COLUMBUS, Ohio — Last December, it wasn’t a guarantee he’d still be playing on this stage.
Not when he was selected in the third round of the MLS SuperDraft by Toronto FC, leaving his future status with Indiana men’s soccer murky. For two seasons he’d been an indispensable cog in the Hoosiers’ midfield, a crafty maestro and dogged defender darting up and down the pitch nonstop.
He scored against Syracuse University in the 2022 NCAA College Cup Final, and last year offered some of his brightest performances along Indiana’s run to the quarterfinals. The chance to test his talents at the next level was an apt reward for his consistency.
But Patrick McDonald stayed. And Friday night, in a 2-2 draw with No. 4 Ohio State, the Indiana men’s soccer senior’s tireless efforts were on full display.
“He loves IU, and he wants to help us try and do something special,” head coach Todd Yeagley said postgame. “We have a lot of season left ahead to do that.”
Late in the first half, with Indiana trailing 1-0, McDonald swiped the ball from a Buckeye near midfield and calmly lofted a pass toward the right wing. It took a quick skip and fell to the foot of senior forward Sam Sarver, who needed just a couple touches before blasting a shot into the bottom corner to draw the match level.
The field at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium was deluged with rain, and the relentless wind frequently sent goal kicks screeching back in the direction they came. But here, McDonald’s pass cut through the elements and delivered the Hoosiers a direly needed equalizer.
Friday marked McDonald’s ninth start in nine matches this season. He made 46 starts between 2022 and 2023, and the two contests he missed in that span came against Division III Trine University.
And yet, McDonald’s motor almost never seems to sputter.
“He is so durable,” Yeagley said. “His aerobic capacity is different — one of the most I’ve ever coached.”
In the second half, Ohio State regained its lead courtesy of a header from graduate student defender Siggi Magnusson. Indiana naturally grew desperate for a second equalizer as the half wore on, but the Buckeyes’ siege never ceased.
Each of their 11 second half shots seemed to creep closer and closer to Indiana’s goal. But late in the match, McDonald spearheaded a defensive stand that surely saved the Hoosiers from their first back-to-back losses since 2013.
It started by cutting out a threatening pass and clearing away the danger. Ohio State quickly collected the ball and charged back on the attack, delivering a cross back into the Hoosiers’ box. McDonald subsequently headed that away.
And still, his motor was revving. With just 10 minutes left to play, McDonald was called upon to take three consecutive corner kicks. The first curled a bit too tight and was easily deflected.
But the second nearly ended with a goal for sophomore forward Collins Oduro. Then, the third led to a scramble inside the box and an equalizing goal for senior forward Tommy Mihalic. McDonald pumped his fists as he jogged toward the Hoosiers’ sideline and leapt into the arms of assistant coach Christian Lomeli.
His jersey was soaked and discolored by the grass. McDonald felt right at home.
“That’s the epitome of the mudder,” Yeagley said. “Pat loves competing, and tonight was all competition. He was all over the field.”
When evaluating Indiana’s underwhelming start to the season, it’s easy to cite recent history as evidence the Hoosiers could orchestrate a monumental turnaround. It happened just last year, when Yeagley’s squad rebounded from a rough first month and went on to win the Big Ten regular season and Big Ten Tournament titles.
Friday night — though resulting in a draw — may be the match Indiana needed to spur momentum. The slate certainly doesn’t grow any easier, with No. 8 Wisconsin awaiting on Oct 1.
But against Ohio State, there were signs of resilience that were relatively absent in previous matches. If Indiana is to replicate last year’s successes, it will require similar efforts when, as Yeagley said, the lights are brighter and the moments are bigger.
That’s exactly why McDonald returned.
“He really wanted to come back and try to win a title,” Yeagley said. “He knew that the pro opportunity would be there for him.”
Follow reporters Matt Press (@MattPress23) and Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s soccer season.
