Indiana men’s soccer (9-4-4, 4-2-2 B1G) won a share of the Big Ten regular season championship and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament after a 4-1 win over Rutgers on Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
The conference title is IU’s 33rd overall and its 18th regular season championship. It’s also Indiana’s fifth regular season title under head coach Todd Yeagley and ninth overall league title in his 14 seasons.
The Hoosiers will play No. 8-seeded Wisconsin in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament on Friday (Nov. 3) at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
One of the top defenses and chance-creating teams in the country, perhaps Indiana was unlucky to start their Big Ten slate 0-1-2. The Hoosiers rallied to go 4-1-0 down the stretch. And, on Sunday, chances were finished in a 4-1 rout of Rutgers, and IU got a couple breaks from out-of-town matches.
Five teams came into the day within reach of the trophy. IU had 13 points behind co-leaders Penn State, Northwestern and Michigan State, each having 13. Penn State tied Wisconsin, Northwestern lost to Michigan, and Michigan State had played its eighth conference game on Tuesday. IU’s 2-1 win over Penn State in October – that kickstarted a 6-1-0 run this month – was the head-to-head tiebreaker that gave IU the No. 1 seed in the tournament.
Indiana capped its regular season with a dominant performance in the finale, firing 19 shots and 15 on goal. Senior Hugo Bacharach, freshman Collins Oduro and juniors Patrick McDonald and Samuel Sarver all splattered the scoresheet.
The hardware has arrived. pic.twitter.com/GGWi1vISg3
— Indiana Men’s Soccer (@IndianaMSOC) October 29, 2023
NOTABLES
- Indiana has won 18 Big Ten regular season titles in the 33 seasons it has been contested.
- The Hoosiers earned their sixth win in seven games and had a 6-1-1 record in October.
- Sarver scored his seventh goal of the season, bringing his point total to 18. Both lead the team.
- Bacharach scored his first goal as a Hoosier and No. 8 of his career. He also earned his third assist of the season, all contributing to Sarver goals.
UP NEXT
Indiana is the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and will host No. 8-seeded Wisconsin on Friday night. Kickoff time will be announced later.
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