MACON, Ga. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer finished its five-game, season-opening road swing with a 2-0 loss at Mercer University Sunday morning in Macon, Georgia. The Screaming Eagles are 0-5-0, while the Bears go to 3-1-2.
The Eagles fell behind early in the match as the Bears had a 2-0 lead after the first 45 minutes. Mercer, which had the momentum throughout the first half with a 10-3 lead in shots, posted the first tally at 8:11 and doubled its lead with another goal at 26:51.
It was a scoreless draw between the two squads in the second half. Mercer maintained control of the match with 10-4 lead in shots and an 8-2 lead in corners. USI sophomore forward Jackson Mitchell (Newburgh, Indiana) led the Eagles with three shots.
Between the posts for USI, sophomore goalkeeper Andrew Klott (St. Charles, Missouri) faced 20 total shots, allowing a pair of goals and making four saves.
NEXT UP FOR USI:
The Eagles will appear at Strassweg Field for the first time in the 2024 regular season Saturday when they host former GLVC-rival Bellarmine University. Kickoff Saturday is slated for 7 p.m. and will be the annual USI Gold Game to promote awareness of childhood cancers.
The USI-Bellarmine contest is the start of a five-match homestand for the Eagles that includes the start of 2024 Ohio Valley Conference slate. The homestand, which is USI’s longest of the season, also includes meetings with Purdue University Ft. Wayne (September 17); Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (September 25), Eastern Illinois University (September 28) and Lindenwood University (October 3).
USI has a 25-16-2 all-time series lead over Bellarmine, dating back to the beginning of the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 1979. The Eagles have the advantage in the last 10 matches, 5-3-2, but the Knights have won the last two (2-0 in 2022; 5-1 in 2019).
