Jags end three game skid against Cincinnati

The IUPUI Men’s Soccer team secured a huge non-conference win against the Cincinnati Bearcats 1-0 Tuesday evening, improving their overall record to 4-7-1.

From the opening kick, the Jaguars were on the attack early and they didn’t look back from there. Matthew Skaar, a junior, got things going early as his first shot nearly found the back of the net seven minutes in. The Jaguars would not let off the gas, firing off three shots within the first fifteen minutes of the match and that was something that head coach Brian Barnett was looking for in his team.

“When you press and when you start to turn teams over, then that generates a collective energy,” Barnett said. “We were able to ride that wave.”

The Jaguars finished the half with six total shots, with two of those shots on target and controlled possession of the ball for just over half of the time in the first half.

Things started to get very sloppy in the second half. In the 47’, the Jaguars were called for a foul inside the penalty area, which led to a crucial penalty kick for the Bearcats. Quinn McCallion, a sophomore, was able to come up with a huge stop on the penalty kick that kept the score nodded at zero.

The sloppy play continued as the Bearcats gave up four fouls within the first five minutes that would eventually lead them into huge trouble. In the 50’, the Jaguars got the opportunity they had been looking for all night long. The Jaguars were able to draw a foul right outside the penalty area, which led to an IUPUI free kick just outside the box. Cameron Peterson, a junior, seized the opportunity on the free-kick and buried the ball in the back of the net in 50’ for his first collegiate goal to give the Jaguars a 1-0 lead early in the second half.

“I was in shock at first,” Peterson said. “It was pure excitement, we just wanted to get out of this slump we’ve been in and today was the perfect night to get my first goal to help the team out.”

Peterson’s lone goal ended up making the difference in the end. On a night where IUPUI did not have their usual starting lineup, Barnett wanted to switch things up and it made a big difference.

“Throughout the season our team’s success has come from it’s collective strength,” coach Barnett said. “We made a decision as a coaching staff that there was a way to get that back and it was through putting more pace in the front part of our group so we can go and press high their team higher of the field, turn them over, and generate some momentum that way. More or less, find that collective strength again, reinitiate that strength in our group.”

The Jaguars have three of their final four games at home, with three of those games being against Horizon League opponents.

The Jaguars will next be in action against UIC on October 26 at Carroll Stadium.