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# 3 Indiana has been to the NCAA College Cup 21 times and has won eight national titles. Although No. 2 Pitt fought in the semifinals on Friday night in Cary, NC, the Hoosiers showed why they had so much success.
In the 79th minute, Indiana runner-up Herbert Endeley made a run on the right sideline and scored 1-0 with a shot over the right shoulder from Pitt goalkeeper Nico Campuzano.
It was only the Hoosiers’ second shot on goal and their seventh overall, but it only took Indiana a moment to win a possible ninth national championship. Sometimes it only takes one opportunity in football, and while the Panthers had a 14-7 lead and controlled possession throughout the game, the Hoosiers were the ones who came out on top.
After the game, Pitt coach Jay Vidovich, who led Wake Forest to a national championship in 2007, made sure his players know that such a game is only something they can learn as they develop.
« This game is loved all over the world because the underdogs can win sometimes, and I’m not saying Pitt was the underdog or Indiana, but I was sure we dominated the game, » said Vidovich . “That’s what makes it special in my opinion. Sometimes the dominant team doesn’t always win, and we can take that as a lesson. »
The Hoosiers play in the final against Marshall, who defeated North Carolina 1-0 in the first semi-final.
The Panthers, who made their first College Cup semi-final as the highest remaining seed of the tournament, controlled the game for most of the night. They kept the ball, worked the ball from end to end, and created multiple opportunities.
Midfielder Filip Mirkovic scored a shot in the 57th minute that hit the crossbar and fell directly on the goal line. After a quick review, the game resumed.
Valentin Noel, who was named one of three finalists for the MAC Hermann Trophy, which is considered the most prestigious individual award in college football, led the Panthers with Veljko Petkovic to three shots each. At times during the game, Pitt captain Jackson Walti said it just wasn’t like things were going their way.
Two of Noel’s chances came with a header in the 6-yard box, but both were knocked out by Indiana goalkeeper Roman Celentano.
« We got closer a couple of times, » said Walti. « The football gods just didn’t look down on us today. But I thought we did a good job after conceding the goal. We went up as a team with so many minutes left and got three or more chances out of it, stayed in possession of the ball and continued to play our football. »
With as many tight options as the panthers on Friday night, Vidovich believed that sooner or later someone would find the net. Since the panthers were only locked twice throughout the season, they had to find the back of the net.
« I thought it would come through, » said Vidovich. “They reached the goal at a time that was perfect for them because there was just enough time to, if we make a mistake, get their second and stick a knife in us. It was very difficult to come back. We just didn’t have enough time. Until the end, if you look at the corners we had and the long-range shots from Jackson, then we carried them on. »
The Panthers put together one of the best seasons in programming history this year and it was the result of the work they have done since Vidovich arrived in Pittsburgh.
In 2016, the first year at the helm of Vidovich, the Panthers went 2-16-3 and slowly built the program from the bottom up. With a recruiting focus that has given overseas players an international flair and a focused approach to becoming a championship program, the Panthers have grown into one of the best football teams in the country.
This season they had the most victories in the history of the program and were number 1 in the country. The semi-final performance on Friday was the deepest tournament run in program history. The panthers made their résumé and Walti said they were here to stay.
« The trip here wasn’t just one season. It’s been the last five seasons in the works since coach joined Pitt and took the job, » said Walti. « I think we’ve been huge in these five years and this year has been a phenomenal step up. « We grew up a lot, matured a lot and played some of the best football games in the country. We showed that we weren’t just at the top for a short stay. We’re here to stay and make our mark on college football, not just this year, but years to come. »
Greg Macafee is a contributor to Tribune Review. You can contact Greg by email at [email protected] or on Twitter.
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