Photo credit: Chicago House AC

Soccer fans in Chicagoland — there’s a new team in town. Chicago House AC kicks off its inaugural home season Saturday at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview at 7:35 p.m. CT. The club enters the match with a 1-1 record, and is fresh off a 1-0 win over Stumptown AC. A 90th-minute goal gave Chicago its first NISA win.

“We knew if we could hang in there for a full 90 minutes, good things would happen,” technical director and head coach C.J. Brown said. “Our subs entered the game and created energy. We took the one and only chance we needed and won the game.”

In their first road match of the season, Chicago House AC traveled to Detroit to face reigning champion Detroit City FC. The clubs went toe-to-toe, knotting the match up at 2-2 in the second half. But Detroit found a late goal, which held for the 3-2 win.

“Our first match we played the defending champion. I was extremely nervous,” Brown said. “I don’t know if our team was or not, but I was. We worked hard and fought hard, but they got the last goal. The environment was great. They really have a good thing going in Detroit.”

So what is NISA and why is there another professional soccer team in Chicago?

“The Chicago marketplace is large enough, it needs more than one outdoor team.” House president and CEO Peter Wilt said. “And this league is different in a very important way. We provide a platform for open play of soccer. America doesn’t currently have that. With the other professional leagues, you buy in and can never leave.”

NISA (National Independent Soccer Association) currently has third-division teams. The goal is to get the 10-team league to 24 teams by 2024. At that point, the league can switch into two divisions and begin promotion and relegation.

NISA clubs pride themselves on their overall vision. They want to incorporate the communities into their teams. The players pride themselves on reaching out to the community and offering support wherever they can lend a hand.

“I keep saying it over and over again,” Wilt said. “It’s so much better to build alliances with a variety of constituent groups. Motivate them to build business with you. Building from the bottom up gives you roots in the community.”

Brown said the community aspect of the team was a selling point for him.

“We are really trying to be community based,” Brown said. “Pilsen is the start of that. We are pairing with community initiatives that will help build the community. The players have bought into that. They knew they were here to play but to also run clinics and be mentors. It’s exciting to see. And we’re just scratching the surface.”

So if you want to be a part of the new soccer era in Chicago, head out to SeatGeek Stadium Saturday night and witness Chicago’s newest team take the pitch against New Amsterdam FC.

Follow Kathryn on Twitter: @Katknapp99.

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INDIANAPOLIS — The Indy Eleven earned a rivalry win Saturday at home in the LIPAFC derby, besting Louisville City 1-0 thanks to an 85th-minute strike by Manuel Arteaga.

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Follow Robbie on Twitter: @RobbieMeh.

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by Robbie Mehling – Oct 4, 2021

Photo credit: Kathryn Knapp/Soc Takes

Relentless. I look back on last Monday’s national championship between Indiana and Marshall and that’s the word that comes to mind. Marshall was relentless in their attack. They dominated the ball. They shut down the Hoosiers offense. And yet, IU’s players didn’t give up kicking and screaming. They fought until the bitter end. And in the 98th minute, their dreams of capturing a ninth star were doused.

The IU players stepped up defensively. Every single Hoosier defended. Goalkeeper Roman Celentano was peppered with attempts. He made seven saves on the night. The last save fell right in front of Marshall’s Jamil Roberts. The international player from Langport, England tapped it into the net.

“It was déjà vu,” Roberts said. “Their ‘keeper makes a decent save and I’m there to tap it in. Luckily, I was in the right place at the right time. That’s why we train. I make that run 20-30 times in a game. It only takes that one time for the ball to drop. As coach always says, we love tap-ins.”

After 97 scoreless minutes, one goal, a golden goal was the difference that led Marshall to its first-ever national championship.

“It feels a little bit surreal right now, to be honest,” Marshall head coach Chris Grassie said. “It’s something I’ve dreamed of. I’ve been on the wrong side of this press conference three too many times, so to finally win it is just a bit of a relief.”

Grassie led the Herd to the championship in just his fourth season. The Friday after the championship, Grassie inked a five-year deal with Marshall. He’ll be back, as will all his players except for Roberts.

