University of Southern Indiana sophomore midfielder Sean Rickey (Columbia, Illinois) and senior midfielder Riley Belding (Columbus, Indiana) combined for a pair of first half goals as the Screaming Eagles soared to a 2-0 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Sunday afternoon at Strassweg Field. The Screaming Eagles rise to 3-4-0 overall and 1-4-0 in the GLVC, while UW-Parkside sees its record go to 2-6-0 overall and 2-4-0 in the league.
The victory put USI into the GLVC win column for the first time this season and broke a four-game losing streak.
Rickey and Belding took control in the first 20 minutes of the match. Rickey scored his first goal of the game and his third of the season at 14:55 for the 1-0 lead before increasing the margin to 2-0 with his fourth of the season at 19:54. Belding assisted on both tallies.
In the second half, USI continued to have the momentum on its side as the two first half goals became the margin of victory. The Eagles outshot the Rangers in the final stanza, 12-4, and in the match, 18-9. Each team had eight corner kicks in the 90 minutes.
Between the posts, USI senior goalkeeper Adam Zehme (Orland Park, Illinois) picked up his third win and first shutout of the year. Zehme blanked the Rangers, making a pair of saves and facing five shots.
USI returns to the road next week, traveling to Lewis University September 29 and the University of Illinois Springfield October 1. Lewis saw its record rose to 5-3-0 overall and 4-2-0 in the GLVC after defeating at McKendree University Sunday, 1-0, in overtime, while Illinois Springfield went to 4-3-1, 4-1-1 GLVC, following a 1-1 double-overtime tie at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
The next homestand for the Eagles is in two weeks when they host Quincy University October 6 and Truman State University October 7 at Strassweg Field.
