Indiana University Athletics
DiPrimio: IU’s Soccer Season Ends, but Not the Memories
11/24/2025 11:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHooisers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Todd Yeagley paced and directed from the Indiana sideline at Bill Armstrong Stadium. He wiped sweat from his brow, searching for soccer answers that wouldn't come, seeking a goal IU had to have on this sun-splashed Sunday afternoon on Jerry Yeagley Field.
The veteran Indiana coach finally stopped pacing, hands on hips, watching as his sixth-seeded Hoosiers (12-6-1) pushed and pushed and pushed some more.
The clocked ticked down – 10 minutes left, five minutes, three minutes, two minutes, one minute and then none. The scoreboard delivered the final truth in this NCAA tourney second-round game.
Saint Louis 1, IU 0.
Season over.
"We wanted to do more and keep going," Yeagley said. "I'll miss this team."
Soccer is a game of inches, of fractions of inches, of moments in and out of reach, of frustration and joy and, ultimately, of victory and defeat, of moving on and going home.
The Hoosiers, whose 46 goals scored in the regular season ranked second nationally, dominated in everything but the stat that mattered most, and disappointment will linger.
"Soccer is almost a cruel game," said senior midfielder Jack Wagoner, his voice breaking with emotion. "You can have the majority of the chances, but all it takes is one to go in (for the other team)."
For 90 soccer minutes, IU shots sailed high and wide, left and right, again and again. Three times, those shots were stopped by Saint Louis goalkeeper Jeremi Abonnel.
The Hoosiers had 16 shots to the Billikens' three; they had eight corner kicks to Saint Louis's zero.
"We created enough chances, enough big chances to get the job done, and get the result we needed," Wagoner said, "but it didn't fall our way."
Added Yeagley: "Their goalie was very good. He didn't give up easy things. The few chances we had, they were good, not amazing, but we weren't decisive enough."
He paused.
"It's hard to believe we lost with one shot."
Saint Louis (12-2-7) needed 17 minutes to get its first shot, and it produced a goal. Abonnel cleared the ball from the front of the Billikens' goal, forward Theo Franco headed it to midfielder Tanner Anderson who shot and scored.
The Billikens never came close to scoring again.
"It's tough," Yeagley said. "We had full control. They had one shot. They didn't have even dangerous possessions that looked like it would be a shot.
"To leave with nothing on the board is tough, but that's the game sometimes. You have to find a way. We had some great chances. It's a hard game. I've been on both sides."
Despite a 16-day layoff, the Hoosiers opened as if poised for a blowout victory. They had seven shots in the first 12 minutes, four by forward Palmer Ault, as good a scorer as there is in college soccer. He finished with six shots. Forward Nolan Kinsella had four.
It wasn't enough. None of it was, not the fact IU had beaten Saint Louis 1-0 during the regular season, not even a five-match home winning streak in NCAA tourney play that began in 2019.
"Even with the 16 days off," Yeagley said, "we were really flying. We didn't look rusty at all. That's a credit to all the training and preparation they did.
"This team had the quality, the personality, all the elements to get into Final Four position. They just couldn't find the goal."
The loss ended IU's 10-year streak of Round of 16 appearances, the third longest in NCAA tourney history. The streak began in 2015.
"It's tough," Wagoner said. "As you see the clock wind down, you don't want to think about it because there's always chances. There's always hope. Once you see the clock hit zero, it hits you."
It hit hard, sending these Hoosiers to the locker room one last time. Yeagley offered perspective.
"This team really grew. We got better. We had great leadership. They represented us really well."
Rosters change dramatically in these transfer portal-NIL times. Yeagley said personnel decisions could come as early as Monday.
"It's the world we live in. You have to be ready to move."
Yeagley said the program has been built on players such as Wagoner, a four-year standout who played on a College Cup team, and multiple Big Ten championship squads.
"He was a four-year player who came in and was impactful out the gate. He played a lot of different roles. He had ability and developed more and more.
"You have to have guys who are here for three to four years. It's important. We have that. It's hard to have a lot of new players every year and have a sustainable culture.
"We put a lot of responsibility on our veteran players. They pass the culture down. This year, our incoming players really took to the culture of the program."
Wagoner, A Missouri native, reflects that culture.
"I think about all the great moments and we've achievements since I've been here.
"You can't take anything for granted. Your time as a soccer player will come to an end, and you have to make the most of every aspect. It's the locker room, your teammates, the conversations. You cherish those."
Few will cherish it more than Wagoner, the 2024 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner, and a two-time academic all-conference selection in addition to his soccer accomplishments.
"My language arts teacher in sixth grade made us write a future letter to ourselves," he said. "My first sentence was I want to play soccer for Indiana. I got to live out a huge dream. I'm very proud of all the teams I've been on here and all we've accomplished."
History suggests Indiana – which has a record 39 straight NCAA tourney appearances – will be back in a big way, that it will have talent and commitment to again be a national contender and renew its quest for that elusive ninth national championship.
"Next year the guys will have an opportunity to get back to make the NCAA run that we were looking to do," Wagoner said.
