Hoosiers downed in NCAA Tourney

Mike Freitag had little to say.

After Saturday’s 3-2 elimination loss to St. John’s in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament, the Hoosiers headed home, one match short of the College Cup.

“There’s nothing you can really say,” the IU coach said. “Everybody’s down. I just want to tell them I’m proud of them, I love them, and life will go on.”

In its deepest postseason run since the 2004 championship year, IU failed to bring back an eighth national title. During the weekend, the team’s eight true seniors became the first four-year players to miss the College Cup since the program’s inception under former coach Jerry Yeagley.

“I think (Freitag) was really proud of the season that we had, the progression that we made as a team,” said junior defender Ofori Sarkodie. “He was really sentimental toward the seniors. Those are a really classy group of guys. I don’t think we could’ve gotten that far without them.”

Despite the final score, the match began safely in Hoosier hands. Sarkodie connected off a short pass from sophomore forward Neil Wilmarth in the 36th minute for his first goal of the season.

IU tallied eight shots in the first half to the Red Storm’s three.

Junior midfielder Eric Alexander boosted the score in the 72nd minute after receiving a pass from sophomore midfielder Daniel Kelly. Alexander’s third goal of the year gave the Hoosiers what some Hoosiers have in the past called “the most dangerous lead” in soccer.

With 18 minutes left in its season, the Red Storm fired back.

“There weren’t really any dangerous shots in the first half,” Freitag said. “They had some pressure, but it wasn’t until after we scored the second goal that they pushed people forward and their real chances came.”

Junior midfielder Nelson Becerra’s pass to Joel Gustafsson in the 82nd minute finally put one past IU goalkeeper Chay Cain, who concluded the match with five saves. Sophomore midfielder/forward Sverre Wegge Gundhus tied up the game after a cross in the 88th minute.

“We got a little bit off form,” said junior defender/midfielder Kevin Alston. “We came out real well, doing everything right. Toward the end of the half we lost our form and rhythm again. We started making some bad decisions.”

Thoughts of cacti and armadillos faded in the 95th minute, when officials called Sarkodie for a handball in the penalty box. Becerra converted a penalty kick to book his team’s trip to the College Cup in Frisco, Texas.

“I feel sad,” Alston said. “Any time it’s your last tournament and you don’t get what you want, it sucks. It’s not a good feeling.”

St. John’s finished undefeated at home, logging 12 victories at Belson Stadium in Queens, N.Y. The loss marked IU’s first overtime defeat.

After a season that saw upsets and surprises, Sarkodie said the team began to click at the right time.

“We really cut down on our mistakes,” Sarkodie said. “We kept teams down to a low number of chances.”

But as the Hoosiers settle back in for final exams, they will also prepare for the spring season, training for another run for a title.

“We have to stay strong and stay supportive as a team, as a family,” Sarkodie said. “We got here by believing in each other.”