It was in 2005 when the Hoosiers last failed to win their first two Big Ten games. In that year, the Hoosiers drew against Michigan State in the opening game and lost 2-1 to Penn State.
The Hoosiers (3-3-1) currently sit at the bottom of the Big Ten rankings and have not won their past three games.
IU will have a chance to break that streak when they face Evansville in a nonconference game Wednesday evening.
The Hoosiers were 2-0 winners at Arad McCutchan Stadium in Evansville last year, and they have never lost to Evansville.
The 4-1 loss to Rutgers on Sunday was not anticipated by IU Coach Todd Yeagley.
“We were flat, and that’s disappointing in a really big game at an important time of the year against a Big Ten opponent,” Yeagley said after the Rutgers loss. “I didn’t anticipate that one bit, and we have to regroup now.”
The game against Evansville offers IU a break from conference play, and Yeagley said he hopes the Hoosiers will display their mettle and bounce back from Sunday’s defeat.
“We got to hold it together and see how resilient these guys are,” Yeagley said.
The Hoosiers were also highly-touted in 2013 but could not meet expectations. Current junior midfielder Tanner Thompson, who was on the 2013 team, said he refuses to allow 2015 to take a similar path.
“It reminds me of what happened in 2013, being .500 this time of year,” Thompson said. “We’re not going to let that happen this year.”
Wednesday’s game against Evansville will allow the Hoosiers an opportunity to get their season back on track, and Yeagley said he is keen for them to do so.
“We’ll regroup and be ready for them,” Yeagley said.
