After beating Ohio State in a game last weekend that IU Coach Todd Yeagley said wasn’t a very good performance, the IU men’s soccer team will look to extend its winning streak to four games when new Big Ten foe Maryland comes to Bloomington on Sunday.
IU (8-1-3, 2-1-1) has moved to No. 1 in RPI and is up to No. 5 in the coach’s poll, but Yeagley says it hasn’t gotten to his team’s head.
“The guys are confident, but they understand the margins are small,” Yeagley said. “They’re not overconfident, they’re not thinking they’ve arrived by having a high ranking. They know every game is crucial.”
Maryland (6-5-2, 2-2-1) started the year off near the top of the rankings but has since fallen out. It is on a three-game winning streak of its own, including a 4-0 win against Penn State, which helped out IU in the conference standings.
“We knew at the beginning of the year that Maryland was going to be a tough opponent,” freshman defender Grant Lillard said. “We know they got a slow start, but we know they have a lot of talent. They’re really dangerous. They’re feeling confident right now, so it’ll be tough game Sunday but we’re looking forward to the competition.”
The Hoosiers have done the opposite of the Terrapins, as they started the year unranked and have now climbed near the top.
“They’re a good team,” sophomore midfielder Tanner Thompson said. “We’re going to go into it just like we have every other game. It’s a Big Ten game. We have to win. It’s a must-win. So we’re going to come out ready to play.”
Despite Maryland’s slow start, Yeagley said it will still be a challenge for his team.
“They have a lot of guys that can score, similar to our team where it’s not one guy that they’re hanging their hat on,” Yeagley said. “They’re dynamic and very mobile. It’ll be a tough match for us, it’ll be a fast paced game and the guys are excited for it.”
Maryland is led by its goalie Zack Steffen, who has six shutouts this season, including the last three games against VCU, Penn State and Lehigh.
“Their goalie is a difference-maker for them,” Yeagley said. “He’s very athletic and can make big saves. A big part of their run last year was Steffen so we have to be clinical in our finishing.”
On the IU side, sophomore goalie Colin Webb actually has a better save percentage and has allowed fewer goals this season but has one less shutout.
“I think the team defense has been our motto all year, getting the bagels and playing good defense,” Lillard said. “We’d like to keep doing that as we move forward. We’re feeling confident. We feel like we can keep it going.”
The battle of the two soccer powers will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
“(Maryland) is a really good team,” Yeagley said. “Their record isn’t indicative of their play this year. They’re athletic, well organized. They have some special guys and they’ll be a handful.”
