The fourth-seeded University of Southern Indiana men’s soccer team takes on the fifth-seeded Quincy University in the first round of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Friday at 7 p.m. at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri. The USI (13-3-3)-Quincy University (12-5-2) winner advances to play top-seeded Rockhurst (16-2-2) for the right to advance to the round of 16.
The second half of the Midwest bracket includes second-seeded Tiffin University (14-4-2), third-seeded Saginaw Valley State University (15-4-1), and sixth-seeded Drury University (11-4-3). This half of the Midwest Regional is being played in Saginaw, Michigan.
Live coverage of USI’s run through the NCAA II post-season, including live statistics and video, can be found on GoUSIEagles.com.
Week 12 and NCAA II Tournament Notes:Â
Eagles in the NCAA Tournament:Â USI is making its first visit to the NCAA Division II Tournament in 34 years, dating back to its 1982 match with Oakland City University at Strassweg Field. USI lost that match, 1-0.
Between the posts: Junior goalkeeper Adam Zehme (Orland Park, Illinois) leads the Eagles between the posts with a 13-3-3 mark and a 0.91 goals against average. Zehme has a career-best 13 wins, 69 saves, and seven shutouts this fall. He needs two victories to tie the USI single-season record for wins and two shutouts to move into fourth all-time.
Scoring leaders: USI freshman midfielder Sean Rickey (Columbia, Illinois) is USI’s active scoring leader with 19 points on six goals and a team-high seven assists. The Eagles may get their one-two punch of freshman forward Eric Ramirez (Vincennes, Indiana) and junior midfielder Kyle Richardville (Vincennes, Indiana) back for the NCAA II Tournament after missing the last few matches and the GLVC Tournament with injuries. Ramirez and Richardville had recorded 21 points (10 goals, one assist) and 19 points (seven goals, five assists), respectively, before suffering the injuries.
Ramirez having best freshman year:  Despite going down with a hamstring injury and missing the last match, freshman forward Eric Ramirez has had the best freshman season ever for a USI player, posting a team-high 21 points on 10 goals and one assist. Ramirez, who was named the GLVC Freshman of the Year, broke the freshman record of nine goals set by Eric Schoenstein in 1988.
USI’s All-GLVC performers: The Eagles had four players named All-GLVC with junior goalkeeper Adam Zehme and freshman forward Eric Ramirez being named to the first team, while junior midfielder Kyle Richardville and senior defender Michael Sass (New Palestine, Indiana) were named to the second team.
USI vs. Rockhurst:Â USI lost a heartbreaker to Rockhurst, 2-1, in overtime when the Hawks were ranked number one nationally back in October. The Eagles have a lot of ground to make up in the all-time series against Hawks, trailing17-1-3.
USI vs. Quincy:Â The Eagles trail the Hawks in the all-time series, 17-4-1, but have posted back-to-back wins over Quincy, winning 2-0 last fall at Strassweg Field and 2-1 this year in Quincy, Illinois.
