Senior defender Joey Maher was a big character in Indiana men’s soccer’s toughest game of the season. The Hoosiers prevailed against Ohio State in a 2-1 victory at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
In a highly physical game, Indiana counted on its solid defense to hold Ohio State to just one shot on goal in nine attempts by the Buckeyes.
The Hoosiers did not create many opportunities early in the first half, but on a counterattack with 29 minutes left in the half, Buckeye graduate student defender Siggi Magnusson fouled junior forward Sam Sarver inside the box, resulting in a penalty for Indiana.
Maher stepped up to take it and did not waste it. He calmly dislocated sophomore goalkeeper Max Trejo, putting the ball on the low left corner to give Indiana a 1-0 lead.
“Joey is one of our top PK guys,” head coach Todd Yeagley said postgame. “He’s got an unbelievable confidence.”
With six minutes left in the half, Maher had another chance to score on a header off a corner, but the ball went just over the crossbar.
Back for the second half, Ohio State began to control the game, pressing the Hoosiers in their own half.
Indiana held their ground but, with 24 minutes to go in the game, Ohio State equalized the contest 1-1 on a lucky deflection. Ohio State senior defender Deylen Vellios cut to the middle and fired a shot from outside the box and Maher, in an attempt to block the shot, deflected it out of the reach of senior goalkeeper JT Harms.
The tie forced both teams to increasingly attack, leading to an open game late in the second half. Despite the spaces on the field, neither team let the other get easy chances or open shots.
“You have to weather the storm a little bit,” Maher said. “The Big Ten is a table of momentum.”
In a game with 30 fouls – 19 of those by the Buckeyes – the winning goal for the Hoosiers came from a free kick with eight minutes left in the game.
Sarver served one to the box off the left side and, after some confusion, the ball fell right in front of senior forward Karsen Henderlong. The striker instinctively tapped it into the low right corner, putting Indiana ahead 2-1.
“(The ball) just fell on my feet,” Henderlong said. “It’s one of those you don’t have the time to think about it, just have got to act, and I was able to put it in the back of the net.”
After the go-ahead goal, Ohio State had multiple crosses and shot attempts, but Maher and senior defender Jansen Miller were flawless, not allowing the Buckeyes to create any dangerous chances.
The Hoosiers picked up their third win in a row and second in the Big Ten, jumping to fourth place in the conference.
“We’re in a really good spot,” Yeagley said. “I love the way this team is playing overall.”
Indiana looks to keep its momentum going when it hits the road to take on Maryland. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 20 in College Park with the match being televised live on Big Ten Network.
Follow reporters Leo Paes (@Leordpaes) and Jovanni Salazar (@jio_duz_it) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s soccer season.
