The 21st-ranked University of Southern Indiana men’s soccer team starts the 2017 Great Lakes Valley Conference slate Friday when it visits the University of Missouri-St. Louis for a 7:30 p.m. match-up in St. Louis, Missouri. USI concludes its visit to the St. Louis area with a stop at Maryville University Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
Coverage of USI’s 2017 campaign, including live stats and video, is on GoUSIEagles.com.
Week 2 Eagle Notes: effected
National Rankings: USI entered the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll at number 21 after going 2-0 to start the year. The Screaming Eagles, who had received votes for the preseason top 25 poll in August, were ranked as high as 19th last season.
First Week Review:Â The Eagles posted a pair of wins last week to start the 2017 campaign, defeating Kentucky Wesleyan College at Strassweg Field, 3-2, and Union University, 4-2, on the road.
Eagles in openers:Â USI is 20-17-2 all-time in season openers after defeating Kentucky Wesleyan to start the year.
Generating the offense: USI scored seven goals in the first two matches, led by freshman defender Justin Raines (Bartlett, Tennessee). Raines scored twice in the first two matches, including the game-winning goal against Kentucky Wesleyan. In addition to Raines, USI had goals from sophomore defender Justin Brooks (Fishers, Indiana); sophomore midfielder Sean Rickey (Columbia, Illinois); freshman forward Graham Miller (Owensboro, Kentucky); and senior midfielder Kyle Richardville (Vincennes, Indiana).
Santoro begins his ninth year: USI Head Coach Mat Santoro, who has a 66-63-16 overall record at the helm, led the Eagles to their first NCAA Division II Tournament berth since 1982 after posting a 13-4-4 record in 2016. Santoro’s 2017 Eagles were a 15-year best 10-2-3 in the GLVC last fall.
USI tabbed third in GLVC poll:Â The Eagles were picked third in the Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason poll of the league’s coaches, the highest selection since 2003. USI tied for second last year in the conference regular season with a 10-2-3 conference mark, prior to bowing out of the GLVC Tournament in the semifinal. UMSL is predicted to place seventh this fall, while Maryville was picked eighth.
Return to the GLVC Tournament:Â USI is looking for back-to-back-to-back trips to the GLVC Tournament for the first time since 1989, 1990, and 1991.
USI trails UMSL in all-time series:Â The Eagles trail the UMSL in the all-time series, 21-6-2, after splitting two matches last fall. The Tritons won the regular season match-up, 2-1, while USI wan the GLVC Tournament contest, 1-0, at Strassweg Field.
USI dominating series with Maryville: USI has been dominating in the all-time series with Maryville, leading, 7-1-1, and seven victories in a row. The Eagles defeated the Saints last year in double-overtime, 2-1, on goals by sophomore midfielder Sean Rickey and sophomore defender Justin Brooks.
United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II Men – National – Poll 1 – September 5, 2017
