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(10/13/18 2:59am)
Maryland only had 18 seconds to process what happened.
IU senior defender Andrew Gutman had just tapped in the go-ahead goal that secured all three points for Indiana.
Gutman ran to the northwest corner of the pitch to celebrate the game-winner, and the only thing the Terrapins could do was hold their hands above their heads and catch their breath.
It was the eighth time an opposing team has had to catch their breath while Gutman ran rampant. This time, it was on the brink of the full-time whistle.
For the majority of the second half, it looked like the Terrapins were going to escape Bloomington with at least one point following the 57th-minute equalizer scored off a rocket of a volley. Maryland kept its high press throughout the game and only sat back until the very end of the match. Indiana made the Terrapins pay for their conservative approach.
(10/07/18 9:02pm)
The No. 2 Hoosiers defeated No. 14 Michigan on Sunday afternoon to move into first place in the Big Ten standings.
IU was looking for a bounce-back win after a dismal display against Kentucky earlier last week, and things couldn’t have gotten much better in Ann Arbor on the weekend.
Rece Buckmaster scored the lone goal of the game after a great buildup play in the midfield by the Hoosiers. Indiana is now 10-2 overall on the season and 4-0 in Big ten play, its best conference start since 2004.
Here are three takeaways from IU’s victory over Michigan.
(10/06/18 5:12pm)
The first match of Indiana’s two-game road trip didn’t go as planned. The Hoosiers were defeated 3-0 by the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats after allowing a goal within the first five minutes of the match.
IU was never able to recover and ended up allowing two more goals before it was said and done. The Hoosiers failed to build any sort of significant momentum throughout the game, and the loss marked the second time IU has fallen this season. It also meant the nine-game win streak was over.
The Hoosiers will look to bounce back Sunday afternoon against the No. 14 Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor. It will be the fourth Big Ten game of the season for the Hoosiers in what will be a top-15 matchup.
(10/04/18 3:08am)
IU was left in disbelief.
In a way, it represents how the No. 2 Hoosiers played Wednesday night in their 3-0 loss to No. 4 Kentucky.
Even when IU was playing at its best, it failed to produce the end product — it was almost outlandish that they weren’t able to score.
It was a match in which IU couldn’t get out on the front foot and take the first lead of the game. That game plan was wiped out in the third minute after Kentucky forward JJ Williams took advantage of an IU mistake in the back line and blasted a shot past IU sophomore goalkeeper Trey Muse.
The Hoosiers chased the game for the remainder of the 90 minutes, and failed to gain any significant momentum for a consistent period of time.
“It kind of took the air out of the group, which surprised me,” IU Head Coach Todd Yeagley said. “With some of the experience that we have, that it affected the group that much.”
Passing was off, the vision to look downfield was off, and the Hoosiers’ finishing was off. All are uncharacteristic for an experienced team with the capability to make a team pay in one chance.
IU didn’t have it tonight. That “it” factor was nowhere to be found. Kentucky made it hard for the Hoosiers to create space in the midfield, and IU’s wingers weren’t running rampant down the sidelines like they normally do.
In fact, Kentucky’s first goal came after senior defender Rece Buckmaster and sophomore forward Griffin Dorsey overlapped on the right side of the field. No one was covering behind them, and in result, the Wildcats created an opportunity that they converted.
The Hoosiers weren’t necessarily dominated Wednesday night. There were patches throughout the game where IU looked like the better team, and the Hoosiers were able to create chances out of them. One of the problems was not being able to convert on those chances. There were times where it looked like Dorsey was going to put a cross into the box, and someone on the other end was going to put the ball into the back of the net.
But it never came. That final pass, that final touch were the missing pieces to the goal-scoring equation. Senior midfielder Trevor Swartz put multiple good balls into the box off of free kicks and corners, but every result was the same. It was either cleared out by Kentucky, or it wasn’t put on frame by the Hoosiers.
