University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer is eyeing its 12th Great Lakes Valley Conference championship when it kicks off the spring season. The Screaming Eagles start the season with a showdown with the University of Indianapolis Sunday at a special 4 p.m. kick off at Goebel Soccer Complex.
USI will be implementing a spectator policy in 2021 due to COVID-19. For the safety and well-being of the players, coaches, and officials. For this weekend’s games at Goebel Soccer Complex, the following guidelines have been set in place:
- Goebel Soccer Complex allows for any parents, guardians, siblings, spouses, and minor children of participants to attend so we will go based off this for the weekend.
- All guests will be asked as they come in who they are there for so we can make sure it is just those who have someone participating in the game.
- Masks must be worn at all times per GLVC policy and will be enforced unless eating or drinking.
- The bleachers at Goebel are closed so all spectators will need to bring their own seating (chairs, blankets, etc.)
- Social distancing will also be required.
Fans can catch all of the game coverage for the 2021, including live stats, video stream, and audio broadcasts, on GoUSIEagles.com.
Following the season opener with UIndy, USI will be on the road with visits to Lewis University March 5 and the University of Illinois Springfield March 7 before returning home to host Quincy University March 12.
Week 1 – Eagle Game Notes:Â
Santoro needs one to break: Head Coach Mat Santoro needs one win to surpass former Head Coach Tony Colavecchia for the all-time lead in wins for the USI men’s soccer program. Santoro, who has a 97-81-21 overall record at the helm, has guided the Eagles to a pair of NCAA II Tournament appearances; the 2018 GLVC regular season crown, and six GLVC Tournament appearances during his tenure. Colavecchia was 97-59-11 (.614) between 1988 and 1995.
USI earned trip to GLVC semifinals in 2019: The Eagles earned a trip to the GLVC 2019 semifinals and posted a 9-7-3 overall record, 8-5-2 in the GLVC regular season. USI midfielder Sean Rickey was the team leader in points with 22 on seven goals and eight assists.
Mad dash to the finish: After starting the 2019 with a 0-3-2 mark, the Eagles won eight of the last 13 regular season matches, going 8-4-1. Overall, USI also won five of the last six matches to move from 11th to fifth in the GLVC standings.
Returning leaders: USI’s top returning scorer is sophomore forward Zach Barton, who posted 14 points on five goals and four assists. Junior midfielder Ryan Nevins follows Barton with 12 points on six goals (second on the team).
Between the posts: Senior goalkeeper Justin Faas returns between the posts after posting a 0.95 goals against average in 2019. Faas, who missed four matches early to injuries, allowed 15 goals in 1417 minutes of action, making 62 saves and posting a 9-3-3 record.
Faas in the USI record book: Senior goalkeeper Justin Faas ranks fifth all-time at USI in shutouts, one behind a tie for third (Kyle Penick, 2002-05; Adam Zehme (2014-17) and third in goals against average.
UIndy in 2019:Â UIndy was 16-6-1 overall in 2019, 10-4-1 in the GLVC, and advanced to the NCAA II Tourament semifinals.
USI versus Greyhounds:Â USI leads the all-time series with UIndy, 23-16-0, after the squads split a pair of meetings in 2019. The Greyhounds took the regular season match, 2-1, in Indianapolis, while the Eagles upset UIndy in the GLVC Tournament, 3-2.
Overall GLVC Championships by the Eagles:Â USI has 11 GLVC men’s soccer titles since the conference was created in 1979, the most by any program in the league. The Eagles won the conference tournament championships in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991; and the regular season title in 2018.
