Indiana University
8-1-0, 7-1-0
Northwestern
2-8-1, 2-7-1
#IUMS Advances to Play Maryland in Big Ten Tournament Semifinals
4/10/2021 10:30:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Hoosiers Blank Wildcats, 3-0, in Opening Round
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – No. 6 Indiana (8-1-0) defeated the eighth-seeded Northwestern Wildcats (2-8-1) by a score of 3-0 in the opening round of the 2020-21 Big Ten Men's Soccer Tournament at Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium on Saturday evening.
KEY MOMENTS
• Sophomore forward Victor Bezerra opened the scoring for IU on Saturday evening. Fellow sophomore forward Herbert Endeley won a penalty in the seventh minute. Bezerra was calm and collected from the spot, firing to the right of the Northwestern keeper to give IU the 1-0 lead.
• In the 19th minute, Bezerra fired a shot that missed just right of the net. The shot came off his right foot from just outside the box but could not find the target.
• IU added to their first-half lead with a goal from redshirt sophomore forward Ryan Wittenbrink off a Northwestern goalie mistake. Wittenbrink's tap-in goal handed IU a 2-0 lead right before the break.
• Wittenbrink went for goal again in the 58th minute but his attempt went just left of the net. After cutting in on his left foot from the edge of the box, his shot went across the face of goal and out for a Northwestern goal kick.
• Bezerra scored his second of the match in the 73rd minute to put the first-round tie to bed. After redshirt junior midfielder Joe Schmidt dispossessed the Northwestern midfielder, he darted through the defense and played a perfect ball to Bezerra. The Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year cut in on his right foot and placed the ball past the Northwestern goalie for the 3-0 lead.
• Freshman defender Joey Maher had the final look on target for the Hoosiers Saturday evening. Maher flicked in a header that was saved off the line by the Northwestern defense.
NOTABLES
• IU is 9-0-5 in the last five Big Ten Conference Tournaments. Its last loss came in the Big Ten Championship match against Maryland (2-1) on Nov. 16, 2014.
• The Hoosiers are now 5-0-2 against Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament with six of those coming in the first round.
• Bezerra bagged his third brace of the season and his eighth goal of the campaign. He now has 16 goals for his career.
• Redshirt sophomore Bryant Pratt recorded his first game action of his career. He and sophomore goalie Roman Celentano combined for the clean sheet. It was IU's seventh clean sheet of the season.
• Wittenbrink scored again for IU, the fourth time he's done that this season.
HOOSIER POINTS
GOALS: Victor Bezerra (2), Ryan Wittenbrink
ASSISTS: Joe Schmidt
UP NEXT
Indiana will host the fourth-seeded Maryland Terrapins on April 14 in Bloomington with a shot to head to the Big Ten Tournament title match. The game will be televised on BTN at a time to be determined.
Consistent with IU Athletics' ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety of students, coaches, staff, spectators and the local community, men's soccer matches will be continue to be played without fans indefinitely. All times, dates, and locations are subject to change.
@IndianaMSOC
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#GoIU
Team Stats
Victor Bezerra (7)
IU Victor Bezerra PENALTY KICK GOAL.
06:37
Ryan Wittenbrink (4)
GOAL by IU Wittenbrink, Ryan.
42:23
Victor Bezerra (7)
Assisted By: Joe Schmidt
GOAL by IU Bezerra, Victor Assist by Schmidt, Joe.
72:10
