IU freshman midfielder Aidan Morris laid on the ground, his fists pounding on the turf below him, in the 38th-minute Friday night after taking a hard mid-air bump. Seconds later, Morris popped up a brand new man and promptly shoved the University of Pittsburgh’s Dexter Alexander.
It would cost Morris a yellow card, one of four combined yellow cards handed out on the night, as No. 2 IU took down Pittsburgh 3-2 in a scrappy, two-overtime match that was capped off by freshman forward Herbert Endeley’s victory-sealing goal.
In a match that totaled 33 fouls and 35 shots in 102 minutes of play, the Hoosiers are sure to wake up Saturday morning with far more bruises than they entered with, but they knew coming in that the Panthers weren’t going to go down easily.
“I thought it was a really good growth game,” IU head coach Todd Yeagley said. “If I had to say, I’d love a game like this this early. This was great because we learned a lot about our team.”
Pittsburgh looked to assert itself as the aggressor from the opening kickoff, and it showed as IU could do little more than generate all but two scoring chances in the first half while not even being able to muster a single shot on goal within the first 45 minutes.
Much like Morris, the Hoosiers seemed to have at least one player laying on the field in every minute of the first half. Whether it was a jump ball or a defensive box out, IU looked to be outmuscled and largely inexperienced against the reigning Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament champions.
“College is obviously a lot different of a game than academy,” Morris said. “And at some point you just have to let the seniors lead the way,”
After going into halftime with a two-goal deficit — both courtesy of Pittsburgh’s Edward Kizza — Yeagley corralled his young team up in the locker room and reiterated what it meant to wear the cream and crimson.
That seemingly lit a fire under the Hoosiers as they came roaring out of the gates fast, netting a goal in the 49th minute off the right foot of IU freshman forward Joshua Penn and cutting the lead in half.
The lack of toughness that IU showed in the first half was also quickly turned around as Pittsburgh was shown two yellow cards in the 52nd minute and 53rd minute, signaling a palpable momentum swing in favor of IU.
“If that was them playing their A-game in the first half while we were playing our C or D-game, then I just wanted to show them what it’s like to play us at our A-game,” Yeagley said.
Following the consecutive yellow cards, Penn once again found the back of the net in the 56th minute, this time assisted by sophomore defender Jack Maher.
A game of cat-and-mouse ensued as IU managed to claw its way back, sending a stoppage-ridden game into overtime.
While the physicality had simmered some down the stretch, it was the Hoosiers' resolve that gave junior defender A.J. Palazzolo an opportunity to set up Endeley in stride for the game winner.
“For a freshman like that to stay composed around the keeper like that was great,” Yeagley said. “I’m just really happy for him.”
Two-and-a-half hours of trips and nasty falls likely wasn’t what either team had in mind for Friday’s season opener, but the sight of Endeley streaking down the field and Bill Armstrong Stadium erupting in cheers is just what the doctor had in mind to reduce the aches that will inevitably come with tomorrow morning.
“To have the confidence of coach is just a great feeling,” Endeley said. “And it allows me to be free and play the game the way I know how to."
