Kevin Johnston

IndyStar correspondent

INDIANAPOLIS – To call the Indy Eleven’s North American Soccer League spring season a roller coaster would be inaccurate. If one had to draw a graph of it, it would be a straight line across the x-axis, one sharp dip, then one upward spike back to the original starting point.

It all began for Indy with six consecutive draws to start the season. Then came four losses and a draw over the next five, only to completely rebound with four wins and a draw over the following five.

The result is an anxiety-inducing 4-4-8 spring record. Given the absurd number of injuries the Eleven suffered, they’ll take it.

“We were in a very deep hole,” Eleven coach Tim Hankinson said. “A lot of teams would not have believed in themselves enough and worked as hard as these guys have to get themselves out of it.”

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Indy nabbed a 2-0 home win in its final game of the spring Saturday against Jacksonville Armada FC. While the three points certainly didn’t steal away the spring title already clinched by Miami FC, it will likely carry over the team’s significant momentum built up over the past five weeks into the fall.

The Eleven threatened often in the first half, but a few sloppy services got away from them on the left side and sailed out of bounds.

Armada FC’s J.C. Banks nearly produced a moment of individual brilliance in the 27th minute, but his long-range, dipping blast hit the outside of the top netting. The teams headed to halftime scoreless, but not before Eleven goalkeeper Jon Busch was called into action to make a point-blank save in the 44th minute after a defensive breakdown.

It didn’t take long after the break for Indy’s pressure in the final third to reap benefits. Midfielder Brad Ring lifted a pass to the back post for left back Nemanja Vukovic, who juked his defender and bended a perfect shot into the top corner in the 48th minute.

Twenty minutes later, Indy made it 2-0 on midfielder Craig Henderson’s first goal with the club. Right winger Don Smart flicked the ball to striker Eamon Zayed, who played a low pass to Henderson’s feet. The New Zealand international settled the ball while shielding off a defender, turned and finished.

“It’s special, it really is,” Henderson said of the atmosphere at Carroll Stadium. “I’ve played on a few professional teams now, and to be honest, I think these fans are the most passionate I’ve played in front of.”

Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Indy’s central attacking midfielder who started the previous four games, missed the game for his wedding. Gerardo Torrado returned from a six-week injury spell to draw the start in his place.

“I was very pleased (with Torrado’s performance),” Hankinson said. “He did the defensive work as he always does.”

Indy returns to action July 30 at FC Edmonton in its quest to either win the fall season or at least qualify for the four-team NASL playoffs.