EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer opens the 2024 regular season home slate Saturday with the annual Gold Game when it hosts Bellarmine University for a 7 p.m. contest. The first 200 fans will receive gold bracelets to help spread awareness of childhood cancers.
The USI-Bellarmine matchup, which also is part of the USI Men’s Soccer Alumni Weekend, is the start of a five-match homestand that includes contests against former Division II rivals from the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Eagles will take on Bellarmine Saturday; Purdue University Fort Wayne (formerly Indiana University/Purdue University Fort Wayne) September 17; and Lindenwood University (October 3).
In addition to renewing rivalries, the homestand will have the start of the 2024 Ohio Valley Conference schedule when USI hosts Eastern Illinois University September 28.
USI fans can attend all Men’s Soccer 2024 home matches for free, courtesy of a sponsorship from ProRehab. Game coverage for 2024, including links to live stats and/or video streams, can be found on USIScreamingEagles.com. All five of USI’s homestand matches are scheduled to air on ESPN+.
USI Men’s Soccer Week 3 Notes:
Eagles bitten by Bears to finish road trip: The Eagles were bitten by Mercer University Bears, 2-0, in Macon, Georgia, to conclude a five-match road swing.
USI comes up short in Mayor’s Cup: The Eagles came up short in the cross-town matchup with the University of Evansville, 3-1, in the Mayor’s Cup. Freshman forward David Davila (Elkhart, Indiana) had the lone USI goals, giving the Eagles a brief 1-0 lead in the opening half.
Davila’s goal: Freshman forward David Davila posted his first collegiate goal in the match at Evansville.
Nakamae had three goals in three matches: Freshman midfielder Ahiro Nakamae (Mie, Japan) is the first USI freshman to have three goals in his first three matches since Eric Ramirez had three goals in three matches in 2016. Ramirez would go on to score at least a goal in six of his first eight matches and would lead USI in scoring with 21 points on 10 goals and one assist as a freshman in 2016.
USI set for 5-match homestand: The USI-Bellarmine contest is the start of a five-match homestand for the Eagles that includes the start of 2024 Ohio Valley Conference slate. The homestand, which is USI’s longest of the season, also includes meetings with Purdue University Fort Wayne (September 17); Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (September 25), Eastern Illinois University (September 28) and Lindenwood University (October 3).
USI vs. old GLVC foes: USI will be taking on a trio of old Great Lakes Valley Conference foes during the homestand. The Eagles hold a 39-22-3 record against Bellarmine (25-16-2), Purdue Fort Wayne (11-3-1), and Lindenwood (3-3-0) while matching up in the GLVC.
