It can be hard to notice season-defining moments in real time.
But as Indiana men’s soccer freshman forward Michael Nesci slid toward the corner flag at Bill Armstrong Stadium on Tuesday night, igniting the Hoosier faithful after scoring a go-ahead goal in the 85th minute over the University of Kentucky, the gravity was obvious.
“Every season has games that we look back, and we don’t have the ability to do that yet,” head coach Todd Yeagley said postgame. “But I’m very confident we can do some special things this year. This would be that game.”
Before the match, Nesci said he told associate head coach Kevin Robson he would score if he played. In the 80th minute, with Indiana and Kentucky knotted at 2, Nesci was subbed on for graduate student forward Justin Weiss.
The Hoosiers had no plans of settling for their fourth 2-2 draw of the season. Nesci joked after the match he couldn’t repeat what Yeagley said to him before he took the field.
“I said get a goal,” Yeagley said. “Maybe with an extra word.”
Just over five minutes later, sophomore forward Collins Oduro examined the Wildcats’ backline and held the ball for a moment at the top of the 18-yard box. Nesci darted to overlap along the edge of the penalty area, and after receiving the pass, took one dribble before firing a left-footed shot toward the goal.
It took a skip off Kentucky sophomore defender Joel Gonzalez’s leg and trickled into the net, marking Nesci’s second goal of the season. The entirety of Indiana’s bench, along with the players on the field, swarmed him in a dogpile.
“I just felt like hundreds of bodies on me,” Nesci said. “It’s one of those feelings when you’re a little kid, and those are the games you hope for when you get older.”
In Indiana’s locker room after the game, Yeagley mimicked a prize fighting boxer as he pumped his fists repeatedly. He took a few steps around the room, widened his eyes and unleashed a powerful right hook into the air, sending his players into a frenzy.
An hour earlier, the scene would’ve been inconceivable.
At halftime, Indiana trailed 2-0. In the 23rd minute, Kentucky senior forward Logan Dorsey delivered the first punch with a curling outside-the-box shot into the bottom corner.
Roughly 15 minutes later, the Wildcats dispatched another blow.
After a corner kick took a couple deflections around the Hoosiers’ box, freshman midfielder Bertil Alban took a strike that was redirected into goal, leaving no chance for Indiana fifth-year senior goalkeeper JT Harms.
The nine Hoosiers huddled around the six-yard box, momentarily motionless. Despite leading Kentucky 14-3 in shots and holding a staggering 10-2 advantage in corner kicks, Indiana faced the steepest halftime deficit it had all season.
Senior forward Tommy Mihalic said there wasn’t a single head down when Indiana convened at the break. There was no grand, rousing speech. Yeagley said there was a “good vibe,” and the players had confidence they would break through.
In the 53rd minute, Mihalic did just that. After junior midfielder Jack Wagoner split Kentucky’s backline with a through ball, Mihalic calmly slotted a left-footed shot off the inside of the post and proceeded to gesture for more energy from the crimson-clad fans.
Not five minutes later, senior forward Sam Sarver picked out Mihalic on a pass into the box. Mihalic nonchalantly tapped his shot past Kentucky junior goalkeeper Ryan Jack, who stood helpless on the other side of the goal.
“Most teams crumble,” Mihalic said. “We didn’t do that.”
For the remainder of the match, Indiana stayed on the front foot. It ultimately held a 22-4 advantage in shots. Fifth-year senior Jansen Miller and freshman Josh Maher were a solidified force in the middle of the Hoosiers’ defense, continually warding off Kentucky’s attacks with ease.
Then, as tensions continued to build, and the Wildcats would’ve certainly been pleased to end the night with a point, Nesci was subbed on.
He knew earlier that day what would ensue.
“You go out there and you know that there’s always that fire behind the Hoosiers,” Nesci said. “You’re always going to come out with that win.”
With the victory, Indiana remains unbeaten in October, a perpetually successful month for Yeagley’s teams. The comeback marked the first time since 2019 the Hoosiers have won after trailing 2-0.
Finishing, a significant area of concern at the outset of the year, has evolved –– the Hoosiers have netted 10 goals in their last four matches. Now, with five Big Ten games remaining in the regular season, Indiana’s momentum is clear.
The Hoosiers understand the weight of Tuesday’s performance.
“These are the wins,” Mihalic said. “These are the games that could truly turn your season around or carry you far.”
Follow reporters Matt Press (@MattPress23) and Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s soccer season.
