Bookend Beast – Celentano Delivers the ‘Wow’
5/4/2021 9:30:00 AM | Men's Soccer
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – It was inevitable. Roman Celentano had too much ability, too much potential, too many intangibles, to remain an Indiana soccer sideline fixture.
More and more, youthful talent tops experience.
It showed in IU's NCAA tourney-opening win against St. Francis Brooklyn, a 3-1 PK shootout thriller Sunday night Celentano dominated. It could show in Thursday night's Sweet Sixteen matchup with Marquette (8-2-2).
It's the sixth-straight season the third-seeded Hoosiers (9-1-2) have reached the Sweet Sixteen round.
Add a dominant scorer in Victor Bezerra (he scored IU's only regulation goal against St. Francis, then made his PK attempt) and you have the ingredients for another long Cream 'n Crimson postseason run.
"Our two bookends are playing pretty darn well," coach Todd Yeagley says.
Or, as Celentano puts it with big-picture insight, "As a team, we take it minute by minute and manage the moments."
Let's start at the beginning.
Celentano was the Hoosiers' goalkeeper of the future in the fall of 2019, but not of the present. Not at first. Even in these instant-gratification times, when the rush to play can warp judgment, patience matters.
Yeagley saw it then, and sees it now, with Celentano a shut-down keeper in the manner of such former Hoosier greats as Trey Muse and Jay Nolly, who neutralized opponents as much with their communication as their physical skill.
Yeagley says Celentano needed one year what Nolly needed two, but it's not the length of the journey that matters as much as reaching the right destination.
Celentano is well on his way.
"Last year in training," Yeagley says, "it was like, 'Wow! This kid is really good as a true freshman."
Still, IU had fifth-year senior Sean Caulfield, who had bided his time behind Muse. He got the first starting shot and in nine games allowed eight goals and went 5-1-2.
But Celentano kept impressing in training, kept showing that potential that can only be refined by playing, got his starting shot and made the most of it, going 10-2-2 and allowing eight goals to close the season.
"It was based on what we saw in training," Yeagley says. "It was more what Roman was doing rather than what Sean wasn't doing.
"With Roman's ability, it was like, this kid could really do something special. That was the start of it."
Celentano has followed that up with a monster sophomore season. He's only allowed four goals, and was dominant during IU's penalty kick shootout win over Penn State in the Big Ten tourney finals. He made two PK saves, nearly matching the three saves Muse had totaled in game-saving, post-season Hoosier lore.
And then he matched Muse against St. Francis.
"It's a big honor being compared to someone like him," Celentano says. "He was a great goalkeeper for Indiana, and has done great things at the pro level. To be in his company, it feels good."
IU plays for championships, and that can't happen without a great defense, which starts with a great goalkeeper.
More and more, that description fits Celentano.
"His growth over the summer and fall was fantastic in every area of his game," Yeagley says. "He is a grinder. The biggest growth for him has been his communication. It's improved drastically. It's his demeanor -- I need to take over situations.
"He's very humble and soft spoken, but very confident."
Confidence was always there, but being assertive with older teammates to ensure correct defensive alignment took time.
"We had to bring him out of his shell, a little bit," Yeagley says, "Jay Nolly was very similar in his early years. He grew into the beast he became at the end of his career.
"Roman is entering that stage a bit earlier."
IU's last two games have gone to PK shootouts, and if more such drama is coming, well, Celentano says he's "confident in our shooters and in myself."
Topping that shooter list is Bezerra, a sophomore whose big-time scoring -- 12 goals, three assists and 27 points in 12 games -- has a Ken Snow flair.
Snow remains the most prolific scorer in college history with 84 career goals from 1987-90, including 28 in 1987.
While it's unfair to compare players and eras, Bezerra did ask Yeagley about Snow last fall, after the two-time national player of the year passed away.
"That was such sad news," Yeagley says. "We talked to our team about it. Victor asked me, how many goals did he have in one season? He was inquisitive. It was almost like, 'I can match that number.'"
