Indiana Soccer Trounces Rutgers 4-1, Wins Share of Big Ten Regular Season Title

The Hoosiers got the help they needed Sunday. Northwestern lost to Michigan, Penn State tied with Wisconsin, and Indiana beat Rutgers 4-1 at home. Without wins for Northwestern and Penn State, the Hoosiers secured their 18th regular season title.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana’s leading goal-scorer Samuel Sarver stretched his white uniform over his head and spread his arms wide, sprinting blind to the corner flag. Teammates rushed over. Starters Patrick McDonald and Alex Barger embraced on the field. But Indiana didn’t require this goal.

Sarver’s right-footed dart with 14 seconds remaining put the Hoosiers up 4-1 over Rutgers in the regular season finale at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The team’s goal celebration preluded an even larger fest at the buzzer, when Indiana’s entire bench cleared and congregated with the starters on the field.

With assistance around the conference in the forms of Michigan beating Northwestern, Wisconsin tying with Penn State, and Indiana toppling Rutgers, the Hoosiers were declared the Big Ten regular season title co-champions with Penn State. 

Had Northwestern or Penn State won, Indiana wouldn’t have been able to make up enough points. And regardless, the Hoosiers had to beat the Scarlett Knights.

Indiana was in this position last season in late October — at this home venue — with identical muggy conditions. In 2022, Wisconsin beat Ohio State on Decision Day, which meant if Indiana defeated Maryland, the Hoosiers would share the Big Ten regular season title. Instead, the Hoosiers conceded an 87th-minute equalizer, and drew 1-1, giving the Terrapins sole possession of the Big Ten title.

“The last couple of years has been – we've had an opportunity to win [the title] of the final day,” Indiana team captain Joey Maher said post-match. “Very happy for the guys and the amount of work we put in for the past six months.”

Indiana’s opening goal Sunday was by Hugo Bacharach, who transferred to Indiana in the offseason and wasn’t part of the team for last season’s Decision Day heartbreak. In the 23rd minute, the veteran Sarver dazzled on the sidelines, somehow kept the ball in bounds, made his defender miss in the box, and crossed to the center. Freshman Collins Oduro was there for rebound goal.

However, 35 seconds prior to halftime, Rutgers’ Curt Calov pushed one across to make it 2-1. Indiana head coach Todd Yeagley was honest with his players at the break. He told them if results held, they’d be the outright regular-season champion. That’s right, Michigan was beating Northwestern 2-0, and Wisconsin was up 1-0 to Penn State at the three individual halftimes in midwest country.

“[I] usually don't do that,” Yeagley said. “But I needed to flip their mind.”

Indiana maintained pressure in the second half and outshot Rutgers 13-4 overall and 15-4 in shots on target total in the full 90 minutes. With seven minutes remaining – boom. McDonald’s low strike gave Indiana much-needed insurance. Penn State had equalized with Wisconsin by this point, which meant the Hoosiers were playing for the share. With 14 seconds remaining – boom. Sarver. Title.

Once the team congregated on the field, they jogged to dance and chant with the Hoosier Army, Indiana’s student section located directly next to the pitch. The conditions weren’t great, though they toughed it out. Minutes later, Maher delivered the Big Ten trophy to the team’s huddle. The veteran had snuck around the Jerry F. Tardy Center to retrieve it. They shared it with the Army.

Hoosiers hoist the Big Ten trophy & share it with some of the fans. Indiana is the No. 1-seed in the Big Ten Tournament. 18th Big Ten title. #iums pic.twitter.com/2B5QeDD2DF

— Matthew Byrne (@MatthewByrne1) October 29, 2023

Oct. 29, 2023. Indiana junior forward Samuel Sarver celebrates with teammates in front of the Hoosier Army. The Hoosiers beat Rutgers 4-1 Sunday and won a share of the Big Ten regular-season title (IU Athletics). 

“The title was there, it was all packaged up,” Maher revealed. “We were trying to get it out while the team was in the huddle. It was, it was unbelievable … It’s something that I’ll forever cherish.”

White uniforms turned into white shirts and hats that were printed with Big Ten Champion logos. The team posed for photos holding the title in front of the goal they scored twice on in the second half. Then, players split up for group photos. Five players – Karsen Henderlong, Brett Bebej, Quinten Helmer, Maouloune Goumballe and Andrew Goldsworthy – went through Senior Night on Friday.

Two days later, they held Big Ten hardware, the program’s 18th regular-season title in 33 seasons. It’s the program’s first regular-season title since its three-peat ended in the spring 2021 season.

“Home titles are different,” Yeagley said. “They're in your memory.”

Todd Yeagley was on FaceTime with his father, Jerry Yeagley, the former six-time national champion coach at Indiana. Beforehand, when his players were hoisting the trophy, Todd stepped away from the fray and reflected on this season. 

To be fair, this result was improbable. The Hoosiers began the Big Ten schedule 0-1-2, earning just two points in three matches. Yet, they stormed back in October.

They did get help from Michigan and Wisconsin, which paid back two frustrating draws for Indiana to begin the Big Ten schedule. But the Rutgers win has merit. It’s the most goals Indiana has scored this season. Sarver’s postmatch speech to his team, following the trophy-holdings pictures in front of goal, went like this.

“There's three things in life: death, taxes, and the Hoosiers winning in white.”

Related stories on Indiana Soccer:  

• ANDREW GOLDSWORTHY MAKES FIRST CAREER START: In Goldsworthy's five-year college career, he has played in only 11 matches and never started. But the veteran from Bloomington got the call on Senior Night Friday in Indiana soccer's 2-0 shutout of Trine, with his family in attendance. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA FALLS AT NORTHWESTERN: Indiana's three-match conference win streak was snapped Tuesday, as signs of the old, unable-to-convert Hoosiers returned at Northwestern. CLICK HERE
• OCTOBER NOTEBOOK: The Big Ten sprint is on. Indiana is in second with 11 points, two shy of co-leaders Michigan State and Penn State. Here's an October Notebook about the team's win streak and key contributors. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA BEATS MARYLAND 2-1: Indiana has won four straight. In back-to-back games, the Hoosiers have gotten the game-winning goal in the final 10 minutes. The Sam Sarver and Karsen Henderlong duo account for both. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA BEATS OHIO STATE 2-1: Captain Joey Maher scored the Hoosiers' first goal, but blamed himself for allowing Ohio State's equalizer. Karsen Henderlong picked him up. CLICK HERE