Saturday night’s 3-0 win over Dartmouth was a prime example of how Indiana can assert its dominance at any given moment — great defensive play, winning the possession battle and finding multiple goal-scorers.
The match also gave us a glimpse of how good this team can be. It was tough to tell just how good the Hoosiers were going to be in 2018 after a tough first two games to start the campaign. After its performance against Dartmouth, it was clear how good this Indiana team can be.
Let’s dive into some takeaways from the match and what this result means for the team moving forward.
The Defense Has Settled In
IU’s back line looked like a solid defensive unit through the first two games of the season. There were some growing pains that were evident, and the few mistakes the defense made were costly.
Saturday night was a totally different story.
Freshman Jack Maher was brilliant again in the center back role alongside senior Timmy Mehl and has only gotten better as the season has progressed. The partnership between the two looked strong against Dartmouth.
IU men's soccer left back Andrew Gutman tallied a goal and an assist in the 3-0 win over Dartmouth and picked up a standing ovation while exiting the game.
"I thought that was for John Bannec coming in." Gutman joked postgame. #iums pic.twitter.com/RmlSQBrZZY
— The Hoosier Network (@TheHoosierNet) September 1, 2018
Maher has lived up to expectations so far and Saturday night was no exception. He had some key tackles in the right moments and is part of the reason why Indiana was so dominant defensively. The Big Green only had two shots all night and none on target.
This was one of the best defensive performances in recent history as Dartmouth couldn’t get anything going offensively for the majority of the night.
Senior right back Rece Buckmaster and Gutman were superb down the flanks and threatened offensively on top of that. The overlaps between the full backs and wingers kept the Big Green on its toes.
Andrew Gutman Might Have Taken Another Step Up
Gutman had as good of a performance as any against Dartmouth and was all over the field for the Hoosiers. He was stellar on defense, keeping Dartmouth’s wingers in check.
On top of his defensive duties, Gutman was a headache for Dartmouth all game. He constantly overlapped with senior Cory Thomas on the wing and was able to intervene in the midfield when needed.
His assist to sophomore attacker Griffin Dorsey for IU’s second goal split three different defenders in one bending ball. Gutman said after the game he saw Dorsey making the run and knew he had to deliver.
Indiana netted its first goal of the game off a set piece from Trevor Swartz to Andrew Gutman.
Coach Todd Yeagley praised his team on the successful restart: "If we don't get that goal and it's a bit of a stalemate, first half zeros, might be a different second half." #iums pic.twitter.com/Td6Ak3BtH2
— The Hoosier Network (@TheHoosierNet) September 1, 2018
After Saturday’s game, it’s clear how important Gutman is to this Indiana team. While he’s on the field, he makes IU better on both the offensive and defensive end, and he has become more of a midfield threat so far this season, too.
There were times against Dartmouth where Gutman was dribbling and facilitating through the midfield while he was on the ball. It shows how much Gutman brings to the table in terms of versatility.
It's easy to see why he was ranked as the preseason No. 2 player in the country according to Top Drawer Soccer.
Griffin Dorsey Continues to Show His Importance
Dorsey bagged another goal Friday night, and he showed again why he’s so important to Indiana’s attack. Someone has to fill the void left by Mason Toye, and it could very well be Dorsey.
He’s shown his willingness to get up the field and look to make a run towards goal. The goal he scored in the second half was all created by catching the defense off guard with his run. Gutman was able to make a great pass, and Dorsey managed to take care of a one-on-one situation with the keeper.
Goal scoring: 10/10
Celebration...not as smooth.
At least Griffin Dorsey got to give his father a hug after scoring his second goal of the season tonight in a 3-0 Indiana win over Dartmouth. #iums pic.twitter.com/vxs7R1iCDc
— The Hoosier Network (@TheHoosierNet) September 1, 2018
When Dorsey was ticking last season, so was the rest of the team. This might be the case once again this season, but if he continues to score goals consistently, he could be more important to the Hoosiers than he was last year.
Notes:
- Joe Schmidt, Ian Black and John Bannec all played five minutes or more. This could be a group who sees more playing time down the road.
- AJ Palazzolo was played up top while he was in the game, and we could possibly see this with him in the starting lineup if he continues to impress.
- Trey Muse recorded his second clean sheet of the season.
- Trevor Swartz had his second assist of the season off of a set piece once again.
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