A disappointing loss to the University of South Florida saw the Hoosiers fall to a 2-2-1 record on the season. Indiana struggled in the first half against South Florida and was unable to recover.
An early goal from South Florida was the only goal of the match, enough to give Indiana its second loss of the season. The Hoosiers had chances but were unable to get the goal and salvage a draw.
Indiana will return home for its upcoming matchup against Wisconsin on Friday night. The match marks Indiana’s first against a Big Ten opponent.
Head coach Todd Yeagley said it is important to avoid a loss in the conference play opener.
”We’ll be disappointed if we can’t find points in this game,” Yeagley said.
Here are some things to keep in mind leading up to the match:
Badgers Report
Indiana and Wisconsin faced off last season, in which the Hoosiers earned a 2-1 win on the road. The win gave Indiana an overall record of 21-3-6 against Wisconsin. The win also marked the Hoosiers’ sixth consecutive win against the Badgers.
Wisconsin had an overall record of 6-6-4 last season, with a record of 3-4-1 against Big Ten competition. A loss to Rutgers in penalty kicks in the first round of the Big Ten tournament marked the end of its season.
The Badgers enter the match with a 3-2-1 record, having started its season with three consecutive wins, headlined by a victory over No. 24 University of Kentucky. Wisconsin has failed to win its last three matches and are coming off a 3-1 loss to Marquette University.
Senior midfielder Maxwell Keenan and sophomore forward Mitchell Dryden headline the Badgers. Keenan leads the team in goal contributions with one goal and three assists. Meanwhile, Dryden is the top goal scorer with two goals this season.
Missed Chances
The Hoosiers haven’t struggled to create chances in its first five matches, but have converted just four goals. Indiana has been able to dominate matches both in possession and in chance creation. The Hoosiers have out-shot their opponents 86-32 so far this season.
Only 30 of the 86 shots have been on target, and that’s a problem Todd Yeagley says needs to be fixed.
“It’s the final finish, we haven’t been good at keeping shots on frame,” Yeagley said.
The match is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The match will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