Kentucky played a near-perfect game against IU, and the Hoosiers weren’t able to make the Wildcats pay for their mistakes. That was the difference between this game and the nine before that IU had won.
Even when the Hoosiers looked lackluster, they were able to score a goal to lift their spirits. The Hoosiers had the wind knocked out of them so early in the game, and they were never able to bounce back.
“[Kentucky] had a lot of guys behind the ball, it’s tough to break down,” Yeagley said. “They just took a little more urgency, a little more sharper thoughts, and some better passing. We weren’t very good with our connecting passes in the first half, too.”
It was an off night for the Hoosiers, but this team has shown that it can bounce back from a tough loss. There’s no better example than after their first defeat at Wake Forest. Indiana was able to beat North Carolina in front of the Tar Heel crowd just two days after that loss, and it will have another opportunity to do the same next Sunday.
Michigan awaits the Hoosiers this weekend, and another bounce-back opportunity will be present. The Hoosiers have to revert back to what makes them tick. Senior defender Andrew Gutman failed to get anything going against Kentucky, and the right side of the formation wasn’t at its best.
There’s still a lot of soccer left to be played this season, and the Hoosiers still have many Big Ten points left to claim.
Yeagley said it best — learn from your mistakes and move on to the next game.
(09/30/18 8:48pm)
In soccer, all it takes is one pass, one touch, or in IU’s case, one cross to make a difference in the game — and the Hoosiers had a special left foot playing at left back against Penn State.
No — senior defender, and the No. 2 player in the nation, Andrew Gutman did not play Sunday afternoon. It was sophomore Spencer Glass.
Ask anyone on the team about Glass, and you get nothing but praise in return. His delivery from the sideline, and his vision in the middle of the field are what makes him a special piece on Indiana’s roster.
(09/29/18 10:16pm)
Things were different at this year’s Hoosier Hysteria — very different.
Gone were the showers of cheers and hope for the future of Indiana basketball. They were replaced with the reality of this season’s team and the expectations they carry with them.
Right off the bat, when IU Head Coach Archie Miller addressed the crowd, one of the first things he said was how much he yearned for home court advantage to be a strength for this year’s team. He knows having one of the best home-court advantages in the nation will be crucial to the Hoosiers’ success.
Assembly Hall was scattered with red, empty seats multiple times last season, and understandably so. The team failed to execute on a consistent basis, and the Hoosiers dropped some games they shouldn’t have, especially at home. Those days are gone.
(09/27/18 3:57am)
Indiana’s motivation to win its match against Northwestern on Wednesday night stemmed from a game played nearly a year ago — when the Hoosiers had the Big Ten regular season title in their sights.
Michigan State was the only thing that stood between Indiana and the hardware to cap off a historic 2017 regular season. The game ended in a draw, and the Hoosiers saw the Big Ten title slip from their hands.
11 months later, IU was in the same situation — valuable Big Ten points on the line in the midst of a tie game. The result was different this time around.
(09/24/18 7:48pm)
After a three-game road stint, Indiana will return to Bloomington to face the Northwestern Wildcats for the Hoosiers’ second Big Ten matchup of the season.
IU is currently riding a seven-game winning streak and is coming off a dominant 5-0 win over Evansville last Friday.
With Big Ten play resuming for IU, the competition will get tougher as the season goes along. Northwestern will be one of the early tests the conference has to offer.
Let’s dive in to this week’s edition of Tale of the Tape.
Wildcats Looking for First Big Ten Win
Northwestern is currently 0-1-1 in the Big Ten after losing to Maryland and drawing against Ohio State last week. The Wildcats struggled against Maryland — only getting two shots on target from starters and failing to control the majority of possession. Northwestern was outshot 20-4 against the Terps, and things will only get harder offensively against IU’s sound back line.
The matchup against Ohio State was much tighter than Northwestern’s first Big Ten game. Both teams only mustered up two shots on target each, and as the score line says, they both settled for a 0-0 draw in double overtime.