“Big congratulations to Indiana. I thought they played really, really well,” Grassie said. “They caused us problems on the counterattack, particularly in the first half. We had to kind of deal with that. But we just kept doing our thing, playing our style, keeping the ball knocking around. I just felt there was only going to be one winner. I’m glad we got it when we did. When it went in, it just felt so real.”

But is Marshall for real? It sure looks that way. With most of the players returning in the fall, Grassie said his focus will soon shift to the future.

“I find my attention turning to 2021,” he said. “How do we repeat? How can we evolve this team? This feeling? What do we have to do to take this magic and transplant it to next season and evolve?”

Evolving and growing is nothing new for the Hoosiers. After the goal, Marshall celebrated. And the Hoosiers stood around the field in disbelief. But it was redshirt senior AJ Palazzolo who caught my attention. Palazzolo stood in the middle of the pitch, looking lost. He stared at the video screen that kept flashing “Marshall wins.” He stood there and stared with a blank expression. Five seasons. Five seasons and his last one ended on the wrong side of a national championship.

“I’m pretty speechless right now,” Palazzolo said. “We dug in tonight. We battled. It just didn’t go our way. I love this team. I love this program. It sucks to go out like this. But we’ve got to keep our heads held high. We’ve got a hell of a team. I’m so proud of my guys.”

And proud he should be. A team that played only a conference schedule improved with every match. They overcame adversity and lost just one match in the regular season, 1-0 to Northwestern. And no, it wasn’t a regular 17-plus-game season. It was a 10-game regular season, with two cancelled games. Nevertheless, IU outscored Big Ten competition 19-2. They won the regular-season conference title and the Big Ten tournament title. Three more wins and the Hoosiers earned a trip to their 21st College Cup and 16th final. A 12-2-2 record is not too shabby.

The Hoosiers have a winning tradition. In 48 collegiate seasons, Indiana leads the NCAA with a 779-183-104 record, including an impressive 95-35-6 record in tournament play. Palazzolo was a part of some amazing teams. During his tenure at IU, the Hoosiers posted a 77-11-20 record and made three College Cups. Unfortunately, Palazzolo and company fell short of winning a national championship. But players like him are the heart and soul of IU soccer.

“At Indiana, we grind,” Palazzolo said. “Tonight we got a little unlucky. Everyone worked their asses off — everyone that stepped on the field. Even though it’s my last game and it sucks to go out like this, I’m just so happy to be a part of this team. I love this team. I’m so proud of how hard we worked all year, especially tonight, even though we couldn’t get that ninth star.”

For Indiana head coach Todd Yeagley, he knows the thrill of winning. He also knows the agony of defeat. For those 16 finals that IU has been to, they’ve walked away with eight championships. Yeagley has been there for all of them, whether a young boy in the stands, player on the pitch, guest radio host in a press box, an assistant coach or a head coach. He’s been there. He feels all the feels.

“These kids come to IU to play in these games, to be in a championship match,” Yeagley said. “To be in our 21st College Cup and to do the things this program has done, although difficult in this moment… I told the guys that everyone is proud of them. When the time is right and they’re able to reflect… I was in their same shoes as a senior losing my last game. That’s a tough one. They’ll be proud though in the years ahead.”

Once again, the Hoosiers did not go down without a fight. While Marshall dominated possession and frustrated IU’s offense, IU hung in there. The Thundering Herd outshot the Hoosiers 17-8, forcing seven corner kicks and sending eight attempts on target. Again, Celentano had seven saves. And plenty of other Hoosiers sent a few balls sailing out of harm’s way. Actually, the tide was turning for IU. In the first overtime period, the Hoosiers found a way to take control. They were playing their style for a few minutes. And then Marshall raced down the pitch and the rest is history.

Marshall is full of international players. And players that came together at the right time.

“We knew they were going to have a lot of possession, a lot of the ball,” Palazzolo said. “Our game plan, we played it well. We just couldn’t execute our chances. We created a lot of chances. We defended our asses off. Marshall’s a great side. We worked our asses off and did everything we could to win that game.”

It wasn’t the end the Hoosiers had hoped for, but there is no doubt that the 2020 season will go down as one of IU’s finest. And for Yeagley, it will soon be time to also look toward next season.

