The University of Southern Indiana men’s soccer team kicks off the 2017 campaign at Strassweg Field Thursday, hosting to Kentucky Wesleyan College for a 7 p.m. match-up before going on the road to play Union University Sunday at 5 p.m. in Jackson, Tennessee. Admission to the USI-KWC showdown to start the 2017 season is free, but donations will be accepted for the fight against pediatric cancers.
Coverage for USI’s 2017 campaign can be found at GoUSIEagles.com.
Week 1 Eagle Notes:Â
Offense is back for 2017: The Eagles return 87.2 percent of its 2016 goal production to start the new season. Leading the way is sophomore forward Eric Ramirez, who was the GLVC Freshman of the Year after producing 21 points on 10 goals and one assist. Senior midfielder Kyle Richardville and sophomore Sean Rickey followed Ramirez with 19 points each last fall. Richardville, who was named All-GLVC and All-Midwest Region, had his 19 points on seven goals and five assists, while Rickey made his collegiate debut with 19 points six goals and seven assists.
Zehme back between the posts: The Eagles return their All-GLVC and All-Midwest Region goalkeeper senior Adam Zehme. Zehme posted career-highs in wins (13), saves (74) and shutouts (7). He had a .763 save percentage and 1.04 goals against average.
Santoro begins his ninth year: USI Head Coach Mat Santoro, who has a 64-63-16 overall record at the helm, led the Eagles to their first NCAA Division II Tournament berth since 1982 after posting a 13-4-4 record in 2016. Santoro’s 2017 Eagles were a 15-year best 10-2-3 in the GLVC last fall.
USI tabbed third in GLVC poll:Â The Eagles were picked third in the Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason poll of the league’s coaches, the highest selection since 2003. USI tied for second last year in the conference regular season with a 10-2-3 conference mark, prior to bowing out of the GLVC Tournament in the semifinal.
Return to the GLVC Tournament:Â USI is looking for back-to-back-to-back trips to the GLVC Tournament for the first time since 1989, 1990, and 1991.
Eagles in openers:Â USI is 19-17-2 all-time is season openers after beginning the last three seasons with victories.
USI leads all-time record with KWC: The Eagles have a dominating 29-6-2 all-time series record with the Panthers of KWC. USI won last year’s match-up, 3-1, in Owensboro, Kentucky, and has won 15-straight over the Panthers. Sophomore forward Eric Ramirez led the way with a pair of goals in the victory.
USI versus Union: USI won its only meeting with Union in 2015, 4-0. Senior midfielder Cesar Alba led the Eagles in the victory with a goal and an assist. The USI match at Union starts a four-game road swing that includes the 2017 Great Lakes Valley Conference opener at the University of Missouri-St. Louis September 8 in St. Louis, Missouri.
