It was a streaky Sunday for the Northwestern men’s soccer team.
And not the good kind.
For the 23rd straight game, the Wildcats (5-4-4, 0-2-1 Big Ten) failed to notch a Big Ten win. The latest chapter — a 3-0 loss to Indiana.
With the win, the Hoosiers (5-3-4, 2-0-1) continued their own streak. Indiana, which has never lost to NU, left Evanston with its 41-match Big Ten unbeaten streak intact.
Despite Sunday’s lopsided loss, the Cats said they’re getting closer to competing with the finest teams in the Big Ten. A year ago, the Cats left Bloomington, Ind., with a one-goal loss, but sophomore defender Brad Napper said this year’s game featured two more evenly matched squads.
“Last year we played not to lose,” he said. “This year we really went after them. We made them earn the ‘W.'”
Although Indiana historically has been the top team in the Big Ten — the Hoosiers have recorded nine conference titles since 1991 — the Cats said they weren’t intimidated.
“We go into every game thinking we have a chance,” sophomore Sammy Semwangu said. “We can play with anybody in the country.”
A crowd of 612 — by far the season’s largest — watched the game at the Thomas Sports Complex. While some of those fans cheered for the Hoosiers, many came to Evanston to support the Cats, including a group of NU soccer alums.
But the Cats didn’t exactly get the home-field advantage they wanted, dropping their first home game of the year.
“It definitely didn’t seem like there were that many people there,” Napper said. (Freshman) Will Nicholas said he thought he was in a museum or something.”
The Hoosiers jumped out to an early lead in the 16th minute of the match, taking a 1-0 lead thanks to a goal by Ned Grabavoy.
Nearly 20 minutes later, Grabavoy made the Cats’ quest for their first conference win since 1999 a bit steeper with his second goal. The Hoosiers added another insurance goal at the end of the second half when Kevin Robson found of the back of the net from nearly 25-yards out.
The Cats forced Hoosiers’ goalkeeper Jay Nolly to make just two saves. NU’s Brian Heckenbach stopped five shots.
“It sucks for us to lose, but we need to get over it quickly,” Napper said.
The Cats will get a chance to show what they learned from Sunday’s game on Friday, when they travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., for an afternoon match against Michigan. Although the Indiana loss snapped the Cats two-game winning streak, NU’s players are confident they can return to their winning ways.
“We know we can play with these teams,” Napper said. “I don’t think anyone is really down about (Sunday’s loss).
Before the game, the Cats honored Indiana head coach Jerry Yeagley for his contributions to Big Ten soccer. Yeagley, who will retire at the end of the season, has compiled a 532-101-44 in his 31-plus years with the Hoosiers.