“I’m really proud of this team,” Yeagley said. “I love the guys that wear the uniform. This program means a lot to me. There are a lot of emotions right now going through me, being so close to getting our ninth star. Just like I learned from the players before me, you learn how to win at this program. You learn how to discipline. You learn how to be selfless. And you have an awesome time doing it. Those are the things that we’ll get back to. I’m confident we’ll be back in this position in the near future. The next group that’s coming in, that’s going to be their time to take the torch and get us there.”

You won’t have to wait long to see who the final four standing in the 2021 season are. College Cup 2021 is currently scheduled for Dec. 10 and Dec. 12 in Cary, N.C. Stay tuned.

Follow Kathryn on Twitter: @Katknapp99.

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INDIANAPOLIS — The Chicago Fire and Indy Eleven used Tuesday’s friendly at Carroll Stadium as an opportunity to give their youngsters some minutes, as both sides heavily featured their up-and-coming talent. The visiting Fire emerged victorious, taking the friendly 3-1.

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Follow Robbie on Twitter: @RobbieMeh.

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INDIANAPOLIS — Aiden McFadden’s goal five minutes into stoppage time brought ATL UTD 2 level with the Indy Eleven at 1-1, leading to shared points Saturday at Michael A. Carroll Stadium as both clubs vie for a playoff spot in the USL Championship Central Division. Indy striker Manuel Arteaga continued his hot finishing form with a 53rd-minute header to open the scoring.

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Follow Robbie on Twitter: @RobbieMeh.

Support Soc Takes on Patreon for access to exclusive content and supporter benefits. Click here to become a patron today.

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CINCINNATI — A hat trick from Alex Morgan, brace from Catarina Macario and individual strikes from Rose Lavelle, Sophia Smith and Carli Lloyd left hapless Paraguay on the wrong end of an 8-nil result in a friendly Tuesday at TQL Stadium.

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Follow Jamie on Twitter: @JamieSmed.

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Hello, Soc Takes crowd. It’s been a while, I know. The pandemic hit, sports got cancelled and my day job suddenly kicked into overtime. But now, the world is looking a bit more normal, and my soapbox needed a good dusting.

You may remember that last January, I wrote a post that was supposed to be the first post in a series on the history of MLS branding. Well, it was, and I guess now still is.

But I digress.

Since Part I was released last January (how time flies!), two more MLS teams have since rebranded, and don’t worry, I’ll definitely be getting to those. I have many, many thoughts on the current state of Montreal and Columbus. However, that’s a future post for future John to forget about and put off for an exorbitant amount of time.

This time, we’ll be looking at the teams that joined MLS between 1997 and 2010, the first major “expansion era” of the league.

Chicago Fire SC/FC

1997-2014

Chicago joined MLS as the first announced expansion team, to begin play during the 1998 season. Their inaugural badge got things very, very right. The shape is derived from that of the Saint Florian Cross, the symbol of the patron saint of firefighters, the 6 points are taken from the flag of Chicago, and the colors fit both the theme of the brand and those of the city itself. Honestly, it’s a fantastic logo, and it stuck around for a long time.

2015-2019

Chicago tweaked the team’s color palette for 2015, using slightly more muted shades of blue and red, while leaving the rest of the crest’s appearance unchanged. Honestly, it’s so subtle most people never even noticed it, and that’s some of the best reception a palette revision can have. It still looks clean, just a bit easier to work with across different forms of media, and maybe a bit easier on the eyes.

2020-Present

And then there’s this.

This is why I started this entire project to begin with. Ahead of the 2020 season, the Fire had announced a laundry list of changes that, overall, made the fans extremely happy. Joe Mansueto bought out Andrew Hauptman to take over the team, and then bought out the absurd lease at SeatGeek Stadium to allow the team to return to Soldier Field. The front office was overhauled, the team got a new coach, and things were looking brighter than they had in years. But then the team revealed the new branding. As previously described, the reaction was overtly hostile, and despite being in use for less than a full season’s worth of games, they’re already working on changing it again. Yikes.

But also, yes please, go back.

Miami Fusion FC

1998-2001

Remember when MLS had a team in Miami? What’s that, they do again? Yeah? Oh, well, remember the one they used to have?

