Indiana University Athletics
Leaving Its Mark -- IU Finds Its College Cup-Making Answer
5/11/2021 10:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Stuck in a bus, nowhere to go, no way to move, Todd Yeagley poised a question, simple in its words, pressure packed in its meaning.
"Can we take advantage of these last three minutes of the half?"
The short answer in Monday night's 2-0 Elite Eight victory over Seton Hall that propelled Indiana to a record 21st College Cup was, yes.
IU scored just before halftime, added a second-half goal and held on against relentless pressure that would have broken a lesser team.
The long answer?
First, take a breath to consider what's next for the second-ranked Hoosiers (11-1-2) – a Friday night semifinal against third-ranked Pitt (16-3), a 3-0 winner over Washington.
"To get to a College Cup is hard to do," coach Todd Yeagley says. "The number -- the 21st -- is pretty incredible.
"This one is theirs. I told them, you are leaving your mark, but the ultimate one is still ahead. We're happy to be in this position. We're enjoying it. We celebrated. At the same time, the crown jewel is still out there. It's just a lot closer."
That would be a ninth national championship and to get the chance meant overcoming another twist in a pandemic-altered season full of them.
"It's been one new challenge after the other," Yeagley says.
A fierce storm had hit the pause button in Monday's scoreless first half, but not in Yeagley's motivational button pushing. As the Hoosiers waited it out on the bus, the coach went to work.
"That was a first. I've been on buses waiting for things, but not for a delay to go to the Final Four.
"We reminded them, look at the whole year. We've never had this, but we've never had all the other stuff we've dealt with. We went to that."
And then Yeagley went further.
"This is a special game. To get to the Final Four is special. To win it, is the ultimate. I reminded them about the details and how gritty they had to be."
Lightning, fierce winds, monsoon-like rain, a water-soaked field and a 40-minute weather delay couldn't stop Indiana. Neither could an international player-loaded Seton Hall squad (10-2-4) that dominated all the numbers except the one that mattered most -- goals.
The Pirates had the advantage in shots (14-3), shots on goal (6-3) and corner kicks (5-1).
On this night, that was as relevant as rotary telephones.
"It was not an easy game with the conditions and the way (Seton Hall) got the ball forward," Yeagley said. "Our defending had to be really good. It was just a really gritty performance."
The Hoosiers were ruthlessly efficient on offense (goals from Ryan Wittenbrink and Thomas Warr) and unbreakable on defense behind goalkeeper Roman Celentano who was, as usual, a wall with six saves.
And then there was the goal post, which Seton Hall hit twice during a furious second-half attack that generated nothing but Pirate frustration.
Still …
"They just started putting guys forward like crazy," Yeagley said. "That was the most challenging box defending activity I've ever been involved with. We've come a long way in that area."
A pause.
"They are a big team. They're the biggest team we've played."
Inclement weather stopped play three minutes before halftime. Seton Hall had a 5-1 edge in shots. IU's lone shot was by Wittenbrink.
It was, as it turned out, a hint at what was coming.
After the delay, Wittenbrink scored just inside the right post for a 1-0 lead with 1:42 left in the half.
"The goal was key in the sense of the shot of confidence," Yeagley said. "We know we're hard to score against. To score it the way it did, you get that 1-0 lead in the quarterfinal, you've got a lot of juice. You can taste it. The guys dug in and played smart."
In the second half, Maouloune Goumballe delivered a perfect cross in front of the goal. Warr knocked in.
IU then withstood a series of Seton Hall surges that was partly by design. Yeagley wanted nothing to do with the water-soaked midfield. The Hoosiers would take no risks and rely on their defense.
In other words, the pressure was on Celentano, and few goalkeepers in America are better equipped to deal with it. He's posted nine shutouts this season while allowing just five goals.
"We asked him to be more aggressive," Yeagley said. "We needed him to be.
"(Seton Hall was) deadly on restarts. We were defending more than we like to, but Roman took the pressure off. It's like I told him, that's a difficult game if we don't have your skill set.
"We didn't allow them to get a good look, but they made it hard. That's a tough team to defend. They send so many numbers forward, it's hard to get out. Your goalkeeper and defenders can solve that."
Did they ever.
Consider midfielders A.J. Palazzolo and defender Joe Schmidt, who helped blunt charge after Seton Hall charge.
"I think that's the most head balls Joe has ever won," Yeagley said. "He's not the biggest guy, but he's a warrior.
"AJ is a mudder. He loves tough conditions. He puts his body on the line."
Because Palazzolo did, because all the Hoosiers did, they will get their championship shot. It's their third College Cup berth in the last four years.
"They are digging in deep, finding ways," Yeagley said.
IU will face a Pitt team led by Valentin Noel, whose 14 goals are one behind Oregon State's Gloire Amanda for the national lead.
The Panthers, who spent part of the season ranked No. 1, have cruised through the NCAA tourney, beating Monmouth 6-1, Central Florida 4-0 and Washington 3-0.
The Hoosiers have four days to recover, prepare and reflect.
"We have to take a moment to enjoy and celebrate what many feel is something that IU soccer just does," Yeagley said. "It's hard to get through these games. It's hard.
"I want them to feel and understand that. The jersey gives you a lot of pride and responsibility to play for something really big.
"You are the ones who did it. Does it give you an edge? I think it does, but you have to do it. Hopefully there is more to this year, and we have another big one coming."
