WESTFIELD, Ind. — A friendly that was not so friendly to Indiana men’s soccer was the story April 19 as the Hoosiers faced off with the University of Notre Dame in its final exhibition match of the spring season.
The Fighting Irish eliminated the Hoosiers from the NCAA Tournament five months ago as they advanced to the College Cup.
While the stakes weren’t as high this time around, the intensity was. The atmosphere matched the intensity with the bleachers of the Grand Park indoor sports facility packed with spectators, leaving some fans standing to watch the in-state matchup.
Both teams trotted out its typical starters from the regular season, with the exclusion of players drafted to the MLS or those that have since graduated.
The first 45 minutes were a deadlock, with both teams struggling to score or create chances. The only dangerous opportunity came early in the period, with Notre Dame nearly opening the score on a counterattack.
Fouls and yellow cards racked up though, with neither team giving up an inch of space to the opposition despite the game being an exhibition.
The Fighting Irish threw numbers forward as the game went on and pinned the Hoosiers back in their own half. Indiana held firm defensively, blocking and clearing Notre Dame’s attempts.
Indiana’s patience paid off, as sophomore forward Luka Bezerra put it in front after slotting a shot under the legs of Notre Dame goalkeeper Bryan Dowd to open the scoring.
Notre Dame kept up the pressure and nearly equalized just minutes later, but sophomore defender Quinton Elliot cleared a shot off the line to maintain Indiana’s lead.
Still, the Fighting Irish persisted and tied the match with just seven minutes to play following a short-range finish. The late equalizer all but sealed the result as Indiana settled for a draw in its last spring match.
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