BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana men’s soccer team fought back from a one-goal deficit with junior forward Will Bruin’s team-leading eighth goal of the season but it was not enough as Notre Dame put home the game winner in the 80th minute for a 2-1 victory over the Hoosiers Wednesday night on Jerry Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium..

Indiana dips to 5-4-1 on the season, while the Fighting Irish improve to 5-2-3 for the year.

“This is a tough result against a good Notre Dame team,” said head coach Todd Yeagley. “But I felt that even in the first half when we gave up the early goal the team stayed together. We played tough and did a good job of creating turnovers. We just couldn’t get that second (goal).

“We lost the battle in the midfield, and I thought at times we looked worn down. Notre Dame found its groove as we lost our footing.”

Trailing 1-0 after 14 minutes of play, the Hoosiers rallied to tie things at 1-all as Bruin again came up big for Indiana. Senior midfielder Andy Adlard served a ball in from the left side toward the back post as Bruin made a run toward the ball. Notre Dame goalkeeper Phillip Tuttle misjudged the bounce of the ball in front of the net, and Bruin pounced on the loose ball with a shot into the lower left corner.

“I am just trying to score on the chances I get, whether it is one or three,” Bruin said.

Notre Dame took an early lead on a defensive miscue in the midfield. The Hoosiers turned the ball over and with numbers on his side Steven Perry took a shot that goalkeeper Luis Soffner was able to come off his line and save. The ball ricocheted out to Jeb Brovsky who was able to record his second goal of the season for a 1-0 Fighting Irish lead at 13:45.

Indiana nearly had the tying goal 30 seconds after the Notre Dame score but junior midfielder Chris Estridge sent his open leader wide left from two yards out. With the game tied a 1-all and time winding down in the first half, Bruin broke free from his marker and sent in a liner from 25 yards out that trailed off to the left.

The Hoosiers went into the halftime break with a slim 7-5 advantage in shots. Both teams had two corner kick opportunities in the first 45 minutes.

Neither team could muster up much of an offensive attack in the early going of the second half, with Indiana’s first scoring threat coming with 16:31 left to play. Junior Harrison Petts came racing up the middle but put up a shot right at Tuttle for the easy stop. Five minutes later Adlard made a run at the goal but ended up sending his shot wide right.

Adam Mena broke the deadlock in the 80th minute with his first goal of the season. Mena danced with the ball on the right side before taking a left-footed shot from 18 yards out that found the back of the net.


The Hoosiers had several scoring chances in the waning minutes, including a shot from Estridge that was cleared off the line, and three corner kicks in the final seven minutes but could not come up with the equalizer.

Things do not get any easier for Indiana as the Hoosiers travel to No. 11 Creighton (8-1) Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET to take on the BlueJays in their homecoming match.

“We need to turn things around and it starts with Creighton,” Bruin said. “It will be a great game on the road against a top team.”