In the Midst of a Tough Stretch
Northwestern is currently in the middle of a rough stretch of soccer against quality opponents. The tough road started with their matchup against Maryland, and after traveling to Bloomington, the Wildcats will return home for a four-game home stand against Notre Dame, Michigan, Penn State and DePaul.
Indiana is catching Northwestern at the right time during this patch of games, and hosting the Wildcats at Bill Armstrong Stadium will bode well for a team who prides themselves on having a tough home crowd.
Key Matchup
Jeremiah Gutjahr vs. Camden Buescher — Indiana has done well in dominating the midfield recently, and the game might be won in that same position Tuesday night. Gutjahr has been as consistent as anyone so far this season. One midfielder who has thrived this year for the Wildcats has been Camden Buescher.
Buescher can make you pay in many different ways whether it is his passing, vision or shot. It’s also hard to stay under the radar when your last goal makes it on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays.
https://twitter.com/NUMensSoccer/status/1040827195520966656
One to Watch
Ty Seager — Although he isn’t Northwestern’s leading goal-scorer, Seager is still a dangerous threat up top. He hasn’t scored in three games after scoring the winner against University of Missouri-Kansas City. Seager is a bit of a streaky scorer, so it will be tough for him to get on the scoresheet against the Hoosiers if he isn’t clinical.
https://twitter.com/NUMensSoccer/status/1038966458481631234
IU is a team that doesn’t make too many mistakes along the back line, and it will be the best defense Seager has seen so far this season. Along with scoring goals, Seager has also dished out two assists this season so if he can’t get on the scoresheet, he will look to put up an assist.
Overall Assessment
This isn’t going to be a game like Evansville was last week. Northwestern doesn’t give up too many goals on a consistent basis, so IU will have to take advantage of any chances it has. That being said, Northwestern also isn’t the toughest team in the Big Ten either. They’re usually a team that doesn’t find much success on the road, and with the way Indiana is playing right now, it’s hard to bet against them at this point.
(09/20/18 5:03pm)
Indiana officially has its first Big Ten win under its belt after traveling to Wisconsin on Sunday, where the Hoosiers came away with a 3-1 win. This week’s opponent is a bit of a different breed, though.
IU will hit the road once again this Friday to take on the Evansville Aces at 7 p.m.
The Aces are currently 1-3-3 with a lone win at home against Grand Canyon, but Evansville has struggled for the majority of the season thus far.
On paper, the history between the two sides isn’t a pretty one. Evansville still has yet to beat the Hoosiers according to stats dating back to 1999, and the last time the Aces scored against IU was back in 2013.
With the next chapter of the in-state rivalry on tap, let’s dive in to this week’s edition of Tale of the Tape.
Tripping Out of the Gates
Evansville is off to a 1-3-3 start to its 2018 season with a lone win at home against then-No. 24 Grand Canyon. Outside of its only win of the year, Evansville has struggled against all types of opponents. In the first two games of their season, the Aces traveled to Utah to take on Utah Valley and UNLV — it was a three-day road trip in which Evansville was outscored 1-8.
The Aces returned to the state of Indiana with two losses in hand, and it took 12 more days to find their first win of the season. After knocking off Grand Canyon, the Aces were blanked 0-3 against Northern Kentucky before drawing with Mercer 1-1.
Woes In Front of Net
Junior forward Ben Weber currently has two goals to his name, and he currently leads the team. Finding a consistent attacking presence has been one of Evansville’s weaknesses so far this season. Although there are four other players who have scored, none have been a constant threat to opposing defenses.
The Aces haven’t been able to score multiple goals in a game outside of Evansville’s 2-2 draw with IUPUI. If Evansville is going to earn a positive result against Indiana, it will have to find a way to put the ball into the back of the net more than once.
