No. 9 soccer team playing Spartans in quarterfinals of Big Ten tourney

It’s been seven years since the seventh star was added to the Indiana soccer logo.
Senior Alec Purdie doesn’t have an eighth year to add that elusive eighth star. He’s ready for the postseason ride.

After last year’s run to the Sweet 16, which included a 2-1 loss to eventual national champion Akron, the Hoosiers (11-3-4, 3-1-2) said they feel they are a more dangerous offensive threat than a year ago.

The triple threat of freshman Eriq Zavaleta, Purdie and sophomore Nikita Kotlov has combined for 22 goals and eight assists.

“Eriq, Nikita and I have really gelled, and we’ve been playing really well,” Purdie said. “Nikita has come on. He’s been scoring quite a few goals the past few games, which is huge for us because if you want to win things, you can’t just rely on one person or two people. It has to be a collective unit.”

The No. 9 IU men’s soccer team begins postseason play with its quarterfinal match against Michigan State (7-7-4, 2-2-2) today at 1 p.m. in Ann Arbor, Mich., in the Big Ten Tournament.

With the balanced offensive attack the Hoosiers use to break down opposing defenses, Purdie said IU needs the players on the field to work together to make a lethal offense.

“We are contesting,” Purdie said. “We’re dangerous on set pieces, and our center backs contribute to that. Offensively scoring goals, everyone is contributing, and we are a threat basically anywhere on the field.”

While the offense is a crucial aspect to the Hoosiers’ attack and success, the defense could be the deciding factor if IU can exceed last year’s finish.

Junior goalkeeper Luis Soffner has allowed only 15 goals in 17 starts this season, registering 0.85 goals against average with eight shutouts.

“We have almost the same back line as we did last year, and we’re starting to gel together as a unit with the five of us back there,” Soffner said. “This year, we have been stressing a lot of team defense.

“That’s a big plus going into the tournament. We might be one of the only teams that fancy itself as a team that defends as a unit rather than individuals.”

One of the significant differences between this year and last year is the offensive firepower. Last season, the Hoosiers’ offense revolved around a lot of what then-junior forward Will Bruin was doing. A combination of players has filled the void, and Yeagley said he likes what he sees out of his offense.

“I would love to have (Bruin) on our team,” Yeagley said. “I would be kidding you if I said any different. Anytime you have a choice to take three to four scorers that can make the sum versus one of two, you take four. Teams can’t cue on it.”

With 11 wins in the regular season, the Hoosiers surpassed last year’s win total of 10, leaving Yeagley with an impression of more consistent play from his team in 2011.

“The belief in what the team can do is a bit stronger,” Yeagley said. “We’ve played some really consistent soccer this year. Last year, we were up and down a bit. Some results didn’t go our way, and that weighs a bit on your mind.

“Last year, we were confident, but this group feels good going in and knows that there is so much on the line.”