After traveling to rival Kentucky Wesleyan College to open the 2016 season, University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer will host the Panthers August 31 at Strassweg Field to begin the 2017 campaign.
The Screaming Eagles then hit the road for four straight games, beginning with a non-conference matchup with Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, before beginning Great Lakes Valley Conference play at the University of Missouri-St. Louis September 8.
USI returns home for a pair of GLVC games against the University of Indianapolis and University of Wisconsin-Parkside September 22 and 24, respectively, with the game against the Rangers being the annual Gold Game. UIndy knocked the Eagles out of the GLVC Tournament in the semifinals a year ago.
After road games at Lewis University and the University of Illinois Springfield, USI plays host to Quincy October 6, whom it defeated in penalty kicks in the opening round of the NCAA II Tournament last season. The Eagles will travel to defending GLVC champion Rockhurst University October 15. The Hawks defeated USI, 2-1, in overtime during the regular season and also 3-1 in the NCAA II Tournament Second Round.
The Eagles finish off the 16-game schedule with three home games, wrapping up the regular season against McKendree University October 25.
USI is coming off 13-4-4 record last season and will look to make it back-to-back NCAA II Tournament appearances after making it for their first time since 1982 a year ago.
Leading returners for USI are senior goalkeeper Adam Zehme (Orland Park, Illinois), sophomore forward Eric Ramirez (Vincennes, Indiana) and senior midfielder Kyle Richardville (Vincennes, Indiana). All three were named to the All-GLVC and All-Region teams last season.
Zehme will anchor the USI defense this year after a 1.04 goals against average, career-best 13 wins, seven shutouts, and 74 saves as a junior. Richardville and Ramirez will look to lead the Eagles’ offense once again in 2017. Richardville was tied for second on the team with 19 points, scoring seven goals while adding five assists. Ramirez led the Eagles in scoring with 21 points on 10 goals and one assist, in addition to being named the GLVC Freshman of the Year.
