Indiana University Athletics
NCAA Tournament Life: Survive and Advance
5/3/2021 3:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
WILMINGTON, N.C. – For Roman Celentano, it was time to dance.
This, if you're an Indiana Hoosier, is a very good thing.
Celentano's three penalty kick saves propelled the third-seeded Hoosiers (9-1-2) over St. Francis Brooklyn (6-1-3) in a NCAA tourney second-round thriller.
The 3-1 PK win followed a 1-1 tie after 90 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtime sessions.
Celentano was up to the challenge Sunday night, just as he was in the Big Ten tourney title-game PK shootout win over Penn State.
After both, he briefly danced in celebration before teammates surrounded him, and if it likely won't lead to a national TV network appearance, that wasn't the point.
Surviving and advancing was.
In this case, IU will play Marquette (8-2-2) on Thursday night in Cary, N.C. Marquette beat Loyola Marymount 3-1 on penalty kicks on Sunday.
Celentano had five saves before the PK shootout, including a couple of spectacular ones to prevent the upset.
"It was not our sharpest day passing," Yeagley said. "We were not as sharp as we needed to be. We didn't create as I would have liked.
"We tried to pull it together and find a way."
Mission accomplished.
Victor Bezerra scored IU's only goal, then added a penalty kick. Thomas Warr and Ryan Wittenbrink also made their penalty kicks.
St. Francis made just one of its four PK attempts.
"In the penalties, we have Roman," Yeagley said. "We were in a good place. Our guys did a good job of converting."
IU's 92 NCAA tourney victory, by far the most in history, came against an underdog St. Francis team unfazed by Hoosier acclaim and tradition. The Terriers' speed and skill pushed the Hoosiers to the limit, especially in the second half.
They finished with a 15-7 edge in shots, 6-2 in shots on goal.
IU had dominated both statistics during the regular season and conference tournament.
Surprised? Don't be. This reflects the parity that has surfaced in college soccer in the last decade or so.
"We didn't underestimate them," Yeagley said. "They are a good (team). We won't overwhelm anyone. This isn't our 2018 team with full swag. With this team, we know we have to do little things well.
"They're a tricky team. They're so big and strong, physical. They have a couple of balancers who are really good. They are older, too. They are one of the oldest teams we've played. They were better in person than I thought on video.
"They were into, they-want-to make-a-statement mojo. They made the game very difficult for us."
A physical game sent Bezerra to the turf a couple of times with shots to his lower leg. He wasn't alone. Players on both teams were knocked down when they didn't crumple from cramps. That was especially true for St. Francis, which was playing its second PK shootout in three days.
Bezzera scored 35 minutes into the first half off an assist from A.J. Palazzolo. It followed a corner kick, and then a scramble before Bezerra, with the Terriers raising their hands asking for an offsides call that never came, drilled his 12th goal of the season. It deflected off a defender.
Warr just missed scoring on a bicycle kick in front of the goal less than two minutes later.
"I felt the second goal was on the verge," Yeagley said. "It was there for the taking. It just didn't come."
IU hadn't played in two weeks since beating Penn State in the Big Ten tourney final. St Francis had played two days earlier, edging Milwaukee 2-1 in double overtime on a golden goal.
"Some of the first (NCAA tourney) games are the hardest," Yeagley said. "In this case, we were playing at a neutral site for the first time. It was the first hot game we played all year. We were a little anxious.
There were moments we played like that."
Defense ruled, not surprising given both teams featured their conference's top goalkeeper, Celentano for IU, Callum James for St. Francis.
Indiana pushed a quick pace, spreading the field and attacking. St. Francis pushed back harder to create multiple scoring opportunities.
The Terriers applied fierce pressure midway through the first half. Celentano batted a shot over the goal for a save.
Then the Hoosiers returned the pressure. Bezerra's goal highlighted a strong closing run to end the first half. At that point, IU had 5-3 edge in corner kicks and a 1-0 lead. Both teams had four shots.
Early in the second half, Celentano made another save off a St. Francis bicycle kick. That set the stage for a spectacular save while falling down off a point-blank Terrier shot as the clock approached 20 minutes.
St. Francis kept up the pressure, finally scoring with 12 minutes left off a long ball that freed Mahti El Youssooufi for a one-on-one duel with Celentano. He won that battle for a 1-1 tie.
Neither team scored in those final minutes of regulation.
IU's strategy entering overtime was simple.
Stay calm.
"I could see a little dejection," Yeagley said. "We didn't play that well in the second half. We were holding on.
"I told them, we've been in this situation. We just need to make a play. If we need to go 20 minutes and get to penalties, we've got Roman. We're fine. Don't overdo it. Play what the game is giving you."
Because the Hoosiers did, they get a shot at Marquette.
"Our performance will be better next game," Yeagley said. "The guys will be a bit more relaxed and in a better place."
