Indiana Soccer: Seton Hall Final Hurdle to Another College Cup Trip for Hoosiers
CARY, N.C. – History says that playing in the College Cup is a matter of routine for Indiana's men's soccer program, but it's a different story when it's in real time.
It's real again on Monday, when the No. 2-ranked Hoosiers (10-1-2) take on No. 6 Seton Hall (10-1-4) in the quarterfinals inside the bubble in North Carolina. A win would send Indiana to a record 21st College Cup, soccer's version of the Final Four.
The game starts at 5 p.m. ET and can be streamed on NCAA.com.
"These are exciting games to be a part of, in a quarterfinal, and our team has been enjoying our time down here in North Carolina,'' Indiana coach Todd Yeagley said Sunday. "Putting us all here (in the bubble), it's got a pretty cool feel to it, and our team, mentally, is really in a good place and doing well.
"Seton Hall is balanced and as good as any team here. We're going to have to do a lot of little things well to find success, and we're looking forward to keeping it going and punching another ticket to a Final Four.''
Seton Hall plays in the Big East, as did Marquette, whom Indiana beat 2-1 in the third round. The Pirates won the Big East, beating Marquette along the way. They are an experienced team loaded with a lot of international players, mostly from Sweden and England.
They beat Air Force 2-1 and then beat Virginia Tech on penalty kicks to advance to their first NCAA Tournament quarterfinal in 32 years – where they lost to Indiana on the way to the Hoosiers winning the 1988 national title.
It's rare to play teams from the same conference in back-to-back NCAA Tournament games, and Yeagley says that's helped a bit in game-planning and preparation.
"Marquette plays a little different that we do, but it does help us give them a clear example, and I think that has helped in our preparation,'' Yeagley said. "Watching them against Virginia Tech, they were excellent, especially in the first half, and they'll definitely present a big challenge.''
Indiana beat Saint Francis Brooklyn on penalty kicks in the second round and needed to rally in the second half to beat Marquette in the third round.
They've been good enough so far, but haven't been great yet. They've finished games nicely so far, and they'll need to do more of the same going forward. The Hoosiers are now just three wins away from a ninth national title – and one loss away from going home early.
"I have been pleased (with our confidence level),'' Yeagley said. "I do feel with this team, I don't think we've seen our best yet in this tournament, which is a good sign. We all haven't had their A game at the same time yet.
"I take that as a good thing. We're doing a lot of good things, the little things, our decision-making. We're working on it, but we're not hammering. I really want them just to clear their mind and go out and feel confident and relaxed. There's a lot of pressure, and they know where they are, and just going out and freeing their mind, that's the goal right now.''
No program has more NCAA tourney victories (93) than the Hoosiers. UCLA (70) is second. The Hoosiers hold a record of 93-34-6 in the NCAA Tournament. The .721 winning percentage is the highest total of any program that has won more than 10 matches. They are 20-7 in NCAA Tournament quarterfinal matches through the years.
Yeagley was named Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year for the fourth time this season. He's also won in 2010, 2018 and 2019, and his three consecutive awards makes him just the second coach in Big Ten history to three-peat. His father, Jerry Yeagley, achieved the feat from 2001-03.
No fans are allowed for Monday's quarterfinal game in North Carolina, but tickets are available for the national semifinals and title game for both the men's and women's tournament.