Eagles look to go over .500 on the road

The University of Southern Indiana men’s soccer team goes back on the road this week with the goal of surpassing the .500 mark when it visits Truman State University Friday at noon in Kirksville, Missouri, and Quincy University Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in Quincy, Illinois. Match coverage can be found on GoUSIEagles.com.

USI returns to Strassweg Field next week to end the 2019 regular season when it hosts Maryville University November 1 and Missouri University of Science & Technology November 3 for Senior Day.

Week 8 Eagle Notes: 

USI sweeps homestand: The Screaming Eagles reached the .500 mark at 5-5-3 overall and surpassed .500 in the GLVC at 5-4-2 with a homestand sweep last weekend. USI shutout the University of Illinois Springfield, 3-0, and Lewis University, 1-0. USI was led by senior forward Eric Ramirez, who had two game-winning goals and an assist, while senior midfielder Sean Rickey had a goal and two assists in the wins.

In the GLVC: The Eagles start this week’s action in sixth in the GLVC standings, percentage points out of fifth place and 2.5 games out of fourth. USI also leads seventh-place Quincy by a half-game and eighth-place Drury University by one game. The top eight teams qualify for the GLVC Tournament with the top four earning the right to host a first round match.

Season leaders: USI is led in scoring by senior forward Eric Ramirez with 13 points on five goals and three assists, while senior midfielder Sean Rickey has 12 points on four goals and a team-high four assists.

Career scoring leaders: USI senior midfielder Sean Rickey and senior forward Eric Ramirez are climbing up the Eagles’ all-time leader boards. Ramirez tied Chris King (1987-90) for fifth all-time with 29 goals and is ninth all-time with 68 points. Rickey is tied for sixth all-time with Matt Settles (2000-03) in assists (18) and ninth all-time in points (70) and goals scored (26).

Between the posts: Junior goalkeeper Justin Faas dropped his goals against average below 1.00 with a pair of shutouts to 0.83 this fall. He has a 5-1-3 record overall and four shutouts.

The Bulldogs in 2019: The Bulldogs of Truman State are 5-6-2 overall and 4-5-2 in the GLVC after going 0-1-1 in last week’s road swing. They lost to the surging Missouri University of Science & Technology, 2-1, and tied Maryville, 0-0, in double-overtime. Truman State is 2-1-1 overall at home this fall, 3-5-1 on the road.

USI versus Truman State: The Eagles have a chance to reach the .500 mark against Truman State, trailing the all-time series, 9-8-3, after the 0-0 double overtime tie last year in Kirksville. USI has had the advantage over the last six years, going undefeated at 4-0-2.

The Hawks in 2019: The Hawks of Quincy, who host McKendree University Friday before hosting the Eagles, are 7-6-0 overall, 5-5-0 in the GLVC. The Hawks, which split their matches on the road last weekend, are 3-1-0 overall at home in 2019, 4-5-0 on the road.

USI versus Hawks: Quincy leads the all-time series with USI, 17-7-2, but the Eagles have had the upper hand over the last five years, going 4-0-1 versus the Hawks. USI won at Quincy last fall, 2-0, on goals by senior midfielder Sean Rickey and senior forward Eric Ramirez.

Santoro begins his 11th year: USI Head Coach Mat Santoro has a 93-79-21 overall record at the helm. Santoro has guided the Eagles to a pair of NCAA II Tournament appearances; the 2018 GLVC regular season crown, and five GLVC Tournament appearances during his tenure.