EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer team will head on the road on September 13th, to complete a stretch that saw them play five of their first six matches on the road, as they head to Peoria, Illinois to take on Bradley University with a 6pm kickoff before returning home to host Lindenwood University on September 16th at 7pm.
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After the match against Bradley the Screaming Eagles return to Strassweg Field for a three match homestand. The homestand will consist of non-conference matchups with Lindenwood and Chicago State University on September 24th. The Eagles then host their first Summit League match of the season when the University of Missouri-Kansas City comes to Evansville on September 28th.
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The USI defense was solid against the University of Evansville to earn the Eagles their first result of the season with a 0-0 draw. As the Eagles welcomed defender Sam Benoist (Foristell, Missouri) back into the squad, he was a key component along with starters Colten Walsh (St. Louis, Missouri), Damian McGregor-Wickham (Toronto, Canada), and Travis Sides (Evansville, Indiana). USI was able to hold the Aces scoreless for the first time this season and goalkeeper Alec Meissner (St. Charles, Missouri) earned his first collegiate shutout of his career. Although the Aces had 15 shots and only five were on goal.
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USI has had 32 shots this season and 14 shots on goal. Zach Barton (St. Louis, Missouri) is leading the way for the Eagles with five shots and two shots on goal this season. Will Kirchhofer (Fishers, Indiana) is right behind with four shots, Brian Winkler (Philpot, Kentucky), Ednilson Voiles (Plainfield, Indiana), and Jackson Mitchell (Newburgh, Indiana) all have three shots while Winkler is tied with Barton with two shots on goal.
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USI came into the season with questions about who would be the starting goalkeeper. So Far, Meissner has started four of the five games for the Eagles, allowing nine goals and making 10 saves on 47 shots faced and one shutout on the season. Freshman Giancarlo Varano (Woodbridge, Canada) has also made his case for the starting job, making one start and coming off the bench against SIUE. Varano has allowed four goals while making nine saves on 20 shots faced.
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While the Eagles have been led by a lot of new faces this season, senior defender Colten Walsh has been leading the team with the most minutes played this season with 415. After Walsh, the next four are all new to the program, including two transfers and two freshmen. Transfers Nick Faddis (St. Louis, Missouri) and McGregor-Wickham follow Walsh in minutes played while Faddis is the only other player with over 400 minutes played with 410. Freshmen Kirchhofer and Voiles round out the top five minutes played for the Eagles. All of the top five are the only players to have started all five games so far for USI.
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No matter the school or sport, transitioning from Division II to Division I is always tough. While they may not have that first win the board yet, this team has a lot of fight in them. The Eagles have allowed just three goals in the first half of games this season while scoring three of their own. Doing an incredible job of staying with teams through the entire first 45 minutes. The second half is where the experience of the other teams start to set in. the second half is where the experience of the other teams start to set in, while allowing 10 second half goals and scoring one it would seem that after halftime the Eagles can’t get a stop. However, USI has been very physical and tough coming out of the locker room, its experience for the other team in that last 30 minutes that start to set in. For USI, half of the goals that have been allowed have come after that 60 minute mark. The Eagles recorded their first shutout of the season and first since last October with their 0-0 draw against Evansville.
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Bradley Braves
The Bradley Braves come into the match following a loss to the University of Nebraska Omaha on Friday, 2-1, falling to 1-3-1 overall. The Braves are being led this season by Kaloyan Somov who leads the team with two goals. Two Braves lead the way with two assists, Francesco Pettinaroli and Reed Rogers. Nick Burke has led the way in goal for Bradley, starting all five matches, allowing nine goals while making 25 saves on 80 shots faced. This will be the fourth meeting between the Eagles and Braves, the first since 1994. USI took the first two meetings in 1992 and 1993 before a 2-2 draw in 1994.
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Lindenwood Lions
The Lindenwood Lions come into Strassweg Field on Friday, September 16th, after traveling to Drake University on Tuesday. The Lions found themselves a loss and a draw last week, a 3-0 loss to Missouri State University and a 1-1 draw with Northern Illinois University. The Lions go into the Drake match 0-2-1 on the season. The lone goal scorer for Lindenwood this season was Cole Hutson in the draw with NIU which was assisted on by Feho Sabotic. Hutson also leads the team with three shots. Meldin Sabotic has started all three matches for the Lions, allowing six goals, making 19 saves on 56 shots faced. The Eagles and Lions played each other once last season as apart of the Great Lakes Valley Conference, the match ending in a 1-1 draw in double overtime. Gabriel Miranda scored for the Lions while Ryan Nevins (St. Peters, Missouri) scored for the Eagles.
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Both the Bradley and Lindenwood matches will be streamed on ESPN+.
