Similarly to its draws against the University of Portland and Michigan State, Indiana men’s soccer left points on the table in a 2-2 tie of Michigan on Sunday. Yet again, the Hoosiers exited the pitch with a sense that more could have been done.
Despite gaining solace in the team’s resilience throughout the match, head coach Todd Yeagley said he’s still looking for more consistent play. With poor defending and midfield play in early sections of matches, the Hoosiers have dug themselves into holes on multiple occasions this season.
Nonetheless, with a daunting schedule on the horizon, Indiana has no time to lament prior performances. After the originally scheduled meeting between the Hoosiers and the University of Notre Dame was postponed due to inclement weather on Sept. 3, the two sides will meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in Bloomington.
“Wednesday’s game is just another opportunity to enhance the resume,” Yeagley said in a press conference on Monday. “It’s not going to decide our season. … It’s just going to be a great opportunity.”
At the outset of the season, Yeagley said the difficulty of the schedule was by design. Through nine matches, the Hoosiers have faced five nationally-ranked teams.
Yet, with a modest 4-2-3 record, Indiana has fared relatively well against formidable opposition. In a difficult conference like the Big Ten, being battle-tested for postseason play is crucial.
“I think we’ve seen enough really quality teams to know this team can compete, and not just compete but thrive,” Yeagley said. “Some of the teams we’ve played thus far are teams capable of deep tournament runs.”
With the exception of a few formational adjustments and tinkering to the starting lineup, the Hoosiers will look largely the same on Wednesday as they would have against Notre Dame earlier in the season. However, returning multiple contributors from injury, the Irish will be a different team than the one Yeagley scouted in early September.
A few constants have remained: junior goalkeeper Bryan Dowd and junior defender Paddy Burns. Dowd, who earned an ACC-All Tournament Team nod last season, sports a 1.18 goals against average with a .706 save percentage.
While not the most eye-popping figures, Dowd has a penchant for clutch heroics. With an Indiana team displaying a tendency for goals late in matches, Dowd’s acrobatics should be an intriguing duel with the Hoosiers’ potent attack.
Burns, a Northern Ireland native, broke out last season as a sophomore. Now, leading the Irish with four goals and anchoring a solid backline, he has established himself as one of college soccer’s premier fullbacks.
“They’ve had some key ACC games, so they’ve been battle-tested in their conference,” Yeagley said. “They’ve had some success and a couple good victories under their belt as you would expect Notre Dame to have.”
One of the most prominent factors in the match will be Indiana redshirt senior defender Daniel Munie. Munie, who missed four matches with a hamstring injury, returned on Sunday and made an immediate impact.
In his half of play against Michigan, Munie slotted into the right-back position, a change from his traditional center-back spot. Still, he flashed the skills in transitional defending and build-up play that earned him Big Ten Defender of the Year just last season.
Yeagley said he will start on Wednesday and likely play without a minute restriction.
“He can make plays that others can’t,” Yeagley said. “The presence of Munie gives people confidence. I think the group is excited to see him back out there.”
With the team’s captain back in the fold, the Hoosiers will look to capitalize on a quick break from conference play on Wednesday. The match will be broadcast on B1G+.
