USI WOMEN OPENS SEASON WITH TOURNAMENT
The University of Southern Indiana women’s soccer team begins the 2016 regular-season campaign and a five-game homestand by hosting the Dunn Hospitality Invitational Labor Day weekend at Strassweg Field. The tournament features USI, the University of Findlay, Kentucky Wesleyan College, and the University of Illinois Springfield.
KWC and Illinois Springfield kick-off the tournament at 5 p.m. Friday before USI opens the regular season against Findlay at 7:30 p.m. The tournament concludes Sunday when Illinois Springfield takes on Findlay at 11:30 a.m. and USI opposes KWC at 2 p.m.
Live coverage of the tournament can be found at GoUSIEagles.com.
Following the tournament, the Screaming Eagles reach the halfway point of the homestand and complete their non-conference schedule by welcoming Oakland City University to Strassweg Field on September 7 for a 7 p.m. match-up.
Week 1 Eagle Notes:Â
Returning to winning ways:Â The Eagles have posted winning records five of the last seven seasons after posting a 5-10-2 overall record, 4-10-1 Great Lakes Valley Conference, in 2015.
At home in 2015:Â USI struggled at home last season, recording a 2-4-1 mark in 2015. The Eagles were outscored 9-6 at Strassweg Field last fall, losing three of the four matches by one goal. The squad is 81-64-12 overall at Strassweg Field since the creation of the program in 1996.
Leading scorers return IN 2016: The Eagles return six of the top seven scorers from 2015, led by sophomore forward Ryley Hancock (Evansville, Indiana). Hancock had nine points on two goals, including a game-winner against Northwood University, and a team-high five assists. Senior defender Kelsey Smith(Evansville, Indiana) is second among the returning scorers with eight points on a team-high four goals, including a pair of game-winning goals.
Schoenstein begins his first year: USI Head Coach Eric Schoenstein enters his first season as the head coach of the Eagles after a pair of seasons as an assistant coach. Schoenstein is no stranger to USI soccer, playing a pivotal role during the Eagles’ men’s soccer dominance of the Great Lakes Valley Conference with USI winning league titles in 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991. The Evansville, Indiana, native is still among the all-time leaders at USI, ranking third in goals scored (34); fifth in assists (22); and third in total points (90).
USI leads Findlay 2-0-2: USI leads the all-time series with Findlay, 2-0-2, tying the Oilers last year, 2-2, on the road. The Eagles had goals by midfieler/defender Carissa Dyer (Crescent Springs, Kentucky), a sophomore this season for USI, and forward Madi Vellky in the 2-2 tie.
USI has dominant hold of series record with KWC:Â The Eagles have dominated the Panthers since the start of the series in 1996 when KWC was a member of the GLVC. USI holds a 15-0-0 advantage in the series and won the last meeting 2-1 in overtime in KWC’s last year in the GLVC.
Eagles are unbeaten versus Oakland City: USI holds a 4-0-0 series record over Oakland City University. The Eagles moved the series lead to 4-0-0 after posting a 7-0 win on the road in 2010.
