Game Recap and Takeaways:
The No. 3 ranked Indiana Hoosiers Men’s Soccer Program faced off against the UCLA Bruins on Friday in a battle of two of the winningest programs in college soccer history. One by winning percentage (Indiana) and the other by total wins all time (UCLA). This blockbuster feature led to a strong crowd of about 3,400 at Bill Armstrong Stadium who were instrumental in the Hoosiers winning the match by a score of 4-2.
The Hoosiers, by all accounts, dominated the Bruins. They outshot UCLA 27 to 11 and had impeccably balanced scoring, with four different Hoosiers scoring all four goals. The goal scorers were Palmer Ault, Clay Murador, Easton Bogard, and Jack Wagoner. This represents a big change compared to Indiana’s recent game against Penn State where Palmer Ault ran the show and created all the scoring, which shows how dangerous this Hoosiers team can be throughout the season as versatility and depth is their major strength.
This win now puts the Hoosiers in a six-way tie for 2nd place in the Big Ten standings with 6 points on the table. UCLA had a chance to capture first place in the Big Ten with a win, but instead is now grouped in with this six-way tie as well. Indiana’s in-conference performance has had more ‘rock the boat’ moments than their (arguably tougher) non-conference performances, but recent games in Big Ten play have shown that those blips could be just that – blips on a radar that ultimately leads to a National Championship.
Before we get to the Hoosiers Player(s) of the Match, I wanted to share these gorgeous new kits that the team dropped ahead of the UCLA game. I always love when Indiana embraces the color black in their uniforms and hope they do it more. Check it out below:
Hoosiers Player(s) of the Match:
Sometimes we have one winner of this award, sometimes we have two. Today, we have two! Clay Murador had an unbelievable game on Friday, scoring one goal and contributing two assists as well. The junior forward from Texas had arguably the best game of his career thus far and was a major catalyst in the Hoosiers’ dominant performance over the Bruins. Again, this shows the incredible depth the Hoosiers boast this season and I’m excited to see Murador build on this impressively strong game from Friday. Murador’s goal is a goal of the year contender too, check it out:
The second winner of the Hoosiers Player(s) of the Match award is none other than Hoosiers’ captain Jack Wagoner. Wagoner scored his first career goal on Friday via a clinically placed penalty kick and the celebrations were unforgettable. He jumped into a crowd of teammates after scoring the goal and also received a Gatorade bath in the locker room. Wagoner is the engine this team runs through and has been for several seasons now. As a defensive midfielder, you don’t often get opportunities to score, so it is always fun when players at that position can convert on one.
The Hoosiers next make the trip to Seattle to play against the University of Washington Huskies on Friday, October 3rd at 10:00 PM ET on Big Ten Network. Washington is also part of that 6-way tie for second place in the Big Ten and boasts an overall record of 5-3-2. It should be a good test for the Hoosiers as they enter into the back half of the regular season.
Other IU Soccer Reads:
–IU Men’s Soccer Season Preview