Column: Men's soccer on cusp of returning to past form

A 2-0 butt-whoopin’. That’s what I want to see out of the reigning National Champion men’s soccer team.

IU’s victory over Ohio State Sunday in their Big Ten opener was what Hoosier fans have been waiting for.

A slightly rainy afternoon didn’t deter the Hoosiers from coming out focused.

So far this season, the Hoosiers failed to produce when needed on the offensive end, so watching them toy around with the Buckeyes was fun.

I’m sure I’m not the only person who was starting to worry about the team’s record to start off the season.

It was good to see the team out there having fun. It was a back-to-basics style of play, and it showed.

One thing is for sure, that dominating performance by the Hoosiers was not just another competitive win. Something lit a fire under the team’s collective butts.

It’s a good thing, since those close games ending in a loss for the Hoosiers were getting tough to watch.

IU has played in five overtime games. Four of those have ended in losses. This team is so much better than that.

There’s no reason not to think the Hoosiers won’t enter tonight’s game in South Bend with a “take no prisoners” mindset as they take on Notre Dame at 7 p.m.

Coming out on top in this one will be tough for IU, as Notre Dame is the No. 2 team in the country.

It’s a matchup that IU Coach Todd Yeagley recognizes will be a challenge.

“We have a real tough matchup (against Notre Dame), but I know our team is looking forward to it,” he said in a video on IUHoosiers.com.
However, this Hoosier team is a lot better than its record indicates.

Its 4-4-1 record could just as easily be a record of 6-2-1 after several losses in the final minutes of games.

Always a threat, senior midfielders Jacob Bushue, A.J. Corrado and Nikita Kotlov should get involved early.

Bushue is a physical player who can easily rattle opponents. That type of play will prove helpful against Notre Dame.

Expect junior defender Patrick Doody to influence the outcome of this game in a positive way.

There is no doubt that he will be looking to score his second career goal against that swarming Fighting Irish defense.

This game will tell us everything we need to know about IU men’s soccer this season.

This game will show the IU faithful that this team is a National Champion for a reason.
That fire under the butts of the team will continue. I almost feel bad for the Irish — almost.

My prediction: After a slow start on the road, the Hoosiers will enter the second half pumped and walk away with a 2-1 win.

­— pdolly@indiana.edu
Follow columnist Pat Dolly on Twitter @MinReport_IDS.