EVANSVILLE, Ind.– University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer loses the first leg of its two-game road trip 3-0 to Purdue University Fort Wayne in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on Tuesday afternoon.
The Screaming Eagles’ offense struggled, held scoreless on four shots, two on goal, marking their third match with limited attempts.
The Mastodons opened the match with relentless pressure, finding the back of the net at the 20:42 and 39:57 marks. Giving Fort Wayne a two-goal lead going into the break. Freshman Isaac Weidner had USI’s lone shot on goal in the first half, which the Mastodons’ goalkeeper stopped.
Through the first half, the Eagles’ offense struggled to apply pressure, recording just two shots compared to the Mastodons’ eight. Fort Wayne managed three corner kicks to USI’s zero, allowing extra offensive opportunities.
The second half turned into a defensive battle, where the Eagles limited the Mastodons to a goal in the 86th minute, extending the lead to 3-0. Fort Wayne continued its offensive barrage, tallying 11 shots with six on goal. The Eagles managed two shots in the second half, with Weidner getting his second shot on goal of the match.
For the game, Weidner led the team with two shots, both on goal, while junior midfielder Will Kirchhofer and freshman Brian Novillo each had a shot. Freshman goalkeeper Andre Faerman grabbed five saves in his first collegiate action.
The Eagles are back on the pitch Saturday for the Ohio Valley Conference opener against Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. The team then returns to Strassweg Field for a four-match homestand opening October 2 against Houston Christian University.
