Indiana University Athletics
DiPrimio: IU Men’s Soccer Eyes Another October Run
10/14/2023 2:01:00 PM | Men's Soccer
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON – Is Indiana returning to its dominating men's soccer ways?
Signs are there.
Specifically, a previously frustrated offense is now capitalizing on scoring opportunities. IU has scored two goals in each of its last two games -- against Penn State and Evansville -- and won both.
The result -- the Hoosiers are 2-0-1 since the start of October, and 5-3-4 overall. They've jumped 40 spots in the national RPI, a key measurement for determining NCAA tourney participation.
If history is any indication, they could be building toward major postseason impact.
"We're not overachieving in scoring," coach Todd Yeagley says. "A lot of our attackers are just underneath their scoring number, but their performance has been pretty good. If we just get the final piece …
"Goals could come from a lot of people and a lot of different directions. That's what you want. A team no one can solve. A team that is not predictable.
"(Opposing) teams would have a hard time dealing with us."
If the scoring success continues -- and the Hoosiers have a knack for late-season surges and successes -- another big-time NCAA tourney run could follow, perhaps even mirroring the four College Cup runs in the previous six years.
Are they turning the corner?
"With the scoring piece, yes," Yeagley says.
If the Hoosiers had scored two goals in every game this season, not a miracle ask for a program with their championship tradition (eight national titles, nine national runner-up finishes), they'd be 11-0-1, with the tie at Michigan State, and positioned for the top NCAA tourney seed.
Instead, their 1-1-2 Big Ten record leaves them sixth in the conference standings. Northwestern and Penn State lead, each with 3-1-1 records.
IU plays at Northwestern on Oct. 24. It hosts Ohio State on Sunday and plays at Maryland next week before then.
"We have to keep at it," Yeagley says. "Put in the players who are confident. Tweak minutes a little bit. We've done that. We've experimented.
"We've also not given up on guys we know can do it. We continue to put faith in them. Maybe start pushing minutes to some other guys who have been better in the time they've provided.
"We're deeper than we were. We know what our moves can be. Now it's about getting results."
Getting shots hasn't been a problem. Making them has been.
IU outshoots opponents 188-89. Specifically, it averages 15.7 shots per game compared to opponents' 7.4. Sixty-nine of its shots have been on goal. Only 37 opponent shots have been.
Benefits could finally be emerging.
Junior forward Samuel Sarver leads in goals (five) and points (13). He was just named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after scoring both goals in IU's 2-1 win over No. 19-ranked Penn State. Freshman forward Collins Oduro is next with two goals and six points. Senior forward Karsen Henderlong has scored a goal in two of Indiana's last three games.
The Hoosiers have talented players, proven players, battle-tested players. If they keep working, keep believing, keep pushing, well, we've seen this before, even last season, when a 3-2-2 start led to a national runner-up finish.
"We've always felt good about this group," Yeagley says. "We were confident going into the year that the scoring would be more bountiful.
"It's a strange year not to have a goal on a restart this many games into the season. I don't know if it will ever happen again. That, in itself, could be the difference in many of these games. That's 30 to 40 percent of your scoring on the year.
"For us to still get results, playing well and not finding that element yet. If you had told me (junior forward Tommy Mihalic) would be without a goal or an assist by now, I'd have said, you're crazy. No way. He'd have one, at least. This is what the year has dealt."
Yeagley says IU's offensive runs are good. Players need to finish with weight and use the weight of the pass.
"It's good technique," Yeagley says. "We've been training that.
"The confidence for all of them comes with having individual success within the framework of the team. Karsen getting two goals is great for him and our team. He has the potential to be a multiple goal scorer, as do quite a few others."
Through it all, Indiana remains a defensive power. It's only allowed seven goals all season, best in the Big Ten, with six shutouts.
Goalkeeper JT Harms has dominated with 30 saves behind a traditionally strong overall defense, this year led by defenders Joey Maher, Hugo Bacharach, Brett Bebej, Jansen Miller and freshman Alex Barger. Harms' 0.58 goals against average leads the conference.
Last season, by comparison, IU scored 44 goals and allowed 29 in 25 matches.
A deep roster gives Yeagley plenty of lineup options.
"We have good opportunities and selections," he says. "We can tweak it and start certain guys. Some guys start better than come in. We can make tactical adjustments and decide which one is the best option."
The Hoosiers' No. 54 RPI suggests much work is needed to gain an NCAA tourney bid, something they have done every year since 1987. Yeagley says they don't focus on that.
"Our focus is the next game. That's all you can control."