IUHooisers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Todd Yeagley paced and directed from the Indiana sideline at Bill Armstrong Stadium. He wiped sweat from his brow, searching for soccer answers that wouldn't come, seeking a goal IU had to have on this sun-splashed Sunday afternoon on Jerry Yeagley Field.
The veteran Indiana coach finally stopped pacing, hands on hips, watching as his sixth-seeded Hoosiers (12-6-1) pushed and pushed and pushed some more.
The clocked ticked down – 10 minutes left, five minutes, three minutes, two minutes, one minute and then none. The scoreboard delivered the final truth in this NCAA tourney second-round game.
Saint Louis 1, IU 0.
Season over.
"We wanted to do more and keep going," Yeagley said. "I'll miss this team."
Soccer is a game of inches, of fractions of inches, of moments in and out of reach, of frustration and joy and, ultimately, of victory and defeat, of moving on and going home.
The Hoosiers, whose 46 goals scored in the regular season ranked second nationally, dominated in everything but the stat that mattered most, and disappointment will linger.
"Soccer is almost a cruel game," said senior midfielder Jack Wagoner, his voice breaking with emotion. "You can have the majority of the chances, but all it takes is one to go in (for the other team)."
For 90 soccer minutes, IU shots sailed high and wide, left and right, again and again. Three times, those shots were stopped by Saint Louis goalkeeper Jeremi Abonnel.
The Hoosiers had 16 shots to the Billikens' three; they had eight corner kicks to Saint Louis's zero.
"We created enough chances, enough big chances to get the job done, and get the result we needed," Wagoner said, "but it didn't fall our way."
Added Yeagley: "Their goalie was very good. He didn't give up easy things. The few chances we had, they were good, not amazing, but we weren't decisive enough."
He paused.
"It's hard to believe we lost with one shot."
Saint Louis (12-2-7) needed 17 minutes to get its first shot, and it produced a goal. Abonnel cleared the ball from the front of the Billikens' goal, forward Theo Franco headed it to midfielder Tanner Anderson who shot and scored.
The Billikens never came close to scoring again.
"It's tough," Yeagley said. "We had full control. They had one shot. They didn't have even dangerous possessions that looked like it would be a shot.
"To leave with nothing on the board is tough, but that's the game sometimes. You have to find a way. We had some great chances. It's a hard game. I've been on both sides."
Despite a 16-day layoff, the Hoosiers opened as if poised for a blowout victory. They had seven shots in the first 12 minutes, four by forward Palmer Ault, as good a scorer as there is in college soccer. He finished with six shots. Forward Nolan Kinsella had four.
It wasn't enough. None of it was, not the fact IU had beaten Saint Louis 1-0 during the regular season, not even a five-match home winning streak in NCAA tourney play that began in 2019.
"Even with the 16 days off," Yeagley said, "we were really flying. We didn't look rusty at all. That's a credit to all the training and preparation they did.
"This team had the quality, the personality, all the elements to get into Final Four position. They just couldn't find the goal."
The loss ended IU's 10-year streak of Round of 16 appearances, the third longest in NCAA tourney history. The streak began in 2015.
"It's tough," Wagoner said. "As you see the clock wind down, you don't want to think about it because there's always chances. There's always hope. Once you see the clock hit zero, it hits you."
It hit hard, sending these Hoosiers to the locker room one last time. Yeagley offered perspective.
"This team really grew. We got better. We had great leadership. They represented us really well."
********
Rosters change dramatically in these transfer portal-NIL times. Yeagley said personnel decisions could come as early as Monday.
"It's the world we live in. You have to be ready to move."
Yeagley said the program has been built on players such as Wagoner, a four-year standout who played on a College Cup team, and multiple Big Ten championship squads.
"He was a four-year player who came in and was impactful out the gate. He played a lot of different roles. He had ability and developed more and more.
"You have to have guys who are here for three to four years. It's important. We have that. It's hard to have a lot of new players every year and have a sustainable culture.
"We put a lot of responsibility on our veteran players. They pass the culture down. This year, our incoming players really took to the culture of the program."
Wagoner, A Missouri native, reflects that culture.
"I think about all the great moments and we've achievements since I've been here.
"You can't take anything for granted. Your time as a soccer player will come to an end, and you have to make the most of every aspect. It's the locker room, your teammates, the conversations. You cherish those."
Few will cherish it more than Wagoner, the 2024 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner, and a two-time academic all-conference selection in addition to his soccer accomplishments.
"My language arts teacher in sixth grade made us write a future letter to ourselves," he said. "My first sentence was I want to play soccer for Indiana. I got to live out a huge dream. I'm very proud of all the teams I've been on here and all we've accomplished."
History suggests Indiana – which has a record 39 straight NCAA tourney appearances – will be back in a big way, that it will have talent and commitment to again be a national contender and renew its quest for that elusive ninth national championship.
"Next year the guys will have an opportunity to get back to make the NCAA run that we were looking to do," Wagoner said.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Soccer
Forward
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
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