By Nick Jenkinson-SCINN Sports Director
Last season Forward Stephane Njike played at the University of Maryland after playing his freshman season at Long Island University. Njike decided to transfer to Indiana University and on Friday Night the 5-11 native of Paris, France scored against his former team in the 62nd minute to give the #2 Indiana Hoosiers a third goal in route to a 3-1 win over the #4 Maryland Terrapins on Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium in front of crowd of 3,588. The Hoosiers are 4-0-1 in Big Ten Play with 13 points with five more conference matches to play. Maryland is 1-2-1 with 4 points with six more matches left to play. Indiana is 9-0-2 overall and host Kentucky on Tuesday Night at 8 PM and Hanover College Next Friday Night at 7:30 PM. Indiana will return to conference play on Friday, October 16 at Rutgers.
Indiana leads the series 9-7-8 and snaps a two-game losing streak winning their first game against Maryland since a 2-1 win in College Park on October 20, 2023. Since Maryland joined the Big Ten in 2014 Indiana is 65-21-19 with 216 points and 9 Big Ten Championships. Maryland is second with a record of 54-28-22 with 184 points and seven Big Ten Titles from 1999-2007 Indiana is 3-0-2 and since 2014 Maryland leads in Big Ten Matchups 7-5-6. Indiana and Maryland have had epic battles in Bloomington as the series is now tied 3-3-3.
Indiana is 854-209-125 in 54 seasons as program and 161-40-33 in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers have scored 2,802 goals all-time. Indiana is 389-67-54 all-time at Bill Armstrong Stadium and 103-11-17 since 2016 with 70 shutouts in 131 matches. Todd Yeagley is 225-76-60 in his 17th season at his alma mater and 232-85-62 in 18 seasons spending one season at the University of Wisconsin. The Hoosiers have won 19 Big Ten Regular Season Titles, 16 Big Ten Tournament Titles, 50 NCAA Tournament Appearances including 39 in a row, 22 NCAA College Cup Appearances, 17 NCAA Championship Appearances and 8 National Championships in 1982, 1983, 1988, 1998, 1999, 20023, 2004 and 2012.
Maryland falls to 6-2-1 on the season and will return to action as the Terrapins will travel to Rutgers on Tuesday Night. Maryland Head Coach Sasho Cirovski is in his 34th season with a record of 457-182-77 in College Park and 483-194-83 in 36 seasons overall after spending two seasons at Hartford with a total of 31 NCAA Tournament Appearances. Maryland started its program in 1941 and has an overall record of 823-377-135 and 54-29-21 record in the Big Ten. Maryland has won 4 NCAA Championships in 1968, 2005, 2008 and 2018. Made 14 NCAA College Cups won 8 Conference Tournament Titles and 29 Conference Regular Season Titles.
Indiana led 2-0 at halftime as the first goal that was originally credited to Charlie Heuer was changed to a Maryland Own Goal at the 16.17 mark as the ball went off a Maryland Defender and it was 1-0 Hoosier lead. Heuer would not be denied he scored at the 19:33 Mark for his second goal of the season and the seventh of his career with the assist to Stephane Njike for his fourth assist of the season and Easton Bogard for his first assist of the season. In the first half Indiana outshot Maryland 9-3 and the Terps had 3-2 shots on goal advantage. Indiana Goalkeeper Michal Mroz had 2 first half saves and Maryland Goalkeeper Laurin Mack had 1 first half save. Maryland committed six fouls and Indiana committed two. Indiana had four corner kicks to three for Maryland as the Terps were called for offsides once.
The Hoosiers added a third goal when Stephane Njike scored at the 62:27 mark and did his signature backflip celebration for the second time this season after scoring the game winner at Michigan on September 11 when asked after the game how many he can do in a row Njike said ten and did five tonight. Collins Oduro got his second assist and Easton Bogard collected his second assist of the match and the season as Indiana led 3-0. Maryland scored at the 70:36 Mark when Rodrigo Neri scored his 5th goal of the season and Henry Bernstein collected his 6th assist of the season and Rocket Ritarita collected his 3rd assist of the season to make it 3-1. Maryland had a chance to score a second goal as Rogrido Neri attempted a penalty kick that was denied by Michal Mroz. Maryland’s Zach Harris picked up the only yellow card of the night at the 86:15 mark.
Indiana outshot Maryland 16-12 and 7-6 shots on goal. Both Laurin Mack and Michal Mroz made 4 saves apiece. Maryland committed 9 fouls and Indiana committed 6 fouls. Maryland had 7 corner kicks and Indiana had 5. Maryland was called for offsides twice and Indiana did not have an offsides call. Tempers flared at the end of the game as these two teams are always physical and intense with each other but Indiana is looking like a team in Championship Form halfway through the season but Maryland can challenge them in the Big Ten Tournament but for Indiana it is all gas and no break starting the month of October like they always do with a big-time win.