EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana men's soccer team lost a hard fought battle with top-ranked Northern Kentucky University, 3-2, Sunday afternoon at Strassweg Field. USI falls to 1-3-0 overall and 0-2-0 in the GLVC, while NKU rises to 4-0-0, 2-0-0 GLVC.
The two GLVC teams battled to a 1-1 halftime tie at the intermission. NKU found the back of the net first when midfielder Brodie Steigerwald put them up 1-0 at 10:11. USI rebounded to tie the match before halftime, 1-1, when senior forward
Mauricio Paniagua (Santa Cruz, Bolivia) scored off a pass from junior midfielder
Austin Andrekus (St. Charles, Illinois). The goal at 25:44 was Paniagua's first as a Screaming Eagle.
NKU did not wait long after the intermission to take a 2-1 lead by capitalizing on a penalty kick by forward Michael Holder at 47:32. The Eagles surged back offensively when freshman midfielder
Brock Gourley (Evansville, Indiana) tied the score, 2-2, with his first collegiate goal.
Gourley put away a rebound of a shot by junior midfielder
Jeffrey McClure (Indianapolis, Indiana) at 50:29.
The Norse picked up the deciding goal with help from the Eagles' defense. USI sophomore defender
Tyler White (Fishers, Indiana) tried to clear a ball from in front of the Eagles' goal, but deflected it into the back of the net to give NKU the lead for good, 3-2, at 78:57.
USI had a chance to tie with 2:38 to play, but missed the opportunity by inches when sophomore forward
Rush Dugger (Hanson, Kentucky) hit the right post after beating the NKU goalkeeper.
The Eagles continue their three game homestand Friday at 7:30 p.m. when they host Missouri University of Science & Technology. The first homestand of the season concludes September 18 when Drury University visits USI for a 2:30 p.m. match.