Key Matchup
Justin Rennicks vs. Frederik Reimer — I could have put Andrew Gutman here instead of Rennicks for obvious reasons (Gutman leads the team with five goals scored), but I chose Rennicks because this could be a game in which he breaks out for one or more goals.
https://twitter.com/UEAthleticsMSOC/status/1038317145103523840
Rennicks has been able to find the back of the net on a more consistent basis the past few games outside of Wisconsin, and being able to score one early would be a huge confidence boost. Reimer doesn’t have a save percentage (62.5%) that stands out, but with the possibility of many shots coming his way Friday, he could line up for a big game.
One to Watch
Ben Weber — It’s hard to pick one specific player from this squad to watch, but the recent form of Weber is intriguing. He’s scored twice in the last three games and has the potential to play the hero for Evansville on Friday. Players like Weber have to step up against a national powerhouse like Indiana, and if anyone is going to rise to the occasion, it might as well be him.
https://twitter.com/UEAthleticsMSOC/status/1039568958561689600
Overall Assessment
I hate the cliché, but this is basically a David vs. Goliath matchup, and David will have the home crowd behind him Friday night. The last time these two met was last season when IU Head Coach Todd Yeagley earned his 100th career win in what was a dominating 4-0 performance by the Hoosiers. I would expect a similar score line this time around, but this could be a trap game with Northwestern on deck and Penn State in the hole.
(09/20/18 4:14am)
Whether it is at right back or in the midfield, IU senior Rece Buckmaster can fill many roles. It’s what makes him irreplaceable.
He doesn’t get on the scoresheet much — he’s only scored twice in his career at IU — but he’s one of the most praised individuals every week.
Indiana has only given up four goals through seven games this season. It’s in part due to Indiana’s back line which returned three of four starters from last year’s squad. For the past three years, Buckmaster has played alongside those same teammates. Every year they seem to get better.
Consistency comes with continuity, and for Buckmaster, it’s what helps him thrive along the right side of the field. Attackers hardly ever get past IU’s senior right back because of the chemistry and comfortability that Buckmaster has grown accustom to during his time at IU.
He doesn’t score a lot of goals, and he doesn’t record many assists. Yet, he’s one of the most important players for an Indiana team that has only fallen once so far this season.
“I always remember when I first saw him play two years ago,” Assistant Coach Danny O’Rourke said. “He was one of the more dynamic players on the team, very versatile. It kind of reminded me of when I played back in my younger days. Rico has all the talent in the world, and he can play in a bunch of different positions. He always has a smile on his face and is probably our most steady player all year long.”
That’s high praise from someone who won the MAC Hermann Trophy in 2004 and led the Hoosiers to national championships in 2003 and 2004. Across the board, there’s nothing but positive comments regarding Buckmaster as a player and person.
On the right side, Buckmaster likes to match up with opposing players in one-on-one situations. When an attacker makes a run along Buckmaster’s side of the pitch, there’s a good chance nothing will come out of it.
Yeagley says I’m one of the best attacking right backs in the country
Defending and putting balls in the box were key elements of Buckmaster’s game that he wanted to improve over the summer with the Chicago Fire academy. It was an opportunity for Buckmaster to gain Major League Soccer experience while focusing on how he could get better.
“I have to work on my crossing,” Buckmaster said. “That’s one of the things the coaches really want me to work on. Just beating guys on the in-line, and taking people on a lot more, especially in one-on-ones. Yeagley says I’m one of the best attacking right backs in the country. He wants me to take on defenders one-on-one so I can cross the ball.”
It was at the beginning of his junior season when others started to notice the level of his game elevate. No one was getting by him in training and he had a different demeanor when he arrived.
Senior midfielder Trevor Swartz was one of the few players to first notice the change in Buckmaster’s game. Swartz said it was the start of his rise to dominance.
“I think it started before last season when he came in for preseason training,” Swartz said. “You could tell he was playing at a different level. He started last year and was lock down at right back for us, and we all knew he was capable of doing that. It’s just the right place right time for him to jump into that position, and he’s probably one of the best defenders in the country.”
The rest of the 2017 season spoke for itself. An undefeated season was led by the best statistical defense in the country that holds the longest shutout streak in program history. It’s a program which has won eight national titles and has an endless list of decorated players.
