However, IU was able to reverse course in the second half Thursday night, scoring two goals for a 2-0 win, with sophomore center back Grant Lillard scoring the winning goal.
After a slow first half where neither team generated many chances on goal, IU netted two in the second half to go along with a slew of other scoring opportunities.
“We talked about at halftime we wanted to get up over the top a little more and come underneath,” junior midfielder Tanner Thompson said. “Once we did that we were able to play through them and create a lot more chances.”
The first goal was assisted by Thompson, who also earned the corner kick that resulted in the game’s first goal.
Thompson also assisted the only Hoosier goal in IU’s first exhibition, a 2-1 loss against Valparaiso.
“Tanner’s first three or four services were actually below average for him,” IU Coach Todd Yeagley said. “But the goal was perfect. Great timing, great run, and he needs to have more of those than what he did in the first half because it changes our team.”
In fact, many of the Hoosier scoring opportunities came from set pieces with Thompson restarting play.
With the size of the 6-foot-4 Lillard, who was second on the Hoosiers with five goals last season, and graduate transfer 6-foot-5 forward Ben Maurey, Thompson’s ability to find teammates in the box off free kicks becomes even more important.
“We’ve been working on set pieces,” Thompson said. “We plan on scoring a lot this year with the guys we have this year who can get in the box. We’ve been working on them in practice, but we still need to come a little ways.”
In addition to the assist Thursday night, Thompson nearly set up two other Hoosier goals. In the 20th minute, IU earned a free kick just past the center line.
Thompson took his place over the free kick, and he saw senior Femi Hollinger-Janzen beginning a run to get behind the Western Michigan defense before the defense was set.
Thompson played a ball into Hollinger-Janzen, whose shot from inside the penalty area was deflected away by the Western Michigan goalkeeper.
Hollinger-Janzen did manage to find his way onto the scoresheet though after volleying home a cross from freshman Rees Wedderburn from inside the 6-yard box.
“That service to Femi was sophisticated,” Yeagley said of Wedderburn’s assist. “Right over that defender, that’s the level he’s come from where you get those one or two chances, and you don’t squander that service.”
Wedderburn is just one of many options IU has in the midfield. The amount of depth allows the Hoosiers to play to many different styles and situations, Yeagley said.
“It’s a battle, it’s a great battle,” Yeagley said. “It’s a fun team, and they get after it. But they’re really on the same page, so the guy on the best form is the guy who gets in that night.”
