The strong winds ceased to bellow, and the temperatures continued to plummet, but as Wisconsin fired shot after shot towards Indiana men’s soccer Tuesday night, the Hoosiers never wavered.
Indiana recorded its first conference victory on the road after hanging on to defeat the Badgers 2-1 at the McClimon Memorial Soccer Complex in Madison, Wisconsin. In a must-win match to keep its Big Ten title hopes intact, head coach Todd Yeagley’s squad delivered.
With the win, the Hoosiers catapulted to first in the conference table to be tied with No. 7 Maryland. Though that is sure to change following Friday’s slate of marquee matchups, it was hard to imagine the team in this position just a few weeks ago following a few disappointing draws.
As they have done repeatedly this season, the Hoosiers struck first in the match and very quickly at that. Just eight minutes into the first half, Indiana was dangerously attacking.
After surveying the pitch and linking with sophomore forward Sam Sarver for a quick combination, senior defender Nyk Sessock chipped a brilliant through ball down the side of the box for streaking senior forward Herbert Endeley.
Endeley picked out sophomore forward Tommy Mihalic bursting into the Badgers’ penalty area, and Mihalic powerfully struck his shot past Wisconsin junior goalkeeper Carter Abbott.
With his fifth goal of the season, Mihalic pulled within one of redshirt senior forward Ryan Wittenbrink for the team lead. Sessock and Endeley recorded their seventh and fifth assists, respectively.
[Related: Ryan Wittenbrink sweeps weekly award honors for Indiana men’s soccer]
Despite the hot start, the Badgers refused to go away. The ensuing 20 minutes after the goal featured back and forth and at times sloppy play, but Wisconsin began to find its footing and take control as the first half wound down.
The Badgers outshot the Hoosiers 5-3 in the first half, and going into the break, the home team was knocking on the door of an equalizer. Less than four minutes into the second half, they did just that.
Off a long free kick from Wisconsin graduate student defender Matt Chandler, senior midfielder Inaki Iribarren flicked the ball behind him to the back post. Sophomore defender Ryan Keefe charged to the receiving end and just had to tap it in to draw the match level.
The Hoosiers raised their arms in unison pleading for an offsides call, but it was to no avail. An uncomfortable sense of familiarity swept Indiana’s sideline as they then had to chase the go-ahead goal.
On Tuesday night, however, they wouldn’t have to wait long. Merely five minutes after conceding, the Hoosiers came roaring back.
Sarver dispossessed Keefe in the Badgers’ defensive third and played it on to Endeley. The forward used a nifty move to create space around two Wisconsin defenders and crossed the ball to Mihalic, who was all alone at the top of the penalty area.
The combination, which gave the Hoosiers the lead earlier in the match, appeared as if it would net the team’s crucial second goal. Yet, after a brilliant stop from Abbott, Wisconsin seemingly salvaged its hopes.
However, the deflection bounced right to redshirt junior midfielder Quinten Helmer, who calmly tucked away the half-volley for his second goal of the season.
After the Hoosiers gained the advantage, the Badgers’ desperation for an equalizer grew with each passing minute. Pressing Indiana’s backline and moving onto the front foot, Wisconsin put together some threatening attacks in the waning segments of the match.
Still, due to disciplined box defending from the Hoosiers’ back line, they were able to hold on and exit the pitch with the full 3 points. It may not have been pretty, but it was enough.
At 7 p.m. Saturday, Indiana hosts No. 2 Kentucky to kick off a brief three-match nonconference slate. While Yeagley and the team will be focused on the task at hand, it will be hard to ignore the decision day matchup against No. 7 Maryland looming on Oct. 30.