Given IU only played 10 regular season games (eight less than normal because of the pandemic) and won't play more than 16, reaching 20 goals would be a major achievement, let alone 28.
"It's unfair to even think about getting close to that," Yeagley says, "but if you look at the percentages, he's on a high goals-per-game clip."
What makes Bezerra such a good scorer? For one thing, he's always had a knack for offense, once scoring 21 goals in 22 games during his academy days. He had eight goals and three assists for 19 points as an IU freshman.
For another, Yeagley says, "He's a clinical finisher. His technique is similar to Ken's. They both can score in so many ways, whether it's a finish from outside the box, a little quick cross, a head ball.
"Vic has gotten so much better with his head."
That reflects the work he's put in. Bezerra practices so that, during PK shootouts, "I can hit it wherever I want -- right, left, middle, upper netting."
His success earned him Big Ten offensive-player-of-the-year honors, but he downplays that, saying, "We come to IU for things bigger than individual awards. We look for team goals. That's where my head is at. I'm always thinking about the next championship as a team."
Beyond that, Yeagley says, "A quick release is what really separates Vic. He can get it off very quickly in tight spaces."
There is one other similarity with Snow.
"They love the moment," Yeagley says. "They like the pressure of the moment."
For all these reasons, getting Bezerra the ball is a top priority.
"Any time you have a special goal scorer, you want to feed him," Yeagley says. "It's clear we feature him in where we put him and where we move, how we get him the ball in areas he likes."
That means defenses will collapse on him, freeing up teammates for their own scoring chances.
"Vic has been great about being unselfish," Yeagley says. "He understands that his movement is going to attract players. Can we make some movements to open up other things? He's done that really well."
For those who see Bezerra's six postseason goals as a sign of too much reliance on one player, Yeagley has a message for you.
"We have other guys who can score."
That leads to a final point.
"When we get to penalties," Yeagley says, "we have Roman. When Vic is on the field, everyone knows we have an elite scorer."
And that, in this ninth-national-championship quest, might make all the difference.
@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. – It was inevitable. Roman Celentano had too much ability, too much potential, too many intangibles, to remain an Indiana soccer sideline fixture.
More and more, youthful talent tops experience.
It showed in IU's NCAA tourney-opening win against St. Francis Brooklyn, a 3-1 PK shootout thriller Sunday night Celentano dominated. It could show in Thursday night's Sweet Sixteen matchup with Marquette (8-2-2).
It's the sixth-straight season the third-seeded Hoosiers (9-1-2) have reached the Sweet Sixteen round.
Add a dominant scorer in Victor Bezerra (he scored IU's only regulation goal against St. Francis, then made his PK attempt) and you have the ingredients for another long Cream 'n Crimson postseason run.
"Our two bookends are playing pretty darn well," coach Todd Yeagley says.
Or, as Celentano puts it with big-picture insight, "As a team, we take it minute by minute and manage the moments."
Let's start at the beginning.
Celentano was the Hoosiers' goalkeeper of the future in the fall of 2019, but not of the present. Not at first. Even in these instant-gratification times, when the rush to play can warp judgment, patience matters.
Yeagley saw it then, and sees it now, with Celentano a shut-down keeper in the manner of such former Hoosier greats as Trey Muse and Jay Nolly, who neutralized opponents as much with their communication as their physical skill.
Yeagley says Celentano needed one year what Nolly needed two, but it's not the length of the journey that matters as much as reaching the right destination.
Celentano is well on his way.
"Last year in training," Yeagley says, "it was like, 'Wow! This kid is really good as a true freshman."
Still, IU had fifth-year senior Sean Caulfield, who had bided his time behind Muse. He got the first starting shot and in nine games allowed eight goals and went 5-1-2.
But Celentano kept impressing in training, kept showing that potential that can only be refined by playing, got his starting shot and made the most of it, going 10-2-2 and allowing eight goals to close the season.
"It was based on what we saw in training," Yeagley says. "It was more what Roman was doing rather than what Sean wasn't doing.
