Indiana University Athletics
DiPrimio: ‘Special Group’ – Latest Big Ten Title Has Soccer Hoosiers Seeking More
10/31/2024 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Samuel Sarver races to hug his coach and then a hug-fest breaks out. Why not? This never gets old – an Indiana team celebration in front of the west side goal of Bill Armstrong Stadium's Jerry Yeagley Field, a cowboy hat surfacing (we'll explain), another Big Ten men's soccer championship trophy presentation, lifetime-lasting memory photos taken and more.
And then, in the Armstrong Stadium press box, players and coach Todd Yeagley offer perspective from the 6-1 victory over Northwestern that delivered a second straight regular season conference title, the fifth in seven seasons and the 19th league title for this tradition-rich program.
"To end the Big Ten putting up six goals is eye opening for a lot of teams," says Sarver, a senior forward who scores one of those goals, assists on another. "This was not a fluke. We've put up five goals before (two weeks earlier at then No. 18 Michigan), had a couple games with three. That's what happens when it all starts to click."
No. 16-ranked Indiana (9-3-5 overall) is clicking in ways few opponents will want to face. It has scored 28 goals in its last nine games, during which it is 7-0-2. It attacks ruthlessly, defends relentlessly, subs efficiently.
Satisfied?
Not even close.
"They're hungry," Yeagley says. "They are feeling it right now."
How could they not? September uncertainty has once again become October mastery – 24-4-6 in the month over the last four years.
"If you script it as a coach," Yeagley says, "you want your team to start hitting it this time of year."
Then coaching instinct kicks in. Satisfaction, you see, gets you beat. Yeagley never misses a moment to motivate.
"We still haven't put forth our best," he says. "There's still a little more."
And then …
"I like this group a lot," he says. "All of them are special."
The Hoosiers finished 7-1-2 in the Big Ten for 23 points. Ohio State (6-1-2) can match that and share the title with a Sunday victory over Maryland. Still ahead are next week's Big Ten tourney and then the NCAA Tournament.
"We still have a long way to go," forward Justin Weiss says. "We're not done. Unfortunately for the rest of the country, we have a lot to show. We're excited for that."
For the third straight season, IU has roared back from a slow start with a dominating October. By the end of September, it was 2-3-4 and seemed as likely to repeat as Big Ten champs as the sun rising in the West.
Outside buzz suggested the Hoosiers were finished.
Buzz was wrong.
"You could say this one was a struggle," Yeagley says, "but not really. We came from behind a little bit. That makes it a little sweeter. There were people writing us off and saying Indiana this and that. That's a dangerous thing to do."
The Hoosiers, Sarver adds, embraced the danger, which included a recent trip to then No. 15 UCLA that became a 2-1 victory.
"That made things so much grittier," he says. "It was another obstacle to overcome. No Big Ten Champion will ever have a smooth path. There will always be obstacles. That's what makes it beautiful, the struggle. The struggle of how we started, and now we're getting hot. That makes it so much worth it."
Worth for Sarver includes a postgame celebration chance to wear his father's cowboy hat, a nod to the elder Sarver's hunting passion. For senior forward Tommy Mihalic, it's a chance to reflect on the possibilities.
"We come in every year with goals to win three championships," he says about Big Ten regular and tournament championships, and a ninth NCAA title. "This is only the first one. We're hitting our stride at the right time."
He pauses.
"It's an unreal feeling to be at the top of the Big Ten."
Mihalic's two goals and two assists against Northwestern give him a conference-leading 10 goals, but it's never been about individual accomplishments, he says.
"When you win games like this, putting away a lot of goals, it shows we can beat anyone. We can put a lot of goals past any team. That's where we gain the confidence. Lifting trophies is the reward, the icing on the cake."
Weiss, a Northwestern transfer, had never experienced championship cake or icing until Tuesday night. His two goals against his former team give him six in the last four matches.
"This is what you come to Indiana for, to win championships like this," he says. "We have a lot more to go."
IU ends its regular season by hosting Trine on Friday night before entering next week's Big Ten tourney at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, near Chicago.
Weiss's message: The Hoosiers aren't done yet.
"We're very confident. From top to bottom, from the starters to the guys subbing in, we have so much talent.
"It's not just talent. We're willing to do the hard work, the gritty things, the extra tackles, the extra run for each other. We all want to win so badly. It doesn't matter who's scoring, who's assisting, who's blocking on the line. Everyone wants to get behind each other, together."
Yeagley saw togetherness gather with the October 1 3-2 victory at No. 8 Wisconsin that followed a 1-0 loss to Maryland and a 2-2 tie with Ohio State.
"That was the turning point," he says. "I told the guys, 'It's October. This is an important win. This is when everything will start clicking.'"
It did. Indiana hasn't lost since and has scored at least two goals in every game, huge for a team that had just seven goals in its first eight matches.
"People talked about the goal scoring," Yeagley says. "We have guys who can score. It just took a little longer."
Now that it's here, Mihalic adds, let the remaining title quests begin.
"It feels like our season is just beginning because there's so much ahead. For the younger guys who haven't been here, it's important as an older guy, as a leader, to let them know that every day come to training and work as hard as we can, knowing that there is so much more to do. We have the guys to stay levelheaded and focus on the games coming up."
