Bezerra Secures Hat Trick, No. 6 Indiana Defeats No. 19 Kentucky

Sunday, November 24

Bloomington, Ind.

Noon

Indiana University

15-2-4, 7-1-0

Kentucky

13-5-3, 4-2-1

Kentucky

Indiana

Bezerra Secures Hat Trick, No. 6 Indiana Defeats No. 19 Kentucky

11/24/2019 4:15:00 PM | Men's Soccer

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Of course, it was a freshman.

In this year of Indiana soccer reloading, where experience gives way to talent, coachability and development, Victor Bezerra did to Kentucky on a sun-splashed Sunday afternoon what he had done so often this season:

Score.

And then deliver a leaping air punch before teammates mobbed him.

And then, nine minutes later, score again.

Kentucky -- which hadn't allowed a Hoosier goal in the preview two meetings -- was toast 15 minutes before halftime at Armstrong Stadium.

The Hoosiers' 3-0 victory made them 34-0-4 in their last 38 home games and restored order to the Kentucky series. IU had been 17-0-3 in its previous 20 meetings before last season's 3-0 loss and this year's earlier 0-0 tie.

Bezerra completed his first college hat trick -- and IU's first since 2012 -- with a second-half goal, a 20-yard blast into the upper right corner no goal keep in America could have stopped.

"That third goal was special," coach Todd Yeagley said. "The ball comes off his foot heavy. It was a special goal in a big game."

Added Bezerra: "I want to thank my teammates for putting me in those positions. I work a lot of finishing. I'll continue to do everything I can to help the team."

It's been that kind of season for Indiana (15-2-4), which advanced to the NCAA tourney third round for the fifth straight season.

"We have something to lose," Bezerra said. "We don't want the season to end. We know this is a special group.

"We knew if we got that first goal, confidence would come. As soon as we got the first goal, we wanted more. Our movement off the ball was superb. We have to keep it going."

Bezerra, a forward out of Chicago rated among the nation's 100 best recruits by Top Drawer Soccer, has been an offensive catalyst all season. His eight goals lead the team, two more than fellow freshman Joshua Penn.

Bezerra also just missed an assist minutes into the game when Penn couldn't control his perfect diagonal pass in front of the Kentucky goal.

That soon became irrelevant.

Bezerra's first goal came off assists by junior A.J. Palazzolo and freshman Aidan Morris. Morris and senior Simon Waever assisted on the second goal. His final goal came off a pass from sophomore Joe Schmidt.

"I wish I could have seen this coming," Yeagley said. "It's rare to get a hat trick at any time. He's worked so hard. The biggest part of his game is his defense. That's allowed him to play more.

"We felt Vic was trending in a great direction. We watch him finish in practice. He's really good. It's about getting him in the right spots and having the confidence to do it."

Palazzolo made sure Bezerra got his opportunities.

"I can tell when someone is feeling it," Palazzolo said. "He was feeling it, so I was going to get him the ball as much as I could. We work well together. He's a great guy to play with."

Hoosier youth (19 players are either true or redshirt freshmen to comprise the nation's second-best 2019 recruiting class) have grown into seasoned excellence. Freshmen have accounted for 21 of IU's 36 goals this season.

"We've grown throughout the course of the season," Palazzolo said. "Our young guys are learning a lot. They've come a long way. It doesn't matter what age anyone is anymore. We just play as a team and try to get a win."

Added Yeagley: "They have had a lot of time. They don't feel much like freshmen. You see habits that have developed. Now they're doing what you want eight, nine, 10 times out of 10. At the start of the season, it was half. That gives you a better chance to win."

IU came in rolling with a 6-0-1 record in its last seven games and Big Ten regular season and conference tourney championships.

Actually, it was a seven-game winning streak, but soccer rules consider a PK shootout win a tie (IU edged Michigan 4-3 in last week's PK shootout to win its second straight Big Ten tourney championship).

Credit a defense that has allowed just two goals in its last eight games, and an opportunistic offense that has generated three or more goals in a game four times in that span.

"We have a lot of confidence," Bezerra said. "We've been playing well. We're hitting our stride at the right time. We were popping in practice. It was our best week, and we brought it into the game."

Added Palazzolo: We're meshing well since the beginning of the season. Offensively, we're hitting our stride. We knew we had to finish our opportunities to have a chance to win."

A 3-0 defeat at then No. 25 Maryland on Oct. 18 was a season-changing catalyst. The Hoosiers haven't lost since.

"We didn't defend poorly at Maryland," Yeagley said. "It was more of our commit to being more consistent defensively. Defend as hard as we can. We have to do it every time.

"It was a tough loss. After that you re-examine everything. It was about honing it in. Buckling down. We're better on details. We haven't given teams much."

IU gave Kentucky (13-5-3) almost nothing. Its first-half dominance was so complete goal keeper Roman Celentano only had to make one save. He faced just two shots.

Kentucky pressured more in the second half (at one point, Celentano made a spectacular diving stop, one of three second-half saves), but not enough to make a difference.

"We just go out and play," Palazzolo said. "We're confident. Our focus is on performing well."

IU is building to make a third straight College Cup run. Still lurking are top-seed Virginia (17-1-1) and fourth-seed Wake Forest (13-4-2), but pick against the Hoosiers at your own risk.

"Three goals look great," Yeagley said, "but our team defense was outstanding. We gave Kentucky very little. We took them out of everything. That's what I was most pleased with. Great defense this time of year is the formula that gives you the best chance to advance."

Or, as Bezerra put it, "We have to keep it going."

#GoIU