The University of Southern Indiana men’s soccer team exploded for three first half goals and cruised to a 3-1 win over William Jewell College Friday evening in Liberty, Missouri. The Screaming Eagles, who have won a season-best four-straight, rise to 7-5-0 overall and 5-5-0 in the GLVC, while WJC sees its record go to 3-10-0 overall and 1-9-0 in the league.
With the win, the Eagles reach the .500 mark in the GLVC for the first time this season and move into a three-way tie for seventh in the league standings with four conference matches remaining. The top eight teams in the standing qualify for the GLVC Tournament that is slated to begin October 29.
USI sophomore forward Eric Ramirez (Vincennes, Indiana) started the scoring for the Eagles with a pair of tallies, his fourth and fifth of the season. Ramirez got his first of the half at 25:34 off an assist from freshman defender Justin Raines (Bartlett, Tennessee), while his second came at 33:02 off a pass down the center of the field by senior midfielder Cesar Alba (Hanover Park, Illinois).
The Eagles concluded the first half scoring barrage when sophomore defender Markus Poulsen (Gilleleje, Denmark) posted his first of the year and as an Eagle at 38:31. Poulsen was assisted on the tally by sophomore defender Drew Albert (Eureka, Missouri) and junior forward Hayden Sovar (Owensboro, Kentucky).
The 3-0 first half lead lasted through the intermission and until the 75:54 mark of the second half when WJC cut the USI advantage to 3-1 and the eventual final score.
Between the posts, USI senior goalkeeper Adam Zehme (Orland Park, Illinois) and freshman goalkeeper Justin Faas (Carmel, Indiana) combined for the Eagle win. Zehme, who officially picked up his seventh win of the season, did not allow a goal and was forced to make one save, while Faas allowed the Cardinals’ second half in his third appearance of the season.
The Eagles plays its final road game of the regular season when they visit fourth-ranked Rockhurst University Sunday at noon. Rockhurst saw its season mark go to 10-0-2 overall and 9-0-1 GLVC after shutting out McKendree University, 3-0, this evening in Kansas City, Missouri.
USI trails the all-time series with Rockhurst, 19-1-3, after falling to the Hawks in the regular season, 2-1, in overtime and in the NCAA Division II Tournament, 3-1. The only time the Eagles defeated Rockhurst was at Strassweg Field in 2012.
Following this weekend’s road trip, USI comes back to Strassweg Field for the longest and final homestand of 2017. The Eagles are scheduled to host Drury University October 20; Missouri University of Science & Technology for Senior Day October 22; and McKendree University October 25 for the 2017 regular season finale.