Buckmaster was a main component to IU’s defensive success. He, along with the rest of the back line, cemented their names in Indiana soccer history.
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Buckmaster is one of eight seniors on Indiana’s roster, so leadership hasn’t been an issue. However, his leadership style is a tad different.
His personality fits his profile on the pitch in a way. He’s a man of few words, but when he speaks, he makes them count. His leadership style is similar as well, even if his coaches want him to talk more.
“He’s one of those kids who doesn’t say much, but when he does, it’s really funny,” Swartz said. “For leadership, he doesn’t say much, but you can tell every time he comes to training — every time he’s in a game — he’s locked in. I think he leads by example in that sense, he’s not very vocal.”
Communication has and will be heavily emphasized for Buckmaster moving forward, but O’Rourke admits Buckmaster was constantly yelling at his teammates against VCU and Wisconsin. IU only gave up one goal combined in both of those games.
"I was really excited to see Rico get a goal, in particular."
Rece Buckmaster also found the scoresheet last night, scoring his second career goal. #iums pic.twitter.com/XUoOJBPByS
— The Hoosier Network (@TheHoosierNet) September 8, 2018
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Buckmaster credits his time in Chicago over the summer for his improvement with communication with his teammates. And it’s tough to get any better experience than at a MLS academy.
He’s one of those kids who doesn’t say much, but when he does, it’s really funny
Communication is vital for a team to be successful, let alone a back line that always has to be in sync. One of the biggest reasons senior defender Andrew Gutman can play far up the pitch and score goals is because Buckmaster fills the vacancy in his spot. When Gutman veers up the field, Buckmaster rotates to the right side of the pitch to cover for his teammate in case of an opposing counter attack.
Gutman is able to run free when he needs to because of the cover Buckmaster gives him. Without that cover, IU is vulnerable. But since the defense is able to rotate at will with seamless transitions, not many teams create solid chances when the opportunity is presented to them.
Buckmaster is to thank for that. It’s one of the reasons why he’s praised so much by his teammates.
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There’s not many other players who get praised consistently throughout the season than Buckmaster. Whenever credit is due, it’s given to him.
His name isn’t repeated constantly by Indiana’s public address announcer because he doesn’t score a lot of goals. Off the pitch, though, his name plays like a broken record.
“He’s definitely the best right back in the country, I would say,” Gutman said. “I trained in Chicago with him this summer. He’s a lock down defender, he can get forward. The one or two times Rico does get forward, he creates a lot of chances for us.”
Three years separated his first and second career goals for the Hoosiers. His first came in a game against Butler in 2015, and the second came against VCU just days ago.
"Probably the top right back in the country"
Andrew Gutman on the importance of Rece Buckmaster. #iums pic.twitter.com/lOAnNpmXKB
— The Hoosier Network (@TheHoosierNet) September 6, 2018
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After the game, both head coach Todd Yeagley and other players had nothing but smiles on their faces when asked about Buckmaster’s goal.
“When we can get around the edge on the left side and get [Buckmaster] in the box, too, both backs are in dangerous positions,” Yeagley said. “He’s so quick and does so much for us defensively, to get rewarded, the guys love him.”
The goal was a sigh of relief for Buckmaster. It had been so long since his last goal, especially since his role includes covering for other teammates.
Getting back on the scoresheet was really nice even though it was 5-0 and it didn’t really matter
He said scoring a goal gives him a different feeling, even to someone who hardly ever gets those opportunities.
“It was special, honestly,” Buckmaster said. “I haven’t scored since freshman year at Butler, so getting back on the scoresheet was really nice even though it was 5-0 and it didn’t really matter. But just getting back and getting that confidence going again will hopefully help me get a couple more goals this season.”
10 regular season games remain on IU’s schedule, which will give Buckmaster more chances to score this season. That also means 10 more chances for Buckmaster to lock down attackers on his side of the field.
Either way, O’Rourke and the Hoosiers know they have a special talent roaming along the right sideline.
