EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer scored a season-high four goals and defeated Lindenwood University, 4-2, in the 2023 season finale Sunday evening at Strassweg Field. The Screaming Eagles go to 2-12-3 overall and 1-6-3 in the OVC, while the Lions are 6-6-6, 3-3-4 OVC.
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USI scored a pair of first half goals and went into the intermission with a 2-1. Junior midfielder Elmer Garcia (Indianapolis, Indiana) scored the first goal of the game at 18:15 off of assists by junior defender Sam Benoist (Foristell, Missouri) and graduate midfielder Nick Faddis (St. Louis, Missouri), who started the play with a corner kick.
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After Lindenwood tied the match at 1-1, USI regained the advantage, 2-1, on a tally by freshman midfielder Pablo Juan (St. Louis, Missouri) at 43:06. Junior midfielder Garland Hall (Evansville, Indiana) crossed the ball to senior defender Aevar Ofjord (Iceland), who had his bicycle kick ricochet to Juan for the goal.
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The goals were the second of the year for both Garcia and Juan.
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Immediately after the kickoff to start the second half, USI pushed the advantage to 3-1 when sophomore defender Diego Rodriguez (Edwardsburg, Michigan) posted his first goal of the year at 49:46 off a pass from senior forward/midfielder Dan Hartman (Seymour, Indiana). The Lions responded at 50:14 by cutting the Eagles’ advantage to 3-2.
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The Eagles sealed the victory with a season-high fourth goal of the match and a 4-2 lead off the foot of junior forward/midfielder Robert Schoenstein (Evansville, Indiana) at 76:20. Schoenstein was assisted on his second goal of the season by Hartman and senior forward Zach Bartman (St. Louis, Missouri).
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USI junior goalkeeper Braden Matthews (Princeton, Indiana) and the Eagles’ defense held off the Lions for the final 14 minutes to preserve the victory. Matthews faced 20 shots, making four saves and allowing two goals in the win. Â
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NEXT UP FOR USI:
USI has completed the 2023 season and sets its sights on the 2024 campaign next August.
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USI Mens Soccer finish 2023 with big win
Eagles’ season ends against Trojans in OVC quarterfinals
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The 2023 season for University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer came to a heartbreaking end Sunday afternoon at Strassweg Field with a 3-1 loss to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in the Ohio Valley Conference Women’s Soccer Championship quarterfinals.
The Screaming Eagles finished the 2023 campaign with a 4-8-7 overall record while going 3-2-4 in the OVC regular season. USI’s solid season illustrated the next step forward as a D-I program after tying for third place in the OVC and being awarded the chance to host an OVC tournament match for the first time as the No. 4 seed. Plus, Southern Indiana made it 2-for-2 in earning an OVC Tournament berth since joining the conference in 2022, improving from a first-round appearance last year to being a quarterfinalist this year.
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In the battle of the 4-versus-8 seeds, Sunday’s match was played in soggy conditions, as both squads had to acclimate to the rainy, muddy conditions. Despite the tough terrain, each team was able to find early chances.
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Within the first two minutes of the contest, USI freshman midfielder Pilar Torres (Chula Vista, California) took a low shot that was saved by Little Rock’s sophomore goalkeeper Peyton Urban. A minute later, the Trojans went the other direction and had a shot deflect off the goalpost.
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USI senior midfielder Paige Vanek (St. Charles, Missouri) had two shots saved by Urban in the middle of the first half. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Anna Markland (Hoover, Alabama) matched Urban with a pair of saves in the middle of the opening half for the Eagles. The defenses continued to stand tall, keeping the match scoreless into halftime.
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Two minutes into the start of the second stanza, Little Rock broke the 0-0 deadlock when a loose ball off a corner kick cross was knocked into the goal by the Trojans’ senior defender Sanaa Williams. Little Rock later doubled its lead to 2-0 in the 63rd minute when a build-up through the midfield led to a long-range shot by Trojans’ sophomore Madison Eisner that snuck under the top corner of the goal. Little Rock added a third goal just a few minutes later.
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With the minutes ticking and the physicality of the game ramping up, USI looked to create opportunities in the attacking half with a sense of urgency. In the 72nd minute, Southern Indiana cut the deficit down to two when a cross from out wide by Torres ricocheted off a Trojan and into the goal. It was the fourth goal of the season for the USI freshman. Torres had another attempt blocked late in the second half.