Yep, the Miami Fusion were MLS’s shortest-lived (so far) team, playing for just 4 seasons out of Fort Lauderdale’s Lockhart Stadium, which is now home to the new Miami MLS team, Inter Miami CF. The irony of none of the Miami teams ever playing a game in Miami itself is lost on no one. Anyway. This badge featured a sunburst-inspired design and a very 90s cyberpunk-ish typeface that definitely didn’t look dated within 5 years. But, with MLS folding both Floridian clubs after the 2001 season, it didn’t even last that long.

CD Chivas USA

2005

Hey, remember the “remember the thing” joke from the Miami section about a defunct team playing in a market and with a similar role to a new team that’s really popular with all those celebrities?

Before there was LAFC, the other Los Angeles team role was filled by Chivas USA, named and branded to match its parent club, CD Guadalajara, better known as Chivas. The idea was to grow the Chivas brands on both sides of the boarder, while hopefully drawing well among the Mexican-American community in Los Angeles.

2006-2014

Chivas USA updated their palette in 2006, and for a while, Chivas USA actually out-performed the Galaxy and the cooperation between the Mexican and American clubs actually seemed to be working out. But everything gradually went completely pear-shaped, and culminated in a series of protests (including that time /r/MLS crowdfunded a plane to fly a LED banner above the stadium), and MLS announced in 2014 that they had seized control of the franchise, and sold the rights for a second Los Angeles team to the group that would later form LAFC.

Real Salt Lake

2004-2005

Announced alongside Chivas USA was Real Salt Lake, with MLS expanding to Utah. The brand saw its share of mockery early (what’s so “real” about Salt Lake?), but the logo in general was sufficient, if a bit mid-2000s direct. The club leaned into the crown imagery and the claret-and-cobalt color palette, and quickly built a strong and dedicated following.

2006-2009

For 2006, the club slightly tweaked the color palette (a recurring theme, yes), to get a bluer blue, and a softer gold. The change worked well, and the palette would continue after the logo was retired. Wearing this crest, Real Salt Lake won MLS Cup 2009.

2010-Present

In 2010, Real Salt Lake began dropping the club’s full name in favor of the RSL abbreviation, and with that, removed the full name from the logo, resulting in the modern yet familiar and oh-so-clean crest. The color palette was also tweaked a bit, and continues to see some light fluctuations year-to-year, but RSL’s branding has been consistent ever since, even applying to their Real Monarchs USL team, and formerly to the Utah Pride in NWSL.

Houston Dynamo

2005 (unused)

“Hey, everyone, look! John’s gonna mention the Earthquakes relocation again!”

Yes, yes I am. The Houston Dynamo weren’t founded in 2006, because there was nothing new to create. The team as a whole was moved from San Jose, CA, joining a long line of Californians moving to Texas because reasons. Originally, the team was to be known as Houston 1836, referring to the year of the city’s founding. However, because of the year coincidentally being when Texas declared independence from Mexico and fought a war for it (remember the Alamo?), there was a bit of controversy, leading to the name being scrapped very early on.

2006-2020

The team was instead named Houston Dynamo, referring to Houston’s long-standing ties to the energy industry, the defunct Houston Dynamos of the original USL (no relation) and Lone Star Soccer Alliance, and a nod to the Eastern European Dynamo sports clubs. Honestly, as much as I hate the team, its origins, and the city it calls home, it’s a clever brand. The logo is nothing particularly special, but it works, and feels sufficiently Houston that the team made it their own in due time.

2021-Present

Ahead of the 2021 season, the Dynamo announced a rebrand of their own, adding to the growing list of logo changes in recent years. In is a new hexagonal crest and interwoven letter mark, with inspiration drawn from the original 6 wards of Houston and the organization’s “founding” in 2006. Accompanying it is a corresponding hexagonal crest for their NWSL side, the Houston Dash. Honestly, they’re not bad. Black and orange are striking, and the Dynamo had been phasing out their use of blue more and more in recent years. Nothing spectacular, but it definitely works, and it’s honestly an improvement in my eyes.

Toronto FC

2006-2009

MLS announced it was taking off to the great white north in 2005, with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment bringing MLS to Toronto. The Toronto FC name and crest were revealed in 2006, and really nailed it out of the gate. The crest is undeniably Canadian, yet distinctly Toronto, fitting in perfectly alongside the city flag and crest.