“We’re just excited he’s on our team and not a different one.”
(09/10/18 4:43pm)
Indiana will hit the road and travel up north to face the No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Tuesday for its sixth game of the season, coming on the heels of a three game homestand. IU enters Tuesday's match coming off its most dominant win of 2018 after blanking VCU, 5-0.
Notre Dame enters the matchup with the Hoosiers at 3-0-1. The Irish are coming off their first conference win of the season after defeating Syracuse 3-2 in upstate New York.
This will be the Irish’s second home game of 2018 and, while this isn’t a conference match for either side, it will be a big resume-builder for the NCAA Tournament.
Without further ado, let’s dive in to this week’s edition of Tale of the Tape.
(09/06/18 5:15am)
Indiana awaits the VCU Rams on Friday for its next game of the 2018 season. Following a 2-0 record at the IU/Adidas Credit Union Classic against Dartmouth and UConn, the Hoosiers will remain at home for this week’s match.
VCU is coming off a 12-7 2017 record, which saw the Rams advance to the Atlantic 10 Championship and the second round of the NCAA Tournament — losing both in the process.
The Rams have started off 3-1 so far this year and have strung together three straight wins following a season-opening loss to Georgia Southern.
(09/05/18 6:20pm)
Things will be different this week for Indiana men’s soccer. The team will be without its starting right winger, Griffin Dorsey, who was named to the United States Under-20 Men’s National Team roster for the 2018 U-20 Men’s Invitational tournament in Florida.
Dorsey will be able to represent his country while catching some rays in the Florida heat. But the Hoosiers will play their next two games without him. VCU and Notre Dame are on the Hoosiers’ tab for the next week with games this Friday and next Tuesday lined up.
Next Tuesday’s match will be a tough one. The Hoosiers will travel up to South Bend to take on the Fighting Irish, a team in which Indiana beat last year in Bloomington.
(09/03/18 4:15pm)
Indiana has scored three of its six goals on the season off of set-piece plays, an area of the Hoosiers’ game plan that is emphasized in training.
IU’s latest set-piece goal came from an in-swinging ball from senior midfielder Trevor Swartz, which met the head of senior Andrew Gutman at the near post. It would be the only goal of the game for both sides and the only goal IU needed to secure a victory over No. 18 Connecticut on Sunday night.
“I think this season, we’re very organized and mature team,” Swartz said following the win Sunday night. “Our ending spots on runs have been perfect. Gutman, today, headed that thing in powerfully, but it was just working on it over summer. I’ve been hitting balls in good spots. When you practice, it usually works well in the game.”
It has been working well for the Hoosiers as half of their goals have come from restarts. IU Head Coach Todd Yeagley has put an emphasis on set pieces for years at Indiana, and taking advantage of them has paid off in the past.
(09/01/18 4:24am)
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.
(08/25/18 4:27pm)
*The Hoosier Network will give analysis of every IU men’s soccer opponent this season in the days leading up to each matchup. This Sunday, the Hoosiers will travel to North Carolina to face No. 3 North Carolina*
After losing to No. 5 Wake Forest in its first game of the season, Indiana will remain in the state of North Carolina for the rest of the weekend for its second game in three days. The Hoosiers will travel east to Cary, North Carolina to face the No. 3 Tar Heels in what will be another top-five matchup.
North Carolina was victorious in its first game of the season, defeating East Tennessee State 1-0. Junior forward Jelani Pieters scored the lone goal in the 80th minute for the Tar Heels en route to the first win of their 2018 season.
(08/25/18 3:21am)
Multiple Indiana players were left on the ground in disbelief as Wake Forest freshman forward Kyle Holcomb celebrated the game-winning overtime goal to propel the Demon Deacons over the Hoosiers 2-1.
It was a back-and-forth affair which saw IU take control of the game in the first half, only to give up the first goal of the game just three minutes into the second half. Griffin Dorsey tied the game at one in the 73rdminute until Wake Forest scored the winner in golden goal overtime.
