Indiana men’s soccer defeated Maryland 2-1 in College Park, Maryland, jumped to second place in the Big Ten and increased its winning streak to four games Friday night.
In an uneventful first half, the Hoosiers only had one shot attempt – a long-distance low shot that Maryland sophomore goalkeeper Mikah Seger easily swallowed up – and the Terps had two shot attempts, one on target for an easy scoop for senior goalkeeper JT Harms.
However, Maryland’s off-target shot was a curling ball from a distance that nearly missed the top left corner of Harms’ goal and was the only dangerous chance of the half.
Indiana had four corners in the half but could not generate any dangerous chances from them.
Just a minute into the final half, the Terps started on top of the Hoosiers with freshman midfielder Leon Koehl firing a low shot from outside the box that just missed the left corner.
Maryland freshman forward Luke Van Heukelum tried a one-timer after a bad clearance by senior defender Jansen Miller with 40 minutes to go in the game, but his shot went over the crossbar.
It was the Hoosiers who struck first. Off a throw-in with 36 minutes left, Miller flicked the ball on the first post, and freshman defender Alex Barger surged inside the 6-yard box to score his first career goal and put Indiana ahead 1-0.
Senior forward Karsen Henderlong had a chance to double Indiana’s lead with a header off junior forward Sam Sarver, but his ball went to right of the goal with 31 minutes left in the game.
In a counterattack led by Van Heukelum ten minutes later, the ball made its way to Maryland sophomore defender Brian St. Martin, who crossed into the box for Copetti to tap it in and make it 1-1.
The Terps had the chance to get the lead with another tap-in inside the box with 12 minutes left in the game, but Van Heukelum missed it just wide to the left.
Indiana responded with junior midfielder Patrick McDonald, who fired a powerful shot from outside the box and hit the crossbar with 10 minutes to go.
Henderlong found a long pass to Sarver all alone on the right wing to put the Hoosiers ahead 2-1 with seven minutes left. The junior infiltrated the box, cut it to the left and placed it in the left corner to win the game for Indiana.
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Indiana finished the game with just five shots – three on goal – and Maryland finished with five on target on nine attempts.
With the win, the Hoosiers amounted to 11 points, just two behind Big Ten leaders Michigan State. Now, they look ahead to a matchup against Northwestern, which is third in the table with 10 points.
[Related: Indiana men’s soccer’s mistake proves costly in loss to No. 22 Michigan State]
Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. Oct. 24 at Evanston, Illinois, and the match will be streamed 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.
