DIPRIMIO – No. 1-Ranked Indiana Gets Ruthless in NCAA Tournament Win over UConn

Sunday, November 18

Bloomington, Ind.

12:00 PM

Indiana University

18-2-1

UConn

12-6-2

Connecticut

Indiana

DIPRIMIO – No. 1-Ranked Indiana Gets Ruthless in NCAA Tournament Win over UConn

11/18/2018 3:29:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Ruthless rules.

Understand that. The Indiana Hoosiers certainly do.

Their quest for a ninth national soccer championship started by throttling UConn 4-0 on Sunday at Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium, which followed their 3-0 manhandling of Michigan to win the Big Ten tourney title which followed their record-breaking 8-0 run while winning the conference regular season crown.

"These back to back games, when you look at the 90 minutes in the last two games, it was pretty comprehensive," coach Todd Yeagley said. "You want that. The guys are in good form. They're confident, which is what you want this time of year."

Let other teams let up. The second-seeded Hoosiers (18-2-1) have a difference agenda.

"Once we create a few good chances, we don't stop," senior defender Andrew Gutman said. "It gets better and better. We focus on finishing the match."

IU is four victories away from a national championship, which is three wins more than it is focused on right now amid survive-and-advance postseason pressure.

Of course, the Hoosiers are in crush-and-advance mode these days. Last season's national runner-up finish remains a motivator, as was the penalty kick shootout conference tourney semifinal thriller against Maryland, as is the program's overall tradition of excellence.

IU is 22-0-2 in its last 22 matches at Armstrong Stadium. It's in the Round of Sixteen for the fourth straight year and the sixth time in Yeagley's nine seasons.

The Hoosiers rocked UConn (12-6-2) with goals from four different players – Gutman, Griffin Dorsey, Timmy Mehl and Spencer Glass.

"We have so many weapons," Yeagley said.

On Sunday, fun followed focus.

"We were really sharp and dangerous in the final third," Yeagley said. "We didn't allow UConn to get into any rhythm. The goal was to not let them get comfortable."

Did that also include making a national statement?

It depends on who you talk to.

"It does send a message to the country that we're in great form," Gutman said. "We're finishing off plays. You don't want to be a team in our way right now."

Added Glass: "Having that kind of performance shows how good we are."

Yeagley wasn't willing to go that far.

"This group, after coming off last year, doesn't feel like they have to show the nation what they're capable of," he said. "It was a really sound performance. There was not any intent to make a statement. If we wanted to do that, we could have gone for more.

"Some will look at it and say, that was impressive. But our guys will be prepared for next week."

How dominant was IU? It had a 22-3 edge in shots, a 12-0 advantage in corner kicks. Goal keeper Trey Muse only had to make one save.

To keep that edge, Yeagley will continue to push the little things.

"Any time you have a good win, you can dig in a little more, and fine tune the details. We'll do that.

"I won't be searching for things (to pick on), but we'll find them. There is no perfect game."

Yeagley pulled his starters with plenty of time remaining, a luxury rarely found amid overall national parity.

The Hoosiers have found it, and have no intention of losing it – or a match.

"We got a lot of guys in the game which is excellent for the team," Yeagley said. "It gives some of the younger guys NCAA experience. We had some outstanding performances. Really solid

"We're excited to move on to the Round of Sixteen."

Nobody delivers assists like senior midfielder Trevor Swartz. He had three on Sunday to give him a national-leading 13 for the season, the most by a Hoosier since Yuri Lavrynenko had 14 in 1997.

IU continues to wreck opposing offenses. In its last nine matches, it has allowed three goals. It has allowed just 11 on the season.

The Hoosiers are doing this even without one of their best players – Justin Rennicks – who is in Florida with the U.S. National team for the Concacaf U-20 Championships. He's set to return for IU's third-round match next weekend against the winner between No. 8 Denver (15-3-2) and No. 20 Air Force (16-4).

A week layoff from its Big Ten tourney championship didn't slow the Cream 'n Crimson juggernaut. IU couldn't have been more dominant in the first half with a 13-1 edge in shots, an 8-0 advantage in cornerkicks

Oh, yes, it had a 2-0 lead.

The teams had played in early September at Armstrong Stadium with the Hoosiers winning 1-0. UConn had advanced with a 4-3 win over Rhode Island, overcoming a 3-1 deficit.

But the Hoosiers defense was too strong to allow that kind of comeback.

IU opened with an offensive barrage of accurate shots, crisp passing and overall pressure in front of the UConn goal.

That paid off 16 minutes into the match when Gutman scored on a header via Swartz's assist from a corner kick. Three minutes later the Hoosiers scored again on a Dorsey goal from assists by Buckmaster and Thomas.

"Once we got up 2-0," Gutman said, "our main goal was to keep the shutout going and continue to do our game."

The game was, in essence, over with that 2-0 halftime lead, although Indiana's effort wasn't. Mehl and Glass added second-half goals. The defense remained unbreakable.

"We continued to play," Yeagley said.

The fact IU will face an unfamiliar opponent in the next round, Yeagley said, "Makes it nice. The guys like to play a new team."

Beyond that, "We'll be eating Thanksgiving together. That's a sign you've had a good year.

"We'll have our tradition of going to the Tudor Room for Thanksgiving, then come to our house and spend some time. With school out, it allows them to bond in a good way."

NOTABLES
• IU is unbeaten in the team's last 11 (10-0-1) matches. In that streak, IU has posted seven shutouts and has out-scored the team's opponents, 19-3.
• With the victory over UConn, the Hoosiers improve to 22-0-2 in the team's last 24 matches at Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
• Indiana has an NCAA-best .726 (89-32-5) winning percentage in the tournament, while the 89 victories are also the best in the NCAA.
• With the win, the Hoosiers improve to 22-3-1 (.865) all-time in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32.
• Also with the victory, Indiana has reached the NCAA Tournament Round of 16 for the fourth-straight season and for the 37^th time in program history. IU has reached the Round of 16 six times under head coach Todd Yeagley.

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