The following press release was sent to the Bloomingtonian this morning:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 9, 2022
Indiana Men’s Soccer
IU Takes Down No. 5 Maryland, Advances to Sixth Straight Big Ten Final
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana men’s soccer (10-3-6, 3-1-4 B1G) has advanced to the Big Ten Tournament championship match for a sixth straight season.
With a 2-1 semifinal victory on the road against No. 1-seeded and No. 5-ranked Maryland (10-3-5, 4-0-4 B1G) on Wednesday (Nov. 9) night, IU will play for its 16th Big Ten Tournament title on Sunday at Rutgers.
Two first-half goals and a stubborn second-half defensive effort pushed the Hoosiers past the Terrapins after the two teams played to a 1-1 draw 10 days ago in a result that helped UM win the regular season.
Indiana will meet Rutgers in the tournament final on Sunday (Nov. 13) at noon ET on Yurcak Field. The match will be televised on Big Ten Network.
KEY MOMENTS
• 8’ – Maryland had the first quality chance when a headed clearance came to UM junior forward Stefan Copetti outside the box. Copetti took a touch and fired just wide of goal.
• 24’ – Sophomore forward Tommy Mihalic earned a free kick about 20 yards out as the Hoosiers built attacking momentum. Wittenbrink fired it with pace to the far corner, but it sailed wide.
• 29’ – Copetti had another good chance that he pushed wide.
• 35’ – Wittenbrink made space for himself out wide before firing in a cross. The ball came to sophomore forward Samuel Sarver at the back post, and he punched it home for the opening goal.
• 39’ – A scramble in the box led to two shots on goal for Sarver, but both were somehow saved.
• 40’ – Moments later, Indiana had its second. After a cross from Wittenbrink, a shot by freshman midfielder Jack Wagoner was deflected into the path of junior defender Joey Maher. Maher put it away and doubled IU’s lead.
• 61’ – Freshman forward Collin Griffith equalized for Maryland with a shot from about 19 yards out.
• 65’ – The Terps nearly had their equalizer when a header from senior defender Chris Rindov banged off the crossbar and down. A review revealed that the ball came in front of the goal line, and no goal was given.
• 75’ – Sophomore midfielder Collin Griffin was shown a second yellow card after bringing down freshman forward Luka Bezerra in IU’s attacking half. The Terps would play with 10 men for the remainder of the match.
• 80’ – A scramble in the box ended in a save by junior goalkeeper JT Harms, his lone save of the match. The Terrapins tallied nine shots but just two on goal.
NOTABLES
• Indiana punched its ticket to a sixth straight Big Ten final. IU is 3-2 in the previous five, winning three straight as part of three consecutive Big Ten Championship doubles from 2018-20.
• The Hoosiers are undefeated in their last five matches.
• Indiana is 4-3-1 against ranked opponents this season.
• IU’s all-time record versus Maryland improved to 7-5-8 and 4-2 in Big Ten Tournament matches, including games decided by penalties.
• Indiana clinched its 48th 10-win season in program history. In 50 seasons, IU has failed to reach 10 wins twice.
• With the assist to Sarver, Wittenbrink tallied his fourth goal contribution (two goals, two assists) in his last four matches. The first-team All-Big Ten honoree has tallied eight goals, seven assists and 23 points, tying his total output in all three categories between two seasons in the 2021 calendar year.
• Sarver scored his first goal since September 9 versus Akron and his third of the season. All three of Sarver’s goals have come against ranked opponents.
• Maher recorded his second goal of the season and No. 4 of his career.
• Wagoner, in his sixth start in seven matches, tallied the second assist of his Big Ten All-Freshman Team season.
UP NEXT
Indiana will travel to Piscataway, New Jersey, to face Rutgers in the Big Ten Tournament championship match on Sunday (Nov. 13) at noon ET.
#GoIU
