When IU needed him most, senior Tanner Thompson put the team on his back.
Thompson saved a ball from going over the endline after a flick from teammate Rashad Hyacenth, then Thompson faced up and nutmegged his defender before dribbling into the middle of the box and firing a shot. The ball went in, and the celebration was on in the 86th minute.
With so much on the line against the No. 13 Michigan State Spartans, IU scratched out a 2-1 victory Sunday to capture the two-seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
“I got the ball isolated in the corner, and that’s where I like to be,” Thompson said. “Once I beat the first guy, I was looking to come across and get a shot off. I hit it, and it went well. It feels good.”
IU drew first blood against Michigan State by way of sophomore Trevor Swartz’s goal in the 23rd minute. He cleaned up a shot that senior midfielder Phil Fives hit off the post to give IU an early 1-0 lead.
However, the Spartans were quick to respond.
Just nine minutes later Michigan State sophomore Ryan Sierakowski upped his season goal total from eight to nine. IU defender Grant Lillard misplayed a ball and left Sierakowski alone with IU senior goalkeeper Christian Lomeli.
The Spartan didn’t miss his chance.
The goal put IU’s 2016 unbeaten streak at home in jeopardy, but IU’s senior class wasn’t going to let that happen, and Thompson’s goal ensured the streak would run the course of the regular season.
“This is the first time that I’m aware of that we’ve been undefeated at home since 2003, I believe, which is a remarkable feat,” IU Coach Todd Yeagley said. “For this group of seniors to have this today with their parents here, knowing the schedule that we’ve played, does say a lot about this group.”
The game went through many ebbs and flows. IU came out and controlled the early part of the match until Michigan State’s goal in the 32nd minute. From there until about midway through the second half, it was all Michigan State.
If the result had been a 1-1 draw, the Spartans would have been the two-seed and content with that spot. Michigan State played conservatively with the draw. In the end, Thompson just did it on his own.
“We didn’t have our best performance for about 27 minutes,” Yeagley said. “We still were dangerous and got through that, and Tanner makes the play that an All-American can make. That was phenomenal. We say when you’re not playing at your best, restarts or individual play can help you win a game, and today it was Tanner.”
This win was important for Big Ten Tournament seeding and for IU’s NCAA Tournament résumé.
With the win against Michigan State, IU has a record of 3-1-2 against ranked opponents this season.
As the official two-seed, the Hoosiers will be host to a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal Nov. 6 against Northwestern.
In their previous meeting, the two sides played to a 0-0 draw in Bloomington.
“We just need to be cleaner in the box,” Swartz said. “Earlier in the season we struggled with our final pass in the final third, but we’re a lot sharper now. We just have to find a way to put the ball in the goal and we’ll be alright.”
