ST. LOUIS – The Indiana men’s soccer team has high hopes for the 2024 season, but its opening match of the season was a false start in terms of proving their ambitions wit.

Host Saint Louis scored in each half and held down the Hoosiers’ potent attack in 2-0 victory in front of 5,763 fans at Robert R. Herrmann Stadium on the campus of Saint Louis on Friday night.

The Billikens, a traditional men’s soccer power, but unranked entering the match, out-shot the Hoosiers 8-7, though shots on goal were even at 3-3. The Billikens doubled the Hoosiers’ output in corner kicks 6-3.

Indiana, blessed with attacking options, started all four of its primary attackers – Sam Sarver, Collins Oduro, Tommy Mihalic and Northwestern transfer Justin Weiss.

Weiss had two shots on goal and Sarver one, but those were the only shots on target from the above quintet and they only had five total shots in all. A bright spot was substitute Michael Nesci, who had two shots.

Sarver started on the right wing, with Weiss and Mihalic playing centrally, and Oduro playing on the left wing. They had support from left back Alex Barger and right back Quinton Elliot, a transfer from Louisville.

Patrick McDonald and Jack Wagoner manned the midfield, dropped several yards behind the forward line, with center backs Jansen Miller and freshman Jack Lindimore behind them. J.T. Harms was Indiana’s goalkeeper.

Saint Louis had a familiar name in its starting lineup – former Indiana central defender Joey Maher. His brother, freshman Josh Maher, is on Indiana’s roster, but the younger Maher did not play on Friday.

Saint Louis placed its defenders at the top of the 18-yard box and the Hoosiers had trouble finding the pass to penetrate their line for decent opportunities.

The Billikens earned their breakthrough in the 16th minute. After over a minute of sustained possession, including 15 consecutive passes, Saint Louis attacker Luis Lara beat Lindemore, who had been pulled out of position, one-on-one on the left side. Lara got to the goal line, drew out Harms, and then centered a pass to Seth Anderson in the 6-yard box.

Anderson’s shot was parried by Barger in a collision, but forward Matthew Wrobel trailed the play, beat Miller and Wagoner to the ball, and he placed his shot with his left foot low and on the left side from 10 yards out to put the Billikens in front.

Saint Louis continued to control possession after it scored. Indiana would not muster a response until Mihalic had a shot blocked in the 30th minute. It was the only shot for the Hoosiers in the first half. Meanwhile, Harms was forced to make a pair of fingertip saves on each side of the 44th minute.

In the second half, Indiana coach Todd Yeagley moved Oduro into central attack and started Nesci in place of Weiss, and put Clay Murador on the left wing in place of Mihalic. Indiana’s attack had more bite with six shots, but there was no breakthrough.

The only shot the Hoosiers had when it had the chance to equalize was a 53rd minute shot by Nesci that was blocked.

In the 60th minute, the Billikens doubled their lead. Anderson sent a free kick from the right side into the six-yard box. Former Hoosier Maher back-heeled out of the 6-yard box back towards Indiana defender Miller. He put his foot up to try to clear it, but it deflected directly into the left side of the net. Harms had no play on it as Indiana conceded the own goal to make it 2-0.

Indiana’s forgettable evening was capped by a missed penalty in the 82nd minute. Miller was pulled down on a in the 18-yard box to set up the penalty kick, but the penalty kick.

Weiss took it, but his shot, low to the left, was pushed away by Saint Louis keeper Jeremi Abonnel, who also parried a subsequent centering blast by Murador from the goal line just after his penalty save. Abonnel also punched away a blistering free kick headed goal-ward by Sarver in the 85th minute.

Going into the match, Indiana had won seven in a row over Saint Louis. It was the Billikens first victory in the series since 2007. The matchup featured programs responsible for 18 national championships – 10 for SLU and eight for the Hoosiers.

Indiana will try to rebound in its home opener at Bill Armstrong Stadium next Thursday when No. 2 Notre Dame visits. Kickoff is 8 p.m. and the match will be broadcast on BTN+.