It was a hectic match, and there were a lot of positives and negatives to take away from Indiana’s first match of the season in a tough road environment.
Here’s three takeaways from today’s match.
1)
Freshman Jack Maher impressed on his Indiana debut tonight, playing all 107 minutes alongside senior Timmy Mehl at the center back position. It’s tough to replace a MAC Herman Trophy finalist, but Maher did a solid job against Wake Forest. He was a big reason why IU was so dominant in the first half, not letting the Demon Deacons register a single shot.
The freshman was amongst a group of candidates for the starting center back spot, but his performance in training was good enough for head coach Todd Yeagley to give him the nod. There were only a few times where he was caught out of position, and his recovery into dangerous situations made him look like a seasoned veteran.
Senior left back Andrew Gutman spoke highly of Maher during training earlier this week when asked about his first impressions of the Caseyville, Illinois, native. The impressive performance is a good sign moving forward and will help the transition from the Grant Lillard era.
2)
The strength of the midfield was tested tonight against the trio of Bruno Lapa, Brad Dunwell and Joey DeZart. The Demon Deacons showed why they are a top-five team coming into the season, and a big part of their success Friday night was through possession within the middle of the pitch.
Seniors Austin Panchot, Francesco Moore and Jeremiah Gutjahr looked good in the first game of the season and the first game for Gutjahr in nearly 11 months. Wake Forest’s Dapa was involved with the game-winning goal, and he along with his midfield compatriots, were able to break down IU’s defense in critical moments.
3)
The striker position was an area of concern heading into 2018, and sophomore Justin Rennicks was the one to lead the line for the Hoosiers against Wake Forest. Rennicks had an injury-plagued 2017, but his teammates always spoke highly of him throughout last season.
Fellow sophomore Thomas Warr entered the game for Rennicks at times, but neither of the two registered a shot all night. Rennicks was dispossessed many times and struggled to get a significant flow offensively.
Freshman striker Ryan Wittenbrink did not feature tonight after a stellar high school career. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Yeagley switch things up against North Carolina on Sunday if IU struggles to score early on. The Hoosiers still need to find a solution to a goal-scoring hole left by Mason Toye, and it still needs to be seen who the replacement will be.
Notes:
Jeremiah Gutjahr had a nice return to the lineup after missing a large chunk of 2017 with a torn ACL. Gutjahr played all 107 minutes and looked comfortable playing with Francesco Moore and Austin Panchot again in the midfield.
Griffin Dorsey scored the first goal of 2018 for the Hoosiers after a one-touch finish from an Andrew Gutman low cross. The pinpoint accuracy into the top right corner was too much for Deacon goalkeeper Andreu Cases Mundet.
Senior Cory Thomas didn’t get the start at left wing tonight, but he did play 70 significant minutes after coming on early in the first half. His creativity and passing were nice refreshers for the Hoosiers, who were struggling to spread the field against Wake Forest’s formation.
A.J. Palazzolo made his IU debut tonight after coming on in the overtime period. He played seven minutes and slotted into more of a defensive role after coming on for Rennicks.
The Hoosiers had not given up two goals in a game all of 2017. It will be interesting to see how the team, particularly the defense, will bounce back against another tough team in North Carolina on Sunday.
Wake Forest now lead the all-time series 3-2 against IU.
(08/23/18 5:28am)
*The Hoosier Network will give analysis of every IU men’s soccer opponent this season in the days leading up to each matchup. This week, the Hoosiers will travel to North Carolina to face No. 5 Wake Forest and No. 3 North Carolina*
Indiana men’s soccer will open its season this weekend with No. 5 Wake Forest as the first team on the Hoosiers’ tab. IU will travel to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for the first of two games to start 2018, and both will be against teams who made the Elite Eight in last season’s NCAA Tournament.
The last time the Demon Deacons took the pitch was in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament where they fell 2-0 to eventual national champions, Stanford. This season, the Demon Deacons return without several key figures from last season’s squad, including 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy Winner, Jon Bakero.
