12 conference tourney crowns and eight national championships.
Last year it was the national runner-up for the seventh time.
"Has that loss (to Kentucky) helped us in this run?" coach Todd Yeagley asks. "I think so. It reset little detail things that are important.
"You learn a lot from a loss. The goal is to learn from wins. Sometimes I can be as hard on them after wins than a loss."
Defense remains IU's biggest weapon. It has allowed only nine goals all season with 11 shutouts.
"Team defense has been the standard here," Yeagley says. "It's been great for a lot of years. The last couple of years, they've set new marks."
IU starts postseason play without two of its top players. Midfielder Griffin Dorsey and forward Justin Rennicks (who scored Sunday's overtime game winner against No. 12 Michigan State) are playing with the U.S. U-20 national team in the Conacaf U-20 Championships in Florida. They'll be gone for three weeks.
For most programs, that could be a deal breaker.
Not for the Hoosiers.
"Those are two really good players," Moore says, "but we have eight to nine guys on the bench who could start at 95 percent of the other teams in the country. It's the next-man-up philosophy. We're ready for anything."
Yeagley coaches to ensure they are. He's already tweaked the lineup to prepare for their absence. Dorsey, for instance, didn't start against Michigan State.
"You saw more Ian (Black); you saw A.J. (Palazzolo); we got Thomas (Warr) in against Ohio State," Yeagley says.
"(Dorsey and Rennicks) are two really important guys for our team. The locker room knows it, but they're not rattled. They know there's another guy who can step up.
"We have to. We have to keep winning, and keep everything ready for them to come back. There's enough in that locker room to keep us moving forward."
It's been that way since the early 1970s when soccer first became a varsity sport at IU. The reasons are as true now as they were them -- chemistry, talent, depth and coaching.
"They enjoy each other," Yeagley says. "It's a fun group. They know how to have a good time, and how to keep it focused and serious when they need to. They have the experience to know how to do that.
"It's fun to be around that. We're winning and having success. You want more of that. You don't want to have that other feeling. A lot of times it's more that drive not to lose than wanting to win."
IU is building not to lose again this season, and if you believe Moore, it won't have anything to do with luck.
"I used to be pretty superstitious. Now I'm a big believer that you make your own luck.
"If we keep playing this way, a lot more luck will follow."
#GoIU
Players Mentioned
Midfielder/Forward
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder/Forward
/ Men's Soccer
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