EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer is projected to place eighth in the Ohio Valley Conference in a vote submitted by the league’s head coaches and communication directors. USI heads into its first season as an OVC member and NCAA Division I program.
The nine-team OVC will feature a schedule with each team playing each other once for an eight-match conference schedule. The conference’s 25th season concludes with the OVC Soccer Championship Tournament taking place at campus sites on October 28, 30 and November 4, 6.
SIU Edwardsville topped the OVC preseason poll with 123 points and 11 first-place votes. UT Martin was picked second with 119 points and seven first-place votes.
Tennessee Tech picked up 96 points for a third-place predicted finish. Little Rock, one of three new members in the OVC this season, is picked to finish fourth with 72 points while Southeast Missouri earned 71 points for fifth place. Morehead State (58), Eastern Illinois (51), Southern Indiana (42) and Lindenwood (16) round out the poll.
As part of the OVC’s preseason announcement, senior goalkeeper Maya Etienne (Midland, Michigan) represented USI on the 2022 OVC Soccer Preseason Players to Watch List. Coming off a strong 2021 season in net, Etienne recorded 54 saves and a 0.81 goals against average in 16 matches played last season. She also set the USI career record with 29 shutouts after recording eight in 2021.
The 2022 USI squad features 34 players – 19 returning players and 15 newcomers, beginning its seventh season under Head Coach Eric Schoenstein, who has a 65-36-14 record leading the last six seasons. USI was a Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament Finalist in the 2021 season.
Three of USI’s top goal-scorers from a season ago return in 2022 for the Screaming Eagles. Senior midfielder Jill DiTusa (St. Charles, Illinois), junior midfielder Avery Schone (Galena, Ohio), and junior forward Morgan Beyer (Rossford, Ohio) lead an experienced front for USI. DiTusa led the team with six goals, while Schone scored five goals and Beyer found the back of the net four times in 2021. Schone was an All-GLVC selection last season.
USI plays one final preseason tune-up match at Murray State on Saturday before opening the 2022 regular season on the road at North Dakota on August 18. The Screaming Eagles will host their home opener at Strassweg Field on August 25. The first OVC contest of 2022 is on September 18 when the Screaming Eagles travel to Morehead State.
2022 OVC Soccer Predicted Order of Finish
(as voted on by the league’s head coaches and communication directors)
1. SIUE (11 first-place votes) – 123
2. UT Martin (7 first-place votes) – 119
3. Tennessee Tech – 96
4. Little Rock – 72
5. Southeast Missouri – 71
6. Morehead State – 58
7. Eastern Illinois – 51
8. Southern Indiana – 42
9. Lindenwood – 16
2022 OVC Soccer Preseason Players to Watch
Amanda DaSilva, Eastern Illinois
Sam Blazek, Lindenwood
Natalee Geren, Little Rock
Michelle Jerantowski, Morehead State
Elizabeth Rater, Southeast Missouri
Lily Schneiders, SIUE
Maya Etienne, Southern Indiana
Chloe Smith, Tennessee Tech
Maria Castaldo, UT Martin
