Evansville, IN—The University of Southern Indiana men's soccer team produced all of the offense it would need in the first half of its 5-2 victory over Spalding University Sunday afternoon at Strassweg Field. USI goes to 1-1-0 overall this fall, while Spalding drops to 0-3-0 in 2003.
Senior midfielder
Bryce Cooper (Greenwood, Indiana) got USI on the board first with his first goal of the year at 24:29 into the match. He scored on the rebound of a shot by junior midfielder
Ian Bray (Scotland), who was credited with his first ever assist as an Eagle. Senior midfielder
Duncan Bray (Scotland) also was credited with an assist, crossing the ball into Ian to start the play.
Duncan Bray scored USI's second of the game just six minutes later at 30:20 when he scored his second goal of the year off a pass from senior back
Shawn Sloan (St. Peters, Missouri).
The Eagles continued their assault just five minutes later on senior forward
Matt Settles' (Evansville, Indiana) first goal of the year and the eventual game winner at 35:23.
Duncan Bray, once again, started the play by passing the ball to Settles and finished the day with four points on a goal and two assists.
At the 39:28 mark, senior midfielder
Greg Dingrando (Marion, Illinois) helped USI take a 4-0 lead into halftime by deflecting a shot by Settles into the goal. The goal was Dingrando's first of the season.
In the second half, Spalding cut into the USI lead with a pair of goals by freshman forward Reda Akdad at the 73:52 and 80:28 mark.
The Eagles put the match out of reach when senior forward
Scott Henderson (Evansville, Indiana) scored his first of the year at 89:40. Henderson pounded in the rebound of a shot by freshman back
Matt Cross (Indianapolis, Indiana).
The Eagles will return to the road next weekend when they travel to Florida for a pair of matches. USI will play at the University of Tampa Friday, September 12, and Florida Southern University Sunday, September 14. Game time Friday night is 7 p.m. (CT) and Sunday afternoon is 1 p.m.
The next home match for Eagles will be the GLVC season open when USI host the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Friday, September 19, for a men's and women's doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m.
