By: Jayson Li
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - On a humid Friday night in Bloomington, the No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers knocked off the Cal Poly Mustangs 2-0 in their adidas/IU Credit Union Classic match, the third clean sheet performance of the season.
Unlike against Louisville, where Indiana struggled to get even a shot up in the first half, they barely wasted 90 seconds to get on the board. Clay Murador’s initial shot was blocked, but a speedy Oliver Moller-Jensen netted his fourth of the season to give the Hoosiers the early advantage.
Within the first 12 minutes, Indiana kept the Cal Poly defense pinned back, with three shots and two corners. A telling sign of what was to come.
The Mustangs had a brief window of opportunities midway through the first half, but all attempts were denied by Hoosier goalkeeper Michal Mroz. A strong Hoosier backline was a big part of denying any Cal Poly chance in the box.
However, the Mustangs did not go away easily, with an eventual ball getting by Mroz, but the ruling on the field was offside. Cal Poly coach Oige Kennedy demanded a review without any hesitation, and after a long check, referee Dimitar Chavdarov upheld the decision. This would be the Mustangs’ only real chance to find the back of the net.
Less than two minutes after the reviewed offside, the Hoosiers doubled their lead in the 31st minute with an Alex Barger corner finding the head of Westin Carnevale. This marked Carnevale’s first goal for the cream and crimson and would bring the score at halftime to 2-0.
“We’re becoming brothers,” Carnevale said. “It’s really easy to stay confident with these guys behind you, and knowing if you mess up, these guys will have your back and lift you up right away.”
The Hoosiers certainly didn’t take their foot off the gas in the second half, when Michael Adu-Gyamfi broke free, eventually being taken down in the box. The call on the field was no penalty and it eventually stood that way.
In the 60th minute, Cal Poly coach Oige Kennedy wanted the officiating crew to check for a penalty. The call on the field was no foul, and that’s what it would be. The Mustangs would strike out on challenges tonight.
Overall, the second half would see both teams testing the opposing backlines and keepers, but it would ultimately be No. 6 Indiana coming out on top 2-0.
The Hoosiers will remain home on Monday against the Denver Pioneers with kickoff set for 8 p.m at Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
