IU has prided itself on stout defense in years prior, and in 2017, the philosophy has not changed.
The Hoosiers started out last weekend with two clean sheets. A 2-0 defeat of Cal Poly came Friday, while a 1-0 extra-time win over San Diego came Sunday. IU had an inexperienced right back and a new goalkeeper. That didn’t seem to matter. IU Coach Todd Yeagley said he was pleased with his team’s defensive effort after the first two matches.
The Hoosiers will now look to continue their 190-minute shutout streak on Friday in the Adidas/IU Credit Union Classic against the San Francisco Dons.
“The guys performed well," Yeagley said of the first two matches. "We were really tough to break down. Initially in the season, being sound defensively and organized, limiting chances to the other team is going give you the best chance for success.”
The early part of the season is a chance for Yeagley and his staff to assess the squad they have. All of the pieces are on the table, and it’s up to the coaching staff to put it together correctly. Yeagley said it has been tough to do so because of the team's quality. But it’s a good problem to have.
One part of the experimentation came with the goalkeepers. IU freshman Trey Muse ended up getting the start in both of last week's matches for the Hoosiers. Muse had not played in any of the exhibition matches. Yet, he was able to move his way up the depth chart past freshman Jacob Gruber and sophomore Sean Caulfield.
Muse said it was a good experience getting out there for his first collegiate start but that he also realizes keeping his starting spot will be tough.
“I’ve just been working hard in training," Muse said. "I think the coaches have seen that. They called my name, and I was ready.”
The Seattle Sounders Academy product benefits from playing behind a stout backline. IU senior defender and captain Grant Lillard leads a Hoosier backline returning three starters, including juniors Timmy Mehl and Andrew Gutman. Also back in the fold are juniors Franceso Moore and Jeremiah Gutjahr, two starting defensive-minded midfielders. That group gave up just 16 goals in 21 matches in 2016.
“We were joking around about it, but yeah, they played really well,” Muse said of the defense in front of him. “It’s a really strong unit, and I think the more games we get together, we’ll get even better.”
For the 34th time, the Hoosiers will host the Adidas/IU Credit Union Classic. Butler, San Francisco and South Florida are the other three teams making the trek to Bloomington. IU will match up against San Francisco and South Florida on Friday and Sunday, respectively. The Dons come into Friday’s matchup with a 0-2 record while South Florida comes into the weekend at 1-0.
When the Hoosiers face off against the Dons, it will be IU’s third-straight California-based opponent to open the season. Yeagley says the California teams bring a technical base to their play and that they all have talent.
“There’s a lot of talent out there in California,” Yeagley said. “They want to play. They don’t want to sit in and absorb. I think we can break a team down and win in the open field. Any California team, whether you heard of them or not, is good.”
