Eagles host UIS; travel to McKendree
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana men's soccer team starts the 2013 Great Lakes Valley Conference season at home against the University of Illinois Springfield Friday before traveling to McKendree University Sunday. USI and UIS kick off Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Strassweg Field, while the Eagles and McKendree face off at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Lebanon, Illinois.
The Screaming Eagles (1-0-1, 0-0-0 GLVC) were 9-5-0 last year in the GLVC, advancing to conference tournament semifinals for the first time since 2003. USI, the all-time leader with 10 GLVC titles, was picked to place sixth in the upcoming conference season.
WEEK 2 EAGLE NOTES:
First week for USI: The Eagles were 1-0-1 during the first weekend of the 2013 regular season. USI battled Cedarville University to a 0-0, double-overtime tie on the road to open the season, before defeating Kentucky Wesleyan College, 6-0, at Strassweg Field in the home opener