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Little Rock (7-4-8, 2-3-4) closed out the 3-1 win to advance to Thursday’s semifinals against No. 1-seeded Tennessee Tech University.
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For the game, Southern Indiana had seven shots with four on goal, and Little Rock took 14 shots with eight on target. Torres led USI with three shots, placing two on frame. Vanek had two shots, both on goal. Between the posts, Markland once again played a full 90 minutes and made five saves. Additionally, USI’s two defensive centerback leaders, redshirt freshman Abby Rhoutsong (Newburgh, Indiana) and sophomore Charli Grafton (Sunriver, Oregon), played a full 90 minutes as they have for nearly the entire season.
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“It is a building process with this D-I transition, and I am very pleased with the season and our team’s efforts,” USI Head Coach Eric Schoenstein said. “It is about developing for the future and building a winning culture. I am thrilled with everything our players have done, getting better each day. Nothing but positives moving forward from this great season.”
EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT
FOOTNOTE: Â EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
Eagles Golf are third at KWC Invitational
OWENSBORO, Ky. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Golf completed the fall portion of the 2023-24 campaign with a third-place at the Kentucky Wesleyan College Invitational. The Screaming Eagles earned the third spot after posting a two-round 585 (296-289), 10 strokes behind Missouri University of Science & Technology, which posted a 275 (289-286).
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USI started slow in the rain filled tournament, tying for sixth after the first round with an eight-over 296. Junior Sam Vertanen (Ames, Iowa) led the way for USI during the first 18 holes with a one-under 71.
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On the second day, the Eagles climbed to three slots with the one-over 289 in the second round. Senior Jace Day (Bloomington, Indiana) and junior Jason Bannister (Laguna Niguel, California) led the way for the Eagles’ move up the standing with a 70 and 72, respectively.
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Day rose from a tie for 19th after the first round to a tie for seventh as USI’s top finisher, shooting 144 (74-70). Vertanen fell from sixth to 14th at the end of the tournament with a 147 (71-76), while Bannister had a 148 (76-72) to tie for 20th overall.
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With the completion of the fall schedule, the Eagles are idle until the start of the spring schedule February 19-20 when they play in the World Golf Village Collegiate in St. Augustine, Florida and hosted by Eastern Kentucky University. Â
Gov. Holcomb Makes Appointments to Various Boards and Commissions
INDIANAPOLIS — Governor Eric J. Holcomb today announced several appointments to various state boards and commissions.
Board of Trustees of Indiana University
The governor made one new appointment to the board, who will serve until July 1, 2026:
- Isaac Torres (Goshen), founder and president of InterCambio Express, Inc.
Indiana Board of Accountancy
The governor made one reappointment to the board, who will serve until September 30, 2027:
- Michelle Skeen (Anderson), a senior manager with OnTarget CPA
The governor also made three new appointments to the board, who will serve until September 30, 2027:
- Colleen Scheele (Indianapolis), public policy counsel and director of tax and financial policy for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies
- Sarah Schenkel (Fort Wayne), audit director with Katz, Sapper & Miller
- John Wright (Evansville), former managing director of FORVIS
Indiana Board of Pharmacy
The governor made three reappointments to the board, who will serve until September 30, 2027:
- Steve Anderson (Bedford), a pharmacist with Crowder’s Pharmacy
- Matt Balla (Bloomington), vice president of CarDon & Associates
- Mark Smosna (McCordsville), regional manager, operations compliance with Amazon Pharmacy
The governor also made two new appointments to the board, who will serve until September 30, 2027:
- Andrew Meador (Indianapolis), clinical educator with IU Health
- Kate Snedeker (Carmel), corporate and crisis communications consultant with Kate Snedeker Communications
State Board of Cosmetology & Barber Examiners
The governor made one new appointment to the board, who will serve until September 30, 2027:
- Amy Worley (Brownsburg), owner of Mizell’s Barber Shop
Underground Storage Tank Financial Assurance Board
The governor made six reappointments to the board, who will serve until September 30, 2025:
- Mark Aldous (Indianapolis), producer at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
- Kim Logan (Indianapolis), deputy treasurer and director of operations with Indiana Treasurer of State Daniel Elliott
- Trout Moser (Bluffton), president of National Oil & Gas, Inc.
- Tom Navarre (Valparaiso), vice president of Family Express Corp.
