No. 14 Indiana men’s soccer doesn’t ignore it.
Todd Yeagley — the star Hoosier player turned 15-year head coach — knows it’s only natural. Indiana takes on No. 3 Denver University on Saturday in Denver, Colorado, a test for Yeagley’s squad both in terms of their talent and mettle on the road.
The focus is squared on the Pioneers, and what awaits at 4 p.m. in the Hoosiers’ nation-leading 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen appearance. But it’s hard not to glance just past Saturday and notice that Indiana, with a win over Denver, would be one more match away from a spot in the College Cup.
“You’re one game away from playing for a trip,” Yeagley said in a press conference Nov. 26. “You’re 90 minutes away from that game.”
Yeagley — approximating how much consideration he gives to the tournament beyond the Sweet Sixteen matchup — said it occupies 10% of his thinking. The Hoosiers, granted a first-round bye due to their seed, offered a glimpse of their resilience against the University of Akron on Nov. 24 at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
The Zips gained a 1-0 advantage in the first half, but graduate student forward Justin Weiss leveled the match with roughly 20 minutes left in regulation. Indiana’s attack transformed, and fifth-year senior defender Jansen Miller’s overtime goal marked the decider.
With that header, the once-shrouded dreams of a deep run in the NCAA Tournament suddenly became more tangible. Now, Indiana isn’t just one win away from a third consecutive NCAA Elite Eight.
It’s one away from an opportunity that Yeagley and the Hoosiers simply can’t help but feel acutely aware of.
“I have referenced that a few times to some of our older players,” Yeagley said. “Like ‘look at all the work you put in and how close we now are. One win away from playing in the game that would get you there.’”
Yeagley said there isn’t a sense of pressure this year, either from himself or from his players. He said the 2018 squad, which aimed to avenge the golden goal loss to Stanford University in 2017’s NCAA title, put immense pressure on themselves.
But he called the current state of the team “loose.” Indiana certainly faces a formidable foe — Denver boasts the Summit League Midfielder of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year — but Yeagley has no concerns regarding the Hoosiers’ capabilities on the road.
On Sept. 27, Indiana battled then-No. 4 Ohio State to a 2-2 draw in Columbus amid a torrential downpour. Just four days later, in Madison, Wisconsin, the Hoosiers topped the then-No. 8 Badgers 3-2, helping spark a nearly perfect month of October that catapulted Indiana to a Big Ten regular season title.
“Although we have a couple new players,” Yeagley said, “this team is not intimidated or feel a psychological disadvantage by going on the road.”
Meet the Pioneers
Like Indiana, Denver scheduled a difficult nonconference slate with the goal of steeling itself for postseason contention. The Pioneers defeated then-No. 5 Stanford in late August and drew teams like then-No. 6 UCLA and Washington.
Denver rolled through Summit League competition, compiling a 7-1 record and conceding a conference-best 17 goals. The Pioneers fell to Kansas City University in the Summit League Tournament championship, but trounced Gardner-Webb University 3-0 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Unlike Akron, which relied immensely on redshirt senior forward Emil Jaaskelainen for goal scoring, Denver thrives in its versatility. Both senior midfielder Sam Bassett and senior forward Oje Ofunrein have eight goals, and redshirt sophomore forward Bryce Willoughby has five.
Seven other Pioneers have tallied at least two goals this season, and Yeagley said he’s prepared the Hoosiers for different attacking styles.
“We have a good balance in our defense,” Yeagley said, “so that’s where we’re able to handle different attacks.”
Whereas Akron tried to work through Jaaskelainen, Denver presents its danger — and attacking variety — on set pieces. Yeagley knows some of the inconsistencies Indiana displayed against Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament and Akron last week may prove too steep to overcome.
But the Hoosiers were hardened by an intensely physical matchup with the Zips. The grueling overtime win may have only provided a taste of what the Hoosiers will see on Saturday.
“Denver is a top four seed. They’ve been excellent all year,” Yeagley said. “They know they’re in for a war.”
The match is slated to kick off at 4 p.m. Saturday and will be streamed on ESPN+.
Follow reporters Matt Press (@MattPress23) and Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s soccer season.
