No. 23 IU men’s soccer is set to take the field against Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin, on Thursday for its first game in 12 days.
Before the game kicks off, here are some storylines to follow.
IU gets another shot at Wisconsin
With only nine men’s soccer teams in the Big Ten, IU’s 10-game conference slate includes two games against two opponents it’s already faced. IU plays Wisconsin for the second time Thursday and will face Northwestern again March 23.
The first game against Wisconsin ended in a 3-0 IU victory on the back of two goals from sophomore forward Victor Bezerra.
Despite what seemed like a dominant victory, head coach Todd Yeagley said in a post game press conference that he believed his team could play much better than what it showed against the Badgers.
When they return to face Wisconsin, IU will be coming off a 1-0 loss to Northwestern and a 12-day break.
Wisconsin was selected to finish eighth in the Big Ten in the preseason and they haven’t done anything to change that perception yet. Wisconsin sits 0-4, including the season opening loss to IU on Feb. 19 — although its last two contests were both 1-0 losses.
The Hoosiers should be healthy after long break
After playing three games in nine days, the 12-day break allowed the Hoosiers to get healthy.
In a press conference March 4, Yeagley said Bezerra and junior defender Nyk Sessock were able to get back into form after dealing with leg injuries in the first few games of the season.
“I think the timing of the bye was really advantageous,” Yeagley said.
IU was scheduled to play Penn State on March 7, but the game was canceled due to positive COVID-19 tests in Penn State’s program. The extra four days have provided additional time for IU’s players to rest.
Related: [No. 19 IU men’s soccer game against Penn State postponed due to COVID-19 issues]
Bezerra has four goals on the season through IU’s three games, scoring a brace in each of the first two. His 12 goals are the most among active IU players.
Sessock has only played in one game so far for IU after injuring his leg in the first half of the season opener.
IU’s young players keep stepping up
The Hoosiers have an abundance of senior leadership, but there’s been plenty of young players stepping up in the first three games as well.
Freshman defender Joey Maher has played all but two minutes through three games after taking his brother Jack’s spot.
Related: [The new Maher of Bloomington: IU men’s soccer freshman Joey Maher is guided by his brother]
“Joey’s been playing really good,” Yeagley said. “He’s playing beyond a freshman.”
Yeagley said players in development like Maher have benefited from having the fall season canceled because of the additional scrimmage opportunities that came in the fall.
The team has received contributions from several other underclassmen, including Bezerra and sophomore defender Brett Bebej, who each have started two games, and sophomore forward Herbert Endeley, sophomore defender Daniel Munie and sophomore goalkeeper Roman Celentano, who have started all three games.
The Hoosiers have also relied on several underclassmen as substitutes, a trend Yeagley looks to continue when his team takes on the Badgers on Thursday.
