The 19th-ranked University of Southern Indiana men’s soccer team posted a record-setting victory with a 3-0 defeat of William Jewell College Friday night at Strassweg Field. USI watched its record rise to 10-1-0 overall and 8-1-0 in the GLVC, while WJC fell to 2-9-0, 2-7-0 GLVC.
The Screaming Eagles, who are off to the best start in program history, set a new school record with its eighth-straight win, breaking a mark set in both the 1990 and 1991 seasons. At 10-1-0 and six regular season games remaining, USI can set its sights on the school record of 15 wins set in 1989 and 1990.
The Eagles took command midway through the opening 45 minutes when junior midfielder Kyle Richardville (Vincennes, Indiana) scored at 27:24. Richardville was assisted on his fifth goal of the season by junior midfielder Riley Belding (Columbus, Indiana). USI, which had a dominating 12-3 lead in shots during the first half, would hold the 1-0 lead through the halftime.
In the second half, Richardville and Belding combined for a second time to extend the margin to 2-0 at 55:32. Richardville headed in his second of the match and sixth of the season on a bending corner kick by Belding.
USI freshman midfielder Sean Rickey (Columbia, Illinois) gave the Eagles a 3-0 lead on an insurance goal at 76:42. Richardville looped a pass into the box where Rickey put the ball away for his fifth goal of the season. The goal would give the match its final score of 3-0.
Between the posts, junior goalkeeper Adam Zehme (Orland Park, Illinois) continued his career-best season with his 10th win of the year and fifth shutout of the season. Zehme, the GLVC’s reigning Defensive Player of the Week, was credited with the win after making one save while facing six total shots.
The win sets up a 2:30 p.m. Sunday showdown between the top-two teams in the GLVC and the NCAA Division II’s number one and number 19 squads. The GLVC-leading and top-ranked Rockhurst University Hawks sent their record to 10-0-1 overall and 8-0-1 in the GLVC after defeating Bellarmine University, 2-1, tonight in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Eagles have a lot of ground to make up in the all-time series with the Hawks, trailing 17-1-3. Rockhurst won both meetings in Kansas City, Missouri, last year, taking the regular season match-up, 3-1, and the GLVC first round match-up, 1-0.
Following Sunday’s match with Rockhurst, the Eagles hit the road for three-straight matches. USI will travel to Drury University October 14; Missouri University of Science & Technology October 16; and McKendree University October 21 on the longest road trip of the year.
