Eagles battle Lions to 1-1 draw

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer picked up a 1-1 tie in its home opener against the University of North Alabama on Sunday. The draw moved both teams’ records to 0-1-1 on the young 2023 season.
 
The Screaming Eagles started out with early pushes into the attacking third. In the 7th minute, USI came within inches of scoring an early tally. Freshman midfielder Greta Ohlwein (Chicago, Illinois) crossed a pass to the middle of the box toward sophomore midfielder Peyton Murphy (Bargersville, Indiana). Murphy sent a low shot that went off the post.
 
With the match still scoreless, USI jumped onto the scoreboard in the 21st minute. Sophomore midfielder Emma Thurston (Leawood, Kansas) sent a long throw-in pass into the box, which deflected off a defender toward junior midfielder Maggie Duggan (Defiance, Missouri). The captain buried the opportunity into the lower right corner of the net for her first career goal. USI carried its 1-0 lead into the intermission.
 
North Alabama knotted the match at one in the 58th minute after a wayward pass led to a break toward the goal. Later, Southern Indiana nearly retook the lead in the 73rd minute when freshman midfielder Grace Bamber (Chesterton, Indiana) dished a cross to redshirt freshman defender Abby Rhoutsong (Newburgh, Indiana), who headed it inches above the crossbar.
 
In the last few minutes of the contest, the Screaming Eagles organized a couple of attacks in the final third of the field, but the Lions’ defense was able to clear the ball out of danger to hold the match to a 1-1 draw.
 
Southern Indiana outshot North Alabama 7-6 in the game, as each side placed three shots on goal. While Duggan had USI’s goal and Thurston with the assist, Murphy led the Screaming Eagles with two shots. Between the posts, sophomore keeper Anna Markland (Hoover, Alabama) made two saves.
 
On Thursday, Southern Indiana will travel eastward to Dayton, Ohio for a 6 p.m. CT matchup at Wright State University. Coverage links for the match at Wright State can be found at usiscreamingeagles.com.

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