Indiana's Grit Shines in Second-Half Comeback Over Kentucky

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — In a display of persistence and resilience, the Indiana Hoosiers (4-3-5, 2-1-2 B1G) mounted a thrilling second-half comeback to secure a 3-2 victory over the Kentucky Wildcats (2-2-4 Sun Belt) on Tuesday night. What seemed like a frustrating uphill battle at halftime quickly turned into an electric evening on Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium, with standout performances from senior Tommy Mihalic and freshman Michael Nesci sealing the win.

Despite outshooting Kentucky 14-3 in the first half, Indiana found themselves trailing 2-0 at the break, victims of a counterattack and an unfortunate deflection. But the second half was all about redemption, as Indiana's relentless pressure paid off with a brace from Mihalic and a late-game winner from Nesci. In total, IU posted a commanding 22-4 shot advantage, allowing only one shot from the Wildcats in the final 45 minutes.

Key Moments

• 23' – Kentucky's Logan Dorsey capitalized on a counterattack, driving a shot from outside the box to give the Wildcats the lead.
• 36' – Kentucky doubled their advantage off a corner kick, as a shot from Bertil Alban deflected off IU’s Mateo Franzotti and into the net.
• 52' – Indiana’s Mihalic opened the scoring for the Hoosiers, finding the net with a well-placed left-footed strike after a clever through ball from Collins Oduro.
• 57' – Mihalic struck again just five minutes later, completing a cross from Jansen Miller and tying the game at 2-2.
• 85' – The decisive moment came when Nesci received a pass from Oduro, whose hold-up play at the edge of the box allowed the freshman to fire a deflected shot past the Kentucky keeper, securing the 3-2 win.

Notables

• Indiana is now undefeated in its last four matches, scoring an impressive 10 goals in that span. Mihalic has netted four, while Oduro and Sarver have combined for nine goal contributions (G/A).
• This was Indiana's first victory over Kentucky since 2019, improving their historic record against the Wildcats to 27-3-5.
• Tommy Mihalic, who now leads the team with a career-high 8 goals this season, became Indiana’s active leader in career goals with 22, surpassing teammate Sarver.
• IU has proven itself a dominant force in October, boasting a 19-4-6 record over the last four seasons in the month.
• With Mihalic's brace, IU has now had a player score multiple goals in three consecutive matches, a feat not seen since 2015.

Looking Ahead

The Hoosiers will look to carry this momentum into their next challenge as they wrap up a three-match homestand with a showdown against Penn State this Friday. The game is a rematch of the 2023 Big Ten Tournament final, and Indiana will be keen to showcase their continued growth. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET, with tickets available for fans looking to support the team in person.

For continued updates on Indiana University men’s soccer, follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @IndianaMSOC.