EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana men's soccer team starts the first half of a four-match homestand Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. when it hosts Oakland City University at Strassweg Field. USI concludes the first half of the homestand back in the GLVC Sunday against the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

The Screaming Eagles (7-6-0, 5-6-0 GLVC) return to the friendly surroundings of Strassweg Field after splitting their final road trip of the regular season. USI started the trip on the right foot with a 2-1 win over Maryville University, but stumbled against Missouri University of Science & Technology, 2-0.

Despite the split, the Eagles are still in the hunt for a berth in the GLVC Tournament. USI is two-games back of Bellarmine University and Saint Joseph's College, which are currently tied for the eighth and final spot, and one game back of UMSL, which is ninth.

The Eagles, who hold the tie-breaker with SJC, can begin to close the distance with a win over UMSL on Sunday and Bellarmine on October 22. SJC, UMSL, and Bellarmine still have four conference games left in 2010.

Oakland City (6-3-0) has been on a roll, winning four of its last five matches. The Mighty Oaks lost to SJC, 3-2, in their only match against a GLVC team so far this season.

USI leads the all-time series with OCU, 2-0-2, with the squads battling to double-overtime ties in the last two matches.

UMSL (5-5-2, 4-4-2 GLVC) is scheduled to host Upper Iowa University Tuesday and travel to Kentucky Wesleyan College Friday before Sunday's showdown with USI at Strassweg Field. The Tritons broke a three-match losing streak Sunday with a win at Maryville University.

In the all-time series, the Tritons have a 16-4-1 advantage over the Eagles after winning the only meeting last year, 2-0, in St. Louis, Missouri.