Indiana men’s soccer travels to Evanston, Illinois, to play No. 21 Northwestern on Tuesday. The Hoosiers will look to keep their momentum going and improve their winning streak to five games.
The Hoosiers
Indiana is 7-3-4 this season and 3-1-2 in the Big Ten, standing in second place in the conference coming off four consecutive wins – the last was against Maryland on Oct. 20.
However, the Hoosiers are just 2-2-2 away from Bloomington this season.
Indiana averages 14 shot attempts per game and, with recent multi-goals triumphs in its last four games, has improved its goal average to one-per-game.
Individually, the Hoosiers have counted on senior forward Karsen Henderlong’s hot streak of three goals and one assist in the last four games. Junior forward Sam Sarver has displayed consistency throughout the season with six goals and four assists in 14 total games.
Historically, Indiana is 36-3-7 and has won nine of its last 10 games against the Wildcats, with the lone loss coming during the 2020-21 season in Evanston.
The Wildcats
Northwestern is 9-2-3 overall and 3-2-1 in the Big Ten, earning third place in the standings, but enters Tuesday coming off back-to-back losses against Penn State and Michigan State.
[Related: Bacharach’s pair of assists leads Indiana men’s soccer’s to first Big Ten win]
At home, the Wildcats are 7-1-1, with their only loss coming against the Spartans on Oct. 20.
Despite its lack of positive results in the last few games, Northwestern averages 1.9 goals on 12 shot attempts per game. Defensively, it faces an average of 10 shots per game and has conceded 13 goals in 14 games this season.
Senior forward Justin Weiss is the main offensive threat for the Wildcats’ side with seven goals and seven assists this season. Northwestern also counts on graduate student forward Ugo Achara Jr. with his four goals and one assist alongside senior midfielder Rom Brown with four goals this year.
Last stretch
Indiana will play three games in a span of six days this week: Northwestern on Tuesday, Trine University on Friday and Rutgers to close out the regular season on Oct. 29.
Kickoff against the Wildcats is set for 8 p.m., and the match will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
Follow reporters Leo Paes (@Leordpaes) and Jovanni Salazar (@jio_duz_it) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s soccer season.
