EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana women's soccer team kicks the 2011 season into gear this weekend when it plays in the Tusculum Pioneer Classic in Greenville, Tennessee. The Screaming Eagles start action in the classic Friday when they play 16th-ranked Columbus State University at 7 p.m. (CDT).
USI concludes the season-opening tournament Sunday at 1 p.m. (CDT) when it takes on Georgia College & State University.
The Screaming Eagles, who are looking for their third straight trip the GLVC Tournament and their first appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament since 1998, lost only one starter from last year's squad that had a 12-6-1 overall mark and a 10-3-1 GLVC record. The 10-3-1 conference record tied the Eagles for third in the GLVC during the regular season and allowed USI to host a GLVC Tournament match for the first time since 2000.
Head Coach
Krissy Engelbrecht, the 2010 GLVC Coach of the Year, is directing the Eagles for a ninth-straight year. She has a pair of All-Region performers – junior forward
Susan Ellsperman (Newburgh, Indiana) and senior forward
Meagan Kempf (Evansville, Indiana) – leading the Eagles on the field.
Ellsperman finished 2010 as a first-team NSCAA All-Midwest Region performer after finishing third on the team with 15 points on three goals and a team-high nine assists. She also was named first-team All-GLVC and Capital One first-team Academic All-District V.
Kempf, who was a second-team All-GLVC and Dakronics All-Region player, led USI in scoring for the second time in three years in 2010. She had a team-best 20 points on six goals and eight assists. The senior forward also ranked sixth in the GLVC in points, while tying for 10th in goals scored.
CSU was 19-2-1 overall last fall and were ranked as high as second nationally, while reaching the NCAA II Tournament for the fifth consecutive season. Friday's match is the first meeting between the two programs.
Georgia College finished the 2010 campaign at .500 with a 7-7-3 overall mark. The Bobcats lost in the first round of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament to North Georgia College & State University in double overtime and penalty kicks. USI and Georgia College are meeting for the first time on the soccer field Sunday.
