The University of Southern Indiana men’s soccer team cruised by the University of Illinois Springfield, 3-1, Sunday afternoon at Strassweg Field. USI watched its record go to 11-2-3 overall and 9-2-3 in the GLVC, while Illinois Springfield goes to 6-9-2, 5-7-2 GLVC.
The win puts USI into third place in the GLVC standings, a game-and-a-half behind Missouri University of Science & Technology (10-1-6, 9-0-5 GLVC) and fifth-ranked Rockhurst University (13-2-1, 11-2-1 GLVC), which are tied for first in the league. The Screaming Eagles can clinch a GLVC Tournament first round home match with a win or a tie Wednesday when they host Bellarmine University.
After falling behind by a goal, 1-0, the Eagles exploded for three goals and led by halftime, 3-1. Freshman forward Eric Ramirez (Vincennes, Indiana) knotted the game up at 1-1 with a break-away goal off a pass from freshman midfielder Sean Rickey (Columbia, Illinois) at 12:37. The goal was Ramirez’s team-best 10th of the season as he continues to build upon his USI freshman record.
USI took the lead at 20:15 at when junior midfielder Brian Fischer (Jeffersonville, Indiana) scored off of Rickey’s second assist of the contest. Fischer’s tally was his first of the season.
The Ealges sealed the victory before the start of the intermission when junior midfielder Cesar Alba(Hanover Park, Illinois) headed in a cross from freshman midfielder Adam Becker (Columbia, Illinois) at 38:02. The goal was Alba’s first of the 2016 campaign.
In the second half, USI’s defense took over and shutout Illinois Springfield by allowing only two shots, one on-goal. USI junior goalkeeper Adam Zehme (Orland Park, Illinois) needed only one save to post his 11th win of the year.
The Eagles’ regular season concludes Wednesday when they host Bellarmine at 7:30 p.m. Bellarmine watched its record go to 6-7-4, 5-6-3 GLVC after posting a 2-1 victory over McKendree University this afternoon.
USI leads the all-time series with Bellarmine, 23-13-2, and is 3-0-1 in the last four meetings, dating back to 2012. The Eagles earned their way into the 2015 GLVC Tournament with a 2-0 win over the Knights in Louisville, Kentucky, last fall.
