USI Women’s Soccer clinches OVC tournament spot
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer battled past Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 1-0, at Strassweg Field on Sunday after senior forward Emerson Grafton scored the game-winning goal on a diving header with less than 10 minutes left in the contest.
With Sunday’s victory and results elsewhere within the Ohio Valley Conference, USI Women’s Soccer (6-5-4, 3-0-3 OVC) clinched its spot in the OVC tournament for a fourth straight season. The win also gave USI its most wins in a season since moving to Division I in 2022 and pushed the Screaming Eagles’ unbeaten streak to 10 matches. USI also picked up its first win against SIUE (2-10-3, 1-3-2 OVC) since 2007. The two teams had tied in each of the previous three meetings before Sunday.
In Sunday’s game, Grafton recorded her fourth goal of the season, taking the team lead in goals scored and in points on the campaign. Grafton totaled two shots in the game. Redshirt sophomore forward Eva Boer led USI with four shots, while sophomore forward Josie Pochocki had three shots and an assist on Grafton’s game-winner. The Eagles outshot the Cougars 16-6 overall and 4-2 in shots on goal.
USI came out with early momentum and pressure in the first half, generating two quick shooting chances. The Screaming Eagles produced a good build-up into the attacking third, totaling six shots in the first half.
As SIUE tried to grab some momentum in the middle of the first half, redshirt junior goalkeeper Anna Markland recorded both of her saves within a couple of minutes to turn the Cougars away, keeping the match scoreless into halftime. Markland wound up collecting her sixth clean sheet of the season and 14th career solo shutout.
In the early portion of the second half, USI created a few more chances that were just off the mark. Then, SIUE increased its pace and tempo to test the Screaming Eagles’ defense in the middle of the second half. USI’s defense was up for the challenge, making multiple clearances from inside the box.
USI flipped the field position back in their favor near the 70-minute mark, as Boer fired from the inside of the top of the box with USI’s first shot on goal that forced SIUE’s goalkeeper to make a tip-save over the crossbar. The Eagles had another push about 10 minutes later, as Pochocki and redshirt junior midfielder Emma Thurston each took a shot that made SIUE’s goalkeeper make a pair of reaction saves.
The Screaming Eagles broke through in the 81st minute when Thurston played a long ball outside to Pochocki. Pochocki dribbled in from the left side and played a low cross to connect with Grafton on a diving header at the six-yard box and into the net for the game-winning goal. Thurston and Pochocki each registered their second assists of the season. USI maintained possession and closed out the game from there.
