EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The 2023 season for University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer came to a heartbreaking end Sunday afternoon at Strassweg Field with a 3-1 loss to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in the Ohio Valley Conference Women’s Soccer Championship quarterfinals.
The Screaming Eagles finished the 2023 campaign with a 4-8-7 overall record while going 3-2-4 in the OVC regular season. USI’s solid season illustrated the next step forward as a D-I program after tying for third place in the OVC and being awarded the chance to host an OVC tournament match for the first time as the No. 4 seed. Plus, Southern Indiana made it 2-for-2 in earning an OVC Tournament berth since joining the conference in 2022, improving from a first-round appearance last year to being a quarterfinalist this year.
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In the battle of the 4-versus-8 seeds, Sunday’s match was played in soggy conditions, as both squads had to acclimate to the rainy, muddy conditions. Despite the tough terrain, each team was able to find early chances.
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Within the first two minutes of the contest, USI freshman midfielder Pilar Torres (Chula Vista, California) took a low shot that was saved by Little Rock’s sophomore goalkeeper Peyton Urban. A minute later, the Trojans went the other direction and had a shot deflect off the goalpost.
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USI senior midfielder Paige Vanek (St. Charles, Missouri) had two shots saved by Urban in the middle of the first half. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Anna Markland (Hoover, Alabama) matched Urban with a pair of saves in the middle of the opening half for the Eagles. The defenses continued to stand tall, keeping the match scoreless into halftime.
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Two minutes into the start of the second stanza, Little Rock broke the 0-0 deadlock when a loose ball off a corner kick cross was knocked into the goal by the Trojans’ senior defender Sanaa Williams. Little Rock later doubled its lead to 2-0 in the 63rd minute when a build-up through the midfield led to a long-range shot by Trojans’ sophomore Madison Eisner that snuck under the top corner of the goal. Little Rock added a third goal just a few minutes later.
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With the minutes ticking and the physicality of the game ramping up, USI looked to create opportunities in the attacking half with a sense of urgency. In the 72nd minute, Southern Indiana cut the deficit down to two when a cross from out wide by Torres ricocheted off a Trojan and into the goal. It was the fourth goal of the season for the USI freshman. Torres had another attempt blocked late in the second half.
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Little Rock (7-4-8, 2-3-4) closed out the 3-1 win to advance to Thursday’s semifinals against No. 1-seeded Tennessee Tech University.
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For the game, Southern Indiana had seven shots with four on goal, and Little Rock took 14 shots with eight on target. Torres led USI with three shots, placing two on frame. Vanek had two shots, both on goal. Between the posts, Markland once again played a full 90 minutes and made five saves. Additionally, USI’s two defensive centerback leaders, redshirt freshman Abby Rhoutsong (Newburgh, Indiana) and sophomore Charli Grafton (Sunriver, Oregon), played a full 90 minutes as they have for nearly the entire season.
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“It is a building process with this D-I transition, and I am very pleased with the season and our team’s efforts,” USI Head Coach Eric Schoenstein said. “It is about developing for the future and building a winning culture. I am thrilled with everything our players have done, getting better each day. Nothing but positives moving forward from this great season.”