2010-Present

For 2010, Toronto tweaked the color scheme, going for a darker shade of red. Nothing else has changed since, because frankly, nothing needs to. With this crest, Toronto grew into one of the strongest teams in MLS, winning a Canadian treble in 2017, and becoming one of the most recognizable brands in MLS in the process.

Seattle Sounders FC

2008-Present

Seattle was announced as an expansion team in 2007, and in line with every major Seattle soccer team dating back to the 1970s, they stuck with the Sounders name. The latest iteration of the Sounders boasts the strongest badge yet, featuring a spectacular silhouette of the Space Needle, and given the strength and quality of the crest, hasn’t been tweaked since. The blue, green, and white date back to the original team’s founding in 1974.

Philadelphia Union

2009-2017

Philadelphia’s team was announced in 2008, and the Union brand and crest were revealed in the Spring of 2009. The branding and crest are tied in heavily to Philadelphia’s role in early American history, with strong nods to the early Continental Army uniforms and Ben Franklin’s Join or Die cartoon. Another team that got things right early.

2018-Present

In 2018, the Union decided their badge needed to be brighter, shinier, a little simpler, shinier, and overall, just a lot brighter and shinier. The muted dark gold was replaced with a bright-and-shiny gradient, and the backdrop behind the shield was changed to just vertical stripes. Not entirely sure why they did this, to be honest, but fine, OK, it’s not bad. For whatever reason, this color palette never appealed to me as much as the original. It’s probably the very 2000s looking gradient. That said, though, the club has taken to using variant colors quite a lot, and some of their monochromatic variants have been sharp.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

2010-Present

Vancouver joined MLS for the 2011 season, and like fellow Cascadian heritage brand Seattle, kept the name and color the city’s teams had used for decades. Also like Seattle, they nailed it with their crest out of the gate, featuring a striking symmetrical design of whitecapped mountains and ocean surf. It encapsulates Vancouver oh so well, and still looks just as amazing as it did when it was unveiled. They’ve never changed a thing either, because again, they haven’t needed to.

Portland Timbers

2011 (Unused)

Joining the trifecta of Cascadian teams, Portland was announced as an MLS expansion franchise just two days after Vancouver. And when the team revealed the logo above, the reaction was mixed. Quite frankly, I see why. The team had been known for simple, clean, and classic crests, and this one is just far too busy and 2000s. It’s jagged, the contrast feels a bit lurid, and it broke with a long established tradition.

2011-2015

So they changed it before the team even began play, and what an improvement it made. The unnecessary flourishes and jagged edges have been cleaned up, the color contrast is more pleasant, and it feels like there’s so much more room for the design to breathe. It wasn’t perfect, but it definitely made a lot of the fans happy.

2016-2018

Continuing to bring the MLS-era crest more in line with the team’s history, the Timbers dropped all text from the logo and extended the treetop lines to the edges. For such a subtle tweak, it worked so well, and made what was already a great, clean design even cleaner.

2019-Present

And finally, in 2019, the club swapped the yellow for classic Timbers gold, and darkened the green to more of a forest green shade, giving us the badge they continue using to this day. It’s among the best in MLS, and draws praise from soccer fans all over the world.

Montreal Impact/CF Montreal

2012-???

Montreal joined MLS from the revived NASL for the 2012 season, updating the Impact branding for their latest iteration. The crest just screams Quebecois to me, from the fleur-de-lis, the use of blue and white, and of course, the French motto “tous por gagner” – all for victory. Despite the slightly 2000s gradients, the crest was sharp, modern, and fit both the team and city perfectly.

???-2020

At some point between 2014 and 2020, Montreal began phasing out their original crest for a simplified, flatter design. Gone were the gradients and the motto, in were slightly muted colors. It worked just as well as the original, and retained the majority of everything that worked with the original.

2021-Present

Unfortunately, all good things came to an end for the 2021 season. The Impact changed their name to Club de Foot Montreal, which not only sounds stupid in English and in Quebecois French, but is also objectively worse. The distinct and unique crest was replaced with yet another roundel, bringing even more unnecessary homogeneity to the league, and a color palette already on the verge of being too muted now features even less contrast. Reaction was, in line with other recent rebrands, hostile, but it doesn’t seem like the club has any plans to undo the changes.