(08/13/18 6:10am)
*With just over a week remaining before Indiana kicks off its 2018 season at Wake Forest and North Carolina, The Hoosier Network will be releasing its position previews on a semi-weekly basis until the season begins.*
The heart of IU’s formation took a hit in late September last season when Jeremiah Gutjahr went down with a season-ending knee injury. The question surrounding the team for the remainder of the year was how it would cope without one of its veteran players.
Yet, the Hoosiers didn’t falter for the rest of the season, and their midfield was consistent from game-to-game. This season, IU returns all of its starters in the midfield and has the task of improving on a stellar 2017.
Entering the campaign as the second-ranked team in the nation, expectations are higher than they were last year. And with all its starters returning, IU’s midfield will be judged at a higher standard.
The Veterans
The incumbents in the midfield are all seniors and are the most experienced bunch of IU’s squad.
Anchored by Francesco Moore, IU’s midfield saw a combination of Jeremiah Gutjahr, Trevor Swartz, Rece Buckmaster and Austin Panchot. The fourth-year players will hold down their part of the field once again, but the three starters will be determined by other areas of the pitch.
Moore gave IU box-to-box play along with his defensive-minded role last season, and he will be just as important this year. He anchored the midfield, and the game was facilitated through Moore when the Hoosiers had control of possession.
The backline features four returning starters, and two of them, Buckmaster and junior Jordan Kleyn, will vie for the starting right back position. Depending on who IU head coach Todd Yeagley goes with at right back will determine whether or not Buckmaster will feature in the right-center midfield position.
Buckmaster started there at the beginning of the season, but was forced to move to right back following Kleyn’s leg injury. The dominoes will fall after Yeagley makes his decision at right back, and the next position to be decided will be left-center midfield.
Gutjahr had the position locked down at the beginning of last season, but Swartz’s play in 2017 will force Yeagley to make a tough decision. Swartz brings an attacking prowess while still playing box-to-box along with Moore.
Panchot was another Hoosier to feature in the hart of the formation last season, as well as in the attacking third. His speed and prolific play gave him an edge over defenders. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him come off the bench if Gutjahr is fit and ready to go for the first game of the season.
Another veteran who saw time in the midfield last season was senior Cory Thomas. Thomas can move from the wing position and into the midfield and will surely see some minutes in both roles this year.
The Underclassmen
In such a crowded third of the field, it will be tough for new faces to break into the squad this season.
Sophomore Spencer Glass was an impact substitute for the Hoosiers last season and will look to replicate that success this year. Glass even scored the lone goal in the road victory against Penn State last season. He saw his minutes grow with each game that he impressed last year, but with the return of Gutjahr from injury, it might impact Glass’ playing time.
Freshman Joe Schmidt will be another player, along with Glass, who will be watched as the season goes along. Schmidt redshirted last season and will be the other underclassmen who might see significant minutes this season. He also scored the lone goal in IU's first exhibition Sunday vs. Xavier.
It’s tough to tell which other underclassmen will see action in the midfield this season outside of Glass and Schmidt.
Freshman Kyle Barks is another figure who redshirted in his first season at IU, but with five returning starters at some point last season, it will be difficult for new faces to be integrated into the squad.
(08/06/18 6:03pm)
*With just a few weeks remaining before Indiana kicks off its 2018 season at Wake Forest and North Carolina, The Hoosier Network will be releasing its position previews on a semi-weekly basis until the season begins.*
Trey Muse cemented his name in the Indiana Athletics record books and earned multiple awards throughout the 2017 season. He holds the fourth-best record in the NCAA shutout-streak list with over 966 minutes in total.
IU’s goalkeeping group was already deep at the end of the 2017 season, and coach Todd Yeagley added another prospect to the fold in three-star recruit Bryant Pratt.
That makes four goalkeepers on the current roster vying for Muse’s spot to start the season between the sticks for the Hoosiers.