@IndianaMSOC
For all the latest on Indiana University men's soccer, be sure to follow the team at @IndianaMSOC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
#GoIU
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Stuck in a bus, nowhere to go, no way to move, Todd Yeagley poised a question, simple in its words, pressure packed in its meaning.
"Can we take advantage of these last three minutes of the half?"
The short answer in Monday night's 2-0 Elite Eight victory over Seton Hall that propelled Indiana to a record 21st College Cup was, yes.
IU scored just before halftime, added a second-half goal and held on against relentless pressure that would have broken a lesser team.
The long answer?
First, take a breath to consider what's next for the second-ranked Hoosiers (11-1-2) – a Friday night semifinal against third-ranked Pitt (16-3), a 3-0 winner over Washington.
"To get to a College Cup is hard to do," coach Todd Yeagley says. "The number -- the 21st -- is pretty incredible.
"This one is theirs. I told them, you are leaving your mark, but the ultimate one is still ahead. We're happy to be in this position. We're enjoying it. We celebrated. At the same time, the crown jewel is still out there. It's just a lot closer."
That would be a ninth national championship and to get the chance meant overcoming another twist in a pandemic-altered season full of them.
"It's been one new challenge after the other," Yeagley says.
A fierce storm had hit the pause button in Monday's scoreless first half, but not in Yeagley's motivational button pushing. As the Hoosiers waited it out on the bus, the coach went to work.
"That was a first. I've been on buses waiting for things, but not for a delay to go to the Final Four.
"We reminded them, look at the whole year. We've never had this, but we've never had all the other stuff we've dealt with. We went to that."
And then Yeagley went further.
"This is a special game. To get to the Final Four is special. To win it, is the ultimate. I reminded them about the details and how gritty they had to be."
Lightning, fierce winds, monsoon-like rain, a water-soaked field and a 40-minute weather delay couldn't stop Indiana. Neither could an international player-loaded Seton Hall squad (10-2-4) that dominated all the numbers except the one that mattered most -- goals.
The Pirates had the advantage in shots (14-3), shots on goal (6-3) and corner kicks (5-1).
On this night, that was as relevant as rotary telephones.
"It was not an easy game with the conditions and the way (Seton Hall) got the ball forward," Yeagley said. "Our defending had to be really good. It was just a really gritty performance."
The Hoosiers were ruthlessly efficient on offense (goals from Ryan Wittenbrink and Thomas Warr) and unbreakable on defense behind goalkeeper Roman Celentano who was, as usual, a wall with six saves.
And then there was the goal post, which Seton Hall hit twice during a furious second-half attack that generated nothing but Pirate frustration.
Still …
"They just started putting guys forward like crazy," Yeagley said. "That was the most challenging box defending activity I've ever been involved with. We've come a long way in that area."
A pause.
"They are a big team. They're the biggest team we've played."
Inclement weather stopped play three minutes before halftime. Seton Hall had a 5-1 edge in shots. IU's lone shot was by Wittenbrink.
It was, as it turned out, a hint at what was coming.
After the delay, Wittenbrink scored just inside the right post for a 1-0 lead with 1:42 left in the half.
"The goal was key in the sense of the shot of confidence," Yeagley said. "We know we're hard to score against. To score it the way it did, you get that 1-0 lead in the quarterfinal, you've got a lot of juice. You can taste it. The guys dug in and played smart."
In the second half, Maouloune Goumballe delivered a perfect cross in front of the goal. Warr knocked in.
IU then withstood a series of Seton Hall surges that was partly by design. Yeagley wanted nothing to do with the water-soaked midfield. The Hoosiers would take no risks and rely on their defense.
In other words, the pressure was on Celentano, and few goalkeepers in America are better equipped to deal with it. He's posted nine shutouts this season while allowing just five goals.
"We asked him to be more aggressive," Yeagley said. "We needed him to be.
"(Seton Hall was) deadly on restarts. We were defending more than we like to, but Roman took the pressure off. It's like I told him, that's a difficult game if we don't have your skill set.
"We didn't allow them to get a good look, but they made it hard. That's a tough team to defend. They send so many numbers forward, it's hard to get out. Your goalkeeper and defenders can solve that."
Did they ever.
Consider midfielders A.J. Palazzolo and defender Joe Schmidt, who helped blunt charge after Seton Hall charge.
"I think that's the most head balls Joe has ever won," Yeagley said. "He's not the biggest guy, but he's a warrior.
"AJ is a mudder. He loves tough conditions. He puts his body on the line."
Because Palazzolo did, because all the Hoosiers did, they will get their championship shot. It's their third College Cup berth in the last four years.
"They are digging in deep, finding ways," Yeagley said.
IU will face a Pitt team led by Valentin Noel, whose 14 goals are one behind Oregon State's Gloire Amanda for the national lead.
The Panthers, who spent part of the season ranked No. 1, have cruised through the NCAA tourney, beating Monmouth 6-1, Central Florida 4-0 and Washington 3-0.
The Hoosiers have four days to recover, prepare and reflect.
"We have to take a moment to enjoy and celebrate what many feel is something that IU soccer just does," Yeagley said. "It's hard to get through these games. It's hard.
"I want them to feel and understand that. The jersey gives you a lot of pride and responsibility to play for something really big.
"You are the ones who did it. Does it give you an edge? I think it does, but you have to do it. Hopefully there is more to this year, and we have another big one coming."
@IndianaMSOC
For all the latest on Indiana University men's soccer, be sure to follow the team at @IndianaMSOC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
#GoIU
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
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Forward
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Forward
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Forward
/ Men's Soccer
Forward
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