"With Roman's ability, it was like, this kid could really do something special. That was the start of it."
Celentano has followed that up with a monster sophomore season. He's only allowed four goals, and was dominant during IU's penalty kick shootout win over Penn State in the Big Ten tourney finals. He made two PK saves, nearly matching the three saves Muse had totaled in game-saving, post-season Hoosier lore.
And then he matched Muse against St. Francis.
"It's a big honor being compared to someone like him," Celentano says. "He was a great goalkeeper for Indiana, and has done great things at the pro level. To be in his company, it feels good."
IU plays for championships, and that can't happen without a great defense, which starts with a great goalkeeper.
More and more, that description fits Celentano.
"His growth over the summer and fall was fantastic in every area of his game," Yeagley says. "He is a grinder. The biggest growth for him has been his communication. It's improved drastically. It's his demeanor -- I need to take over situations.
"He's very humble and soft spoken, but very confident."
Confidence was always there, but being assertive with older teammates to ensure correct defensive alignment took time.
"We had to bring him out of his shell, a little bit," Yeagley says, "Jay Nolly was very similar in his early years. He grew into the beast he became at the end of his career.
"Roman is entering that stage a bit earlier."
IU's last two games have gone to PK shootouts, and if more such drama is coming, well, Celentano says he's "confident in our shooters and in myself."
Topping that shooter list is Bezerra, a sophomore whose big-time scoring -- 12 goals, three assists and 27 points in 12 games -- has a Ken Snow flair.
Snow remains the most prolific scorer in college history with 84 career goals from 1987-90, including 28 in 1987.
While it's unfair to compare players and eras, Bezerra did ask Yeagley about Snow last fall, after the two-time national player of the year passed away.
"That was such sad news," Yeagley says. "We talked to our team about it. Victor asked me, how many goals did he have in one season? He was inquisitive. It was almost like, 'I can match that number.'"
Given IU only played 10 regular season games (eight less than normal because of the pandemic) and won't play more than 16, reaching 20 goals would be a major achievement, let alone 28.
"It's unfair to even think about getting close to that," Yeagley says, "but if you look at the percentages, he's on a high goals-per-game clip."
What makes Bezerra such a good scorer? For one thing, he's always had a knack for offense, once scoring 21 goals in 22 games during his academy days. He had eight goals and three assists for 19 points as an IU freshman.
For another, Yeagley says, "He's a clinical finisher. His technique is similar to Ken's. They both can score in so many ways, whether it's a finish from outside the box, a little quick cross, a head ball.
"Vic has gotten so much better with his head."
That reflects the work he's put in. Bezerra practices so that, during PK shootouts, "I can hit it wherever I want -- right, left, middle, upper netting."
His success earned him Big Ten offensive-player-of-the-year honors, but he downplays that, saying, "We come to IU for things bigger than individual awards. We look for team goals. That's where my head is at. I'm always thinking about the next championship as a team."
Beyond that, Yeagley says, "A quick release is what really separates Vic. He can get it off very quickly in tight spaces."
There is one other similarity with Snow.
"They love the moment," Yeagley says. "They like the pressure of the moment."
For all these reasons, getting Bezerra the ball is a top priority.
"Any time you have a special goal scorer, you want to feed him," Yeagley says. "It's clear we feature him in where we put him and where we move, how we get him the ball in areas he likes."
That means defenses will collapse on him, freeing up teammates for their own scoring chances.
"Vic has been great about being unselfish," Yeagley says. "He understands that his movement is going to attract players. Can we make some movements to open up other things? He's done that really well."
For those who see Bezerra's six postseason goals as a sign of too much reliance on one player, Yeagley has a message for you.
"We have other guys who can score."
That leads to a final point.
"When we get to penalties," Yeagley says, "we have Roman. When Vic is on the field, everyone knows we have an elite scorer."
And that, in this ninth-national-championship quest, might make all the difference.
@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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/ Men's Soccer
Goalkeeper
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Goalkeeper
/ Men's Soccer
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