No. 6-seeded Indiana will host unseeded Saint Louis at Bill Armstrong Stadium in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.
The Billikens forced the second meeting between the two sides of the season with a come-from-behind 2-1 win in overtime over Kentucky in the first round. The Hoosiers took the first game against the Billikens 1-0 in Bloomington on Sept. 3, one of Indiana’s seven nonconference wins of the campaign.
Head coach Todd Yeagley acknowledged that there is an advantage in preparing for a team you’ve played already.
“For the players, it just gives them an understanding,” he said. “We've seen this team before. This worked. This didn't work as well. We could have done better in the first half, but we didn't do it. Why?”
Regular season results aside, the matchup between two of the most successful programs in college soccer will be one of strength on strength.
The Hoosiers have been one of the strongest offensive sides in the nation this year, scoring 2.56 goals per game. That effort has been in large part due to Palmer Ault’s prolific scoring season in which he finished tied for second in the nation in goals (16), but Yeagley knows Ault can’t do it all himself, especially in his first NCAA Tournament appearance.
“He came here to get this opportunity,” Yeagley said of Ault. “He felt when he made the decision, he wanted to challenge himself and get outside of his comfort zone and go somewhere that historically has been able to play in the deep rounds of the tournament…Now it's his turn and our turn to see if we can keep that going.”
On the other hand, the Saint Louis back line prides itself on defense. Head coach Kevin Kalish’s side had given up less than a goal a game (.624) this season—the ninth best defense nationally.
After Ault, no Indiana attacker has tallied more than four goals. Unlocking the door to more production from other players will be paramount against the stingy Billikens.
“We need several of our attackers to show up,” Yeagley said.
Second to Ault in scoring is Collins Oduro, who notched the lone goal in Indiana’s regular season triumph over Sunday’s visitors. With the goal coming in the first half, the Hoosiers had to see the game out defensively. The crowd willing them along helped move the needle.
Having the home-field advantage will again be a massive leg up for the Hoosiers, especially understanding that a win means a second home game in the third round.
But Yeagley isn’t looking that far ahead. The Hoosiers are taking it one at a time.
“Now it’s one game and advance,” Yeagley said.
Kickoff in the NCAA second round matchup between Indiana and Saint Louis is scheduled for noon ET at Bill Armstrong Stadium on Sunday.