Or, as Weiss puts it, "We have to get back locked in."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Samuel Sarver races to hug his coach and then a hug-fest breaks out. Why not? This never gets old – an Indiana team celebration in front of the west side goal of Bill Armstrong Stadium's Jerry Yeagley Field, a cowboy hat surfacing (we'll explain), another Big Ten men's soccer championship trophy presentation, lifetime-lasting memory photos taken and more.
And then, in the Armstrong Stadium press box, players and coach Todd Yeagley offer perspective from the 6-1 victory over Northwestern that delivered a second straight regular season conference title, the fifth in seven seasons and the 19th league title for this tradition-rich program.
"To end the Big Ten putting up six goals is eye opening for a lot of teams," says Sarver, a senior forward who scores one of those goals, assists on another. "This was not a fluke. We've put up five goals before (two weeks earlier at then No. 18 Michigan), had a couple games with three. That's what happens when it all starts to click."
No. 16-ranked Indiana (9-3-5 overall) is clicking in ways few opponents will want to face. It has scored 28 goals in its last nine games, during which it is 7-0-2. It attacks ruthlessly, defends relentlessly, subs efficiently.
Satisfied?
Not even close.
"They're hungry," Yeagley says. "They are feeling it right now."
How could they not? September uncertainty has once again become October mastery – 24-4-6 in the month over the last four years.
"If you script it as a coach," Yeagley says, "you want your team to start hitting it this time of year."
Then coaching instinct kicks in. Satisfaction, you see, gets you beat. Yeagley never misses a moment to motivate.
"We still haven't put forth our best," he says. "There's still a little more."
And then …
"I like this group a lot," he says. "All of them are special."
The Hoosiers finished 7-1-2 in the Big Ten for 23 points. Ohio State (6-1-2) can match that and share the title with a Sunday victory over Maryland. Still ahead are next week's Big Ten tourney and then the NCAA Tournament.
"We still have a long way to go," forward Justin Weiss says. "We're not done. Unfortunately for the rest of the country, we have a lot to show. We're excited for that."
For the third straight season, IU has roared back from a slow start with a dominating October. By the end of September, it was 2-3-4 and seemed as likely to repeat as Big Ten champs as the sun rising in the West.
Outside buzz suggested the Hoosiers were finished.
Buzz was wrong.
"You could say this one was a struggle," Yeagley says, "but not really. We came from behind a little bit. That makes it a little sweeter. There were people writing us off and saying Indiana this and that. That's a dangerous thing to do."
The Hoosiers, Sarver adds, embraced the danger, which included a recent trip to then No. 15 UCLA that became a 2-1 victory.
"That made things so much grittier," he says. "It was another obstacle to overcome. No Big Ten Champion will ever have a smooth path. There will always be obstacles. That's what makes it beautiful, the struggle. The struggle of how we started, and now we're getting hot. That makes it so much worth it."
Worth for Sarver includes a postgame celebration chance to wear his father's cowboy hat, a nod to the elder Sarver's hunting passion. For senior forward Tommy Mihalic, it's a chance to reflect on the possibilities.
"We come in every year with goals to win three championships," he says about Big Ten regular and tournament championships, and a ninth NCAA title. "This is only the first one. We're hitting our stride at the right time."
He pauses.
"It's an unreal feeling to be at the top of the Big Ten."
Mihalic's two goals and two assists against Northwestern give him a conference-leading 10 goals, but it's never been about individual accomplishments, he says.
"When you win games like this, putting away a lot of goals, it shows we can beat anyone. We can put a lot of goals past any team. That's where we gain the confidence. Lifting trophies is the reward, the icing on the cake."
Weiss, a Northwestern transfer, had never experienced championship cake or icing until Tuesday night. His two goals against his former team give him six in the last four matches.
"This is what you come to Indiana for, to win championships like this," he says. "We have a lot more to go."
IU ends its regular season by hosting Trine on Friday night before entering next week's Big Ten tourney at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, near Chicago.
Weiss's message: The Hoosiers aren't done yet.
"We're very confident. From top to bottom, from the starters to the guys subbing in, we have so much talent.
"It's not just talent. We're willing to do the hard work, the gritty things, the extra tackles, the extra run for each other. We all want to win so badly. It doesn't matter who's scoring, who's assisting, who's blocking on the line. Everyone wants to get behind each other, together."
Yeagley saw togetherness gather with the October 1 3-2 victory at No. 8 Wisconsin that followed a 1-0 loss to Maryland and a 2-2 tie with Ohio State.
"That was the turning point," he says. "I told the guys, 'It's October. This is an important win. This is when everything will start clicking.'"
It did. Indiana hasn't lost since and has scored at least two goals in every game, huge for a team that had just seven goals in its first eight matches.
"People talked about the goal scoring," Yeagley says. "We have guys who can score. It just took a little longer."
Now that it's here, Mihalic adds, let the remaining title quests begin.
"It feels like our season is just beginning because there's so much ahead. For the younger guys who haven't been here, it's important as an older guy, as a leader, to let them know that every day come to training and work as hard as we can, knowing that there is so much more to do. We have the guys to stay levelheaded and focus on the games coming up."
Or, as Weiss puts it, "We have to get back locked in."
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Soccer
Forward
/ Men's Soccer
Forward
/ Men's SoccerThursday, August 13
Thursday, August 13
Wednesday, August 12
Wednesday, August 12