@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
WILMINGTON, N.C. – For Roman Celentano, it was time to dance.
This, if you're an Indiana Hoosier, is a very good thing.
Celentano's three penalty kick saves propelled the third-seeded Hoosiers (9-1-2) over St. Francis Brooklyn (6-1-3) in a NCAA tourney second-round thriller.
The 3-1 PK win followed a 1-1 tie after 90 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtime sessions.
Celentano was up to the challenge Sunday night, just as he was in the Big Ten tourney title-game PK shootout win over Penn State.
After both, he briefly danced in celebration before teammates surrounded him, and if it likely won't lead to a national TV network appearance, that wasn't the point.
Surviving and advancing was.
In this case, IU will play Marquette (8-2-2) on Thursday night in Cary, N.C. Marquette beat Loyola Marymount 3-1 on penalty kicks on Sunday.
Celentano had five saves before the PK shootout, including a couple of spectacular ones to prevent the upset.
"It was not our sharpest day passing," Yeagley said. "We were not as sharp as we needed to be. We didn't create as I would have liked.
"We tried to pull it together and find a way."
Mission accomplished.
Victor Bezerra scored IU's only goal, then added a penalty kick. Thomas Warr and Ryan Wittenbrink also made their penalty kicks.
St. Francis made just one of its four PK attempts.
"In the penalties, we have Roman," Yeagley said. "We were in a good place. Our guys did a good job of converting."
IU's 92 NCAA tourney victory, by far the most in history, came against an underdog St. Francis team unfazed by Hoosier acclaim and tradition. The Terriers' speed and skill pushed the Hoosiers to the limit, especially in the second half.
They finished with a 15-7 edge in shots, 6-2 in shots on goal.
IU had dominated both statistics during the regular season and conference tournament.
Surprised? Don't be. This reflects the parity that has surfaced in college soccer in the last decade or so.
"We didn't underestimate them," Yeagley said. "They are a good (team). We won't overwhelm anyone. This isn't our 2018 team with full swag. With this team, we know we have to do little things well.
"They're a tricky team. They're so big and strong, physical. They have a couple of balancers who are really good. They are older, too. They are one of the oldest teams we've played. They were better in person than I thought on video.
"They were into, they-want-to make-a-statement mojo. They made the game very difficult for us."
A physical game sent Bezerra to the turf a couple of times with shots to his lower leg. He wasn't alone. Players on both teams were knocked down when they didn't crumple from cramps. That was especially true for St. Francis, which was playing its second PK shootout in three days.
Bezzera scored 35 minutes into the first half off an assist from A.J. Palazzolo. It followed a corner kick, and then a scramble before Bezerra, with the Terriers raising their hands asking for an offsides call that never came, drilled his 12th goal of the season. It deflected off a defender.
Warr just missed scoring on a bicycle kick in front of the goal less than two minutes later.
"I felt the second goal was on the verge," Yeagley said. "It was there for the taking. It just didn't come."
IU hadn't played in two weeks since beating Penn State in the Big Ten tourney final. St Francis had played two days earlier, edging Milwaukee 2-1 in double overtime on a golden goal.
"Some of the first (NCAA tourney) games are the hardest," Yeagley said. "In this case, we were playing at a neutral site for the first time. It was the first hot game we played all year. We were a little anxious.
There were moments we played like that."
Defense ruled, not surprising given both teams featured their conference's top goalkeeper, Celentano for IU, Callum James for St. Francis.
Indiana pushed a quick pace, spreading the field and attacking. St. Francis pushed back harder to create multiple scoring opportunities.
The Terriers applied fierce pressure midway through the first half. Celentano batted a shot over the goal for a save.
Then the Hoosiers returned the pressure. Bezerra's goal highlighted a strong closing run to end the first half. At that point, IU had 5-3 edge in corner kicks and a 1-0 lead. Both teams had four shots.
Early in the second half, Celentano made another save off a St. Francis bicycle kick. That set the stage for a spectacular save while falling down off a point-blank Terrier shot as the clock approached 20 minutes.
St. Francis kept up the pressure, finally scoring with 12 minutes left off a long ball that freed Mahti El Youssooufi for a one-on-one duel with Celentano. He won that battle for a 1-1 tie.
Neither team scored in those final minutes of regulation.
IU's strategy entering overtime was simple.
Stay calm.
"I could see a little dejection," Yeagley said. "We didn't play that well in the second half. We were holding on.
"I told them, we've been in this situation. We just need to make a play. If we need to go 20 minutes and get to penalties, we've got Roman. We're fine. Don't overdo it. Play what the game is giving you."
Because the Hoosiers did, they get a shot at Marquette.
"Our performance will be better next game," Yeagley said. "The guys will be a bit more relaxed and in a better place."
@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
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