By Nick Jenkinson-SCINN Sports Director
The #6 Indiana Hoosiers beat the Denver Pioneers 3-1 Monday Night on Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington to close out the two game Adidas/IU Credit Union Classic. The Hoosiers are 5-0-1 on the season and will open Big Ten Play Friday at 7 PM when they take on the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor. Denver is now 1-4-1 on the season and will head to West Virginia Friday Night to take on the Mountaineers at 7 PM.
This was a rematch of the 2024 NCAA Tournament third round when the Pioneers beat the Hoosiers 1-0 in Denver for the Pioneers only win of the series. The Hoosiers beat the Pioneers twice at the Mike Bertcelli Memorial Tournament in South Bend 2-1 on September 11, 2011, and 2-1 in two overtimes on September 6, 2019. This was the first time that the two programs have met in Bloomington.
Indiana has won 850 games in 54 seasons since the program gained varsity status in 1973. The Hoosiers are 7th team in NCAA Men’s Soccer History to win 850 games, and they are the fastest team to achieve that feat. The Hoosiers join UCLA, Penn State, UConn, San Francisco, Saint Louis and Virginia. The Hoosiers are 850-209-124 all time and 386-67-54 at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Since 2016 the Hoosiers are 100-11-17 with 69 shutouts in 128 matches. The Hoosiers are 5-0 at home and have outscored their opponents 12-2 this season and a 1-1 draw at Louisville the Hoosiers have outscored the opposition 13-3 through six matches.
Indiana Head Coach Todd Yegaley is 221-76-59 in 17th seasons at his alma mater and 228-85-61 in 18th seasons overall. Denver Head Coach Jamie Franks is 137-50-37 in his 13th season at Denver. The Pioneers started the season with a 2-2 draw at home against Cal Poly and then had three straight losses at Stanford 3-1, at UCLA 3-0 and Cal Baptist 2-0 before getting their first win of the season at Home against Tulsa on Friday Night 3-0.
The Hoosiers struck in the 29th minute when Wes Carnavale scored his second goal of the season in back-to-back games after scoring in the 31st minute against Cal Poly Friday Night. The Goal was the Hoosiers 2,792nd in program history. Carnavale has scored 11 games in 60 appearances overall between Cornell and Indiana. Nick McHenry recorded his first assist of the season and 2nd of his career after he transferred from Ohio State. The Hoosiers dominated the first half with 15-1 shot advantage and 7-1 shots on goal. Denver Goalkeeper Alex Hohl made six saves and Indiana Goalkeeper Michal Mroz made 1 save. The Pioneers committed 8 fouls, and the Hoosiers committed 6 fouls in the first half. Indiana 8 Corner Kicks and Denver did not have a corner kick. Both teams were called for offsides once.
Indiana went up 2-0 when Freshman Michael Adu-Gyamfi scored his first career goal in the 56th minute as Stephane Njike recorded his first assist as Hoosier. Denver got on back in the 70th minute when Will King scored his first goal of the season with the assist to Bryce Willougby and Kyle McGowan as the Pioneers trailed 2-1. Indiana sealed the victory in the 79th minute as Oliver Moller-Jensen scored his 5th goal in 6 games and Collins Oduro recorded his first assist of the season. The two second half goals were the programs 2,793rd and 2,794th. Indiana had not allowed a goal from the run of play until this game which was 520 minutes. The Goal against Notre Dame was a Penalty Kick and Louisville was a Free Kick.
The Hoosiers outshot the Pioneers 27-9 and 15-4 shots on goal. Alex Kohl made 10 saves for Denver and Michal Mroz made 3 saves for the Hoosiers and has a record of 5-0-1 as a Hoosier and 23-12-12 in 47 career appearances. Indiana committed 13 fouls and Denver committed 12 fouls. Indiana had an 11-1 advantage in Corner Kicks, and both teams were called for offsides once.
Indiana continues to be a force to be reckon with and history was made with 850 career wins and 100 wins at Bill Armstrong Stadium since 2016. The Hoosiers started both Stephane Njike and Collins Oudro for the first time this season. Now Big Ten Play starts, and the Hoosiers have to go on the road for the second time this season and now they need three points in Ann Arbor to start Big Ten Play.