This concludes the intended portion of Part II of the illustrated history, but since the posting of Part I so long ago, one of the previously included teams has rebranded. So instead of wrapping up here, instead…

It’s time to talk about Columbus.

I attribute precisely three positive changes to the Columbus Crew under Anthony Precourt’s operation: the hiring of Gregg Berhalter as head coach/sporting director, the rebrand, and the sale to the current ownership post-#SaveTheCrew.

The logo unveiled in the Fall of 2014 was excellent. It still is, and the jerseys worn by the team still use it. They wore it as they won MLS Cup 2020, and the club looked to be set for success under new management. And then this happened.

I have several questions, and they’re all “why?” There’s no need for this, and every single person consulted by management agrees. We’ve seen some vitriol against rebrands in the past few years, from some annoyed Houston fans, to angry Impact fans, to the outrage over the Chicago Fire rebrand, but none of it compares to the abject fury among Columbus Crew fans at this. It’s entirely justified.

The team wants to build a globally recognizable brand that will become a historic name, and yet they’ve sacrificed a historic brand that had already built serious brand recognition in the process. All the goodwill built up by the Haslams and Dr. Pete during the #SaveTheCrew saga is at serious risk of evaporating. The team has already put out vague, corporate-speak apologies, and I’m betting that the pressure might be strong enough to actually get them to join Chicago in rolling back a rebrand. Add in the risk of legal issues (identified by fans consulted by the team back in January!) as a long-standing youth soccer team in Columbus, Nebraska, has been using the name for decades, and this rebrand seems doomed to failure from the start.

If MLS and its investors had one lesson to learn from the #SaveTheCrew movement, it’s that soccer fans in Columbus are not to be taken lightly.

This concludes, for real this time, Part II of the illustrated history of MLS crests. Part III will be a quick run through the brands adopted by the latest expansion teams. While there isn’t much to talk about since none of those teams have rebranded, there’s still a lot of interesting history of soccer brands in those markets that I’ll cover.

As always, thanks to Chris Creamer’s Sports Logos for the vast majority of the images used here. I love that site, and spend literally hours scrolling through the various logos and brands used by teams across the world over the years.

Hopefully, the next installment will take less than 16 months to get uploaded.

Follow John on Twitter: @JohnMLTX.

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Photo credit: Indiana University Athletics

For Indiana, the mission was simple — win and advance. The quest for their ninth NCAA championship was on the line. They had to shut down an explosive Pittsburgh offense. If they could control Pitt, they could control the game.

It wasn’t easy, but Friday night the Hoosiers relied on some defensive principles and stayed focused. A 79th-minute goal by Herbert Endeley proved to be the difference as IU (12-1-2) earned a 1-0 win and its 16th trip to the final.

“Ultimately, our game plan in the second half was to come out stronger,” Endeley said. “We knew we’d be able to finish out the job if we stuck to our principles and everything that we had talked about before the game and at halftime. I think that’s what won us the game.”

Pitt threw everything they had at the Hoosiers. They outshot IU 14-7. Indiana had a look early in the match, when Thomas Warr was in the right place at the right time. Warr connected with a loose ball and ricocheted the attempt off a Pitt defender. But then it became a Panthers show. 

Veljko Petkovic nearly found the net in the 41st and 44th minutes. His first attempt soared over the crossbar. IU goalkeeper Roman Celentano grabbed the second, preserving the 0-0 score at the half.

In the second half, Indiana’s Victor Bezerra barely missed the goal in the 57th minute. But one minute later, Hoosiers fans were silenced as Filip Mirkovic’s attempt bounced off the crossbar and down. The referee called for a video replay to make sure the ball did not cross the line. He ruled no goal and the game resumed.

Neither team sat back, but the Hoosiers finally broke through in the 79th minute. For the final 11 minutes, they defended from front to back. And Celentano remained a force in the back, directing traffic and keeping his net clean.

“The difference was our defensive principles and key moments,” head coach Todd Yeagley said. “And being able to take away some of the things they do really well. The adaptability of this team is fantastic. The resilience is phenomenal. This team has been an absolute joy to coach in a tough year. To be here with one game remaining is really special.”

The Panthers wrapped up the season with a 16-4-0 record and a season to be proud of. They certainly proved to be a handful for the Hoosiers. Pitt head coach Jay Vidovich said he couldn’t have been more proud of his players.

“They got the goal at the perfect time for them,” Vidovich said. “There was just enough time that if they got the second goal they could put the knife in our back. It was very hard to come back. We didn’t have enough time. Our guys fought through. They executed. We just came up short. That’s the nature of our game.”

IU faces off with Marshall for the first time in team history in Monday’s final at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Marshall (12-2-3) topped North Carolina 1-0 in its semifinal. It’s only the second tournament appearance for the Herd. The Hoosiers are making their 16th appearance in the final. Indiana leads the NCAA with a 95-34-6 all-time record in the tournament. IU last won the championship in 2012, a 1-0 win over Georgetown.

KEEPING IT CLEAN

With the win Friday night, Celentano collected his ninth shutout, the 10th for the team as a whole in 15 matches. The Hoosiers last allowed a goal in the third round in a 2-1 win over Marquette. IU has allowed just five goals all season.

Marshall goalkeeper Oliver Semmle also has 10 shutouts in 17 games. Clemson was the last team to score against Marshall, forcing a 1-1 draw in third-round action. The Herd outlasted the Tigers 7-6 on PKs to advance. Marshall has allowed just eight goals on the season.

GETTING OFFENSIVE

Endeley tallied his fourth goal of the season in Friday’s win. Seven Hoosiers have scored multiple times for IU. Bezerra leads the attack with 12 goals. The Hoosiers have scored 31 goals this season. Marshall’s Vitor Dias leads the Herd with six of the club’s 28 goals this season. Six players have scored multiple goals for Marshall.

BOTTOM LINE

Statistically, the teams are close. They’re both full of talent on both offense and defense. It’ll be a hard-fought match, a classic championship. Neither team has anything to lose.

“The goal is to win a national championship,” Marshall head coach Chris Grassie said. “We are as capable of winning it as anyone in the country. Our job’s not done.”

For Yeagley and the Hoosiers, a 90-minute game is the only thing standing between them and a ninth national championship. Expect them to come out firing on all cylinders Monday night.

“This team has a lot of strength in key spots,” Yeagley said. “We’re a really good team when defending. Our individual principles are strong. We work on that all the time. The bonding that we’ve done has taken our team to the next level. We’ve always had good team chemistry. But I feel it’s at another all-time high. Everyone knows their role and is 100% in it. And that’s what you need.”

Follow Kathryn on Twitter: @Katknapp99.

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Lucky No. 21. Could this trip to the men’s College Cup be Indiana’s ticket to its ninth NCAA Championship? It very well could be.

Image credit: NCAA

In a world where the NCAA couldn’t even confirm whether a championship would happen, the Hoosiers kept focused. They trained via video chats. The players worked out on their own. And when they could finally get together, everything came together.

Now, with a spring season under their belt, the Hoosiers are two wins away from their ninth NCAA championship. Not too shabby. IU (11-1-2) faces Pittsburgh Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET in the College Cup semifinal.

“Every one is very special,” Indiana University head coach Todd Yeagley said. “This is our 21st. We’re very proud of that. But it’s No. 1 for this group. And that’s what we’re focused on, letting this team have its opportunity to leave the ultimate mark.”

It’s been a long road. One year ago, the players were distanced. The NCAA had strict guidelines on all athletes. There was no training. There were no extracurricular activities. Every single thing was watched under a fine microscope. You never knew when the NCAA was going to come knocking on your door, questioning your plan.

Slowly but surely, teams were able to come together and train. But they had no idea when or if a season would happen. The Big Ten Conference announced a conference only season. The teams would take part in a 10-game season and then the conference tournament.

IU started off with back-to-back 3-0 wins. They dropped a 1-0 decision to Northwestern in their third match. That was it. The Hoosiers dominated conference play, allowing just one more goal in the regular season. IU had two games cancelled, but its 7-1 record earned them a regular-season Big Ten championship.

IU then topped Northwestern 3-0 and Maryland 2-0 to earn a Big Ten Tournament championship appearance. After a 1-1 draw the Hoosiers topped Penn State in PKs to capture their third-straight conference double and an automatic NCAA Tournament bid as a No. 3 seed.

But this year’s tournament is not the same. Normally, a top seed would host home matches. This year, all matches are played in North Carolina.

“It’s been really nice to have the team in our little mini bubble,” Yeagley said. “They’ve spent a lot of time together, but individually together in apartments. It’s been really fun. It’s been a great trip. I want to keep this thing going as long as we can.”

History repeated itself against St. Francis Brooklyn, with the two teams ending in a 1-1 deadlock. IU again advanced on PKs. The Hoosiers then topped Marquette 2-1 and Seton Hall 2-0, moving on to its 21st College Cup.

Friday, IU faces off with Pitt. The Hoosiers have been dominant on offense and defense, outscoring opponents 30-5. MAC Hermann Trophy finalist Victor Bezerra leads IU with 12 goals and three assists. He currently ranks fourth nationally in goals per game. Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year Roman Celentano and the defense have earned nine shutouts in 14 matches.

Pittsburgh (16-3) is a newly refurbished squad. Coach Jay Vidovich took over the program in 2017 and in a few short years turned it into a national contender. In his first season, Pitt won just two conference matches. This Pitt team has made a solid tournament run, outscoring opponents 13-1 in three tournament matches.

The Panthers have dominated offensively with 51 goals, while defensively they’ve allowed 22 in 19 matches. MAC Hermann Trophy finalist Valentin Noel leads the Panthers with 14 goals and two assists. Goalkeeper Nico Campuzano and company have earned six clean sheets.

The only time the two teams met was in 2019. Pitt jumped out to a 2-0 lead but the Hoosiers responded, winning 3-2.

“I’m one of those guys who likes to win all the time,” Vidovich said. “It’s not about the last game there. The bottom line is that was a whole different team on our side and a whole different team on their side. We’ve formed a new chemistry and new identity.”

Yeagley said he knows this could be the club’s toughest match yet.

“We definitely know the style of play that they like to play,” he said. “We’ve played a few teams with a similar style. Jay’s done an unbelievable job rebuilding Pitt and rebranding them into the team they are. They’re an absolute contender. We’re going to have to be really good on Friday.”

As for Vidovich, he too knows it will be a tough match.

“The storyline for Indiana — they have the DNA, they find ways to win,” Vidovich said. “Winning has been in their DNA since coach Jerry Yeagley started the program. It really is a quality team that does have history. This team that they have has never been to a final four, nor has ours. That’s the reality of it.”

The bottom line is, yes it’s a shortened season but both teams are excited and hungry for a championship. As for who will come out on top, only time will tell. But one thing is for sure: This Hoosiers team is the real deal.

“This team has not been a team that has overwhelmed our opponents,” Yeagley said. “We don’t kid ourselves and feel that’s the way we’re going to go out. We can play really good soccer and certainly this team is very capable. It’s very built well up the center of the field. We have guys that can change the game in the wings. We have an outstanding goalkeeper, a strong spine and a goal scorer. And those ingredients have proved very important to us. The roles are very defined at this point. The guys know where they are. They go out and do it. The guys that are coming in know what they need to do. They’re not trying to do anything more. There’s a great grit about this group that’s developed over the course of the season.”

A peek at the first men’s semifinal:

In the first semifinal College Cup newcomer Marshall (11-2-3) takes on North Carolina (9-4-4). Marshall earned an automatic bid by winning its second-straight Conference USA Tournament. The Herd topped Fordham 2-1 in overtime, outlasted No.1 Clemson 7-6 in PKs after a 1-1 draw and finally beat defending NCAA champion Georgetown 1-0 to advance to the College Cup. Overall, Marshall has outscored opponents 28-8, while defensively they’ve earned nine shutouts.

North Carolina topped Wake Forest 2-1 en route to its ninth College Cup. Both the Tar Heels men and women find themselves in the College Cup. North Carolina toppled Charlotte, Stanford and Wake Forest in NCAA tourney action. The Tar Heels have outscored opponents 20-10, while earning nine shutouts. They’re in search of their third championship and first since 2011.

Follow Kathryn on Twitter: @Katknapp99.

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