- Toby Rickabaugh (Dayton, Ohio), an environmental professional with Marathon Petroleum
- Nivas Vijay (South Bend), senior project manager and COO at Heartland Environmental Associates Inc., and principal/COO with Seratech Drilling & Exploration, LLC
The governor also made two new appointments to the board, who will serve until September 30, 2025:
- Lauren Nielsen (Trafalgar), owner of Terra Vitae Environmental Solutions
- Kevin Ryan (Indianapolis), former CEO of Financial Center First Credit Union
Info Night Planned for Accelerated 11-Month College Degree Program Oct. 25
EVANSVILLE, IN – Ivy Tech Community College is planning an Information night for the Associate Accelerated Program (ASAP), which offers participants an associate degree in under one year. The info session will be Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 6-7 p.m., in the Bower-Suhrheinrich Visual Arts Center (Room 107) on the Ivy Tech Evansville campus. Enter through Door B.
ASAP is a way for high school graduates to earn an associate degree in just 11 months and prepares them to transfer to a four-year college as a junior to earn their bachelor’s degree, saving time and money.
Coursework is spread over five, eight-week terms, and classes are held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Classes are small, and students attend all as one group – or a cohort. Classmates will remain with their cohort throughout the program—encouraging, assisting, and depending on each other every step of the way.
Bailey and Cuff lead the way as Aces outlast Wabash
UE wins by a final of 76-66
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In their first game wearing the Purple Aces uniform, Chuck Bailey III and Tanner Cuff led the way for the University of Evansville men’s basketball team in Saturday’s 76-66 win over Wabash College at the Ford Center.
Bailey connected on eight of his 11 field goal tries and finished with a team-best 16 points. Cuff was 5-for-9 from the field and 2-of-4 from long range on his way to 14 points. Kenny Strawbridge Jr. also reached double figures with 10 points. Yacine Toumi scored nine points while tying Strawbridge for the team lead with three assists. On the glass, Ben Humrichous led all players with eight rebounds.
Ahmoni Jones led the Little Giants with a game-high 17 points while Vinny Buccilla scored 14. Noah Hupmann, the son of former UE great Sascha Hupmann, saw seven minutes of playing time.
Wabash opened the game on a 16-5 run and would lead for nearly 19 minutes throughout the first half. The Little Giants knocked down triples on their first two offensive possessions of the day to take a 6-0 lead before another trey pushed the lead to 9-1 less than two minutes in. Kenny Strawbridge Jr. converted the first field goal of the game at the 17:52 mark before Wabash continued to scorch the nets with the fourth 3-pointer of the game capping off the 16-5 start over the first five minutes. They opened the game 6-of-9 from the field.
Evansville made its way back with Sekou Kalle posting six consecutive points to chop the lead down to five. Chuck Bailey III added a pair of field goals to cap off a 14-3 stretch that tied the game at 19-19 with 10:10 remaining in the half. Just when it looked like the Aces were in business, the Little Giants bounced back with a 9-0 run that turned a 24-23 edge into a 33-23 lead with exactly six minutes showing on the clock.
Once again, UE responded and this time, they would take their first lead of the game. A second-chance basket from Ben Humrichous finished off a 16-5 stretch that put Evansville on top – 39-38 – with 2:13 left in the period. Highlighting the run was a pair of triples from Tanner Cuff. Wabash knocked down the last field goal of the half to retake a 40-39 lead heading into the locker room. They shot 44.4% in the half but the defense for UE held them to 37.0% shooting following their big start.
Cam Haffner drained his first triple of the contest in the first possession of the second half to put his squad back on top, but Wabash continued to rally each time with seven lead changes taking place in the final period. Neither team led by more than a possession over the first seven minutes of the half until a field goal by Gage Bobe put the Aces up 55-51 with 12:33 remaining.
From that point on, Wabash would tie the game on multiple occasions but would not retake the lead. Inside the final four minutes, Evansville was able to slowly pull away to secure the victory. After a free throw by the Little Giants cut the UE lead to 68-66 with 4:10 remaining, the Aces finished the game on an 8-0 run to finish with the 76-66 triumph.
Shooting 54.5% in the second half, UE outshot Wabash by a 49.2%-41.9% margin while finishing with a 38-32 edge on the glass.
With preseason action complete, the Aces have their sights set on the Nov. 6 season opener against Miami Ohio. Tip is set for 7 p.m. at the Ford Center.