After Sunday's loss to Wisconsin, men's soccer is no longer undefeated

After stopping every ball that came his way for almost 400 minutes in the span of four games, including three shutouts, senior Luis Soffner finally let one through.

And then another.

And after falling behind for the first time all season, the Hoosiers were never able to regain the lead Sunday, falling to Wisconsin 2-0 at the McClimon Soccer Complex in Madison, Wisc.

In the 54th minute, Soffner and the Hoosiers faced a corner kick, one similar to those Soffner and his defenders had stopped every time for more than three games.

As the ball flew in, Badger Nick Janus headed it off the cross bar, where it fell to fellow Badger Tomislav Zadro’s feet, and he kicked it past Soffner for the first time in 392:55 of game time.

In games past, Soffner said he and his teammates would have cleared a ball like that, but “the ball just didn’t roll our way tonight.”

Soffner had given up goals this season before. The goalkeeper gave up three goals in two games during the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament in South Bend, Ind. earlier in the year, as well as giving up a goal against Saint Louis in the Hoosiers’ first game of the season.

In those three games, Soffner’s teammates also scored eight goals to help power IU to three wins. At Wisconsin, the Hoosiers just couldn’t get the goals to drop.

“Simply put, we didn’t play our best tonight,” IU Coach Todd Yeagley said. “We played well enough to create several chances, but we lacked a bit of an edge in that tight, physical game.”

In the first half, the Hoosiers out-shot the Badgers 6-2, had five corner kicks and controlled the possession for much of the first 45 minutes, but they failed to capitalize. Yeagley, though, went into halftime with a good feeling, thinking it was only time until his team got something to fall.

“We played pretty good, but our anticipation was a little off, and we didn’t have the edge we needed,” Yeagley said. “But I told our guys that we needed to go into the second half and continue to pressure them and just play a little sharper.”

Things didn’t get any better in the second half. After giving up the first goal, the Hoosiers had a chance to knot the game 1-1 after Bushue was taken down in the box, giving IU a penalty kick. Sophomore Harrison Petts was elected to take the shot, but Wisconsin goalkeeper Max Jentsch dove down to the right for the save.

As Yeagley and his team come back to Bloomington for a two-game home stand this week, including No. 8 Louisville and No. 2 Creighton, he said his players are hungrier than ever after the loss.

“I wish we could play tomorrow, honestly,” Yeagley said. “But these guys are going to be hungry to play, and even though Louisville will be the favorites (in Wednesday’s game), it’s going to be a battle.”

Soffner, too, will be ready for Wednesday’s game against Louisville, saying both goals he gave up Sunday didn’t phase him at all.

“I don’t doubt myself one percent,” Soffner said.