Indiana men’s soccer head coach Todd Yeagley opted for a challenging schedule this spring, and this was clear in the Hoosiers’ 1-0 loss to Saint Louis University on March 2 at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana.
After rotating heavily in their last match against the University of Evansville on Feb. 24, the Hoosiers trotted out a stable lineup featuring consistent starters from the regular season. This included senior goalkeeper JT Harms, who stopped the Hoosiers from conceding early in the match following a short-range save of a header.
The Billikens kept the pressure following their opportunity, preventing the Hoosiers from keeping possession for long periods of time. They were rewarded minutes later as senior midfielder Kevin Komodi gave Saint Louis a 1-0 lead.
Indiana responded with a couple goal scoring opportunities of its own, highlighted by a close-range opportunity for junior forward Sam Sarver. Sarver skipped past a defender and found himself face to face with Saint Louis junior goalkeeper Jeremi Abonnel who saved the shot to maintain the Billikens’ narrow lead.
Saint Louis nearly doubled its lead early in the second half following a misplaced back pass from Sarver. Sarver attempted to play it back to Harms but instead found Saint Louis sophomore forward Matthew Wrobel with the pass, leaving Wrobel through on goal. Wrobel failed to slot it past Harms, who saved the Hoosiers from a two-goal deficit.
Indiana struggled to create opportunities in the second half, but nearly equalized after Sarver headed the ball towards the back post following a cross. The shot was cleared off the line though, effectively sealing Indiana’s loss.
A familiar face was on Saint Louis’ sideline for the match. Former Indiana defender Joey Maher, who recently transferred to the Billikens, was in attendance. Maher’s departure left a hole in Indiana’s backline — one the Hoosiers will look to fill leading into the regular season.
Indiana’s next spring match will be at 6 p.m. April 6 against the University of Kentucky at the Bell Complex in Lexington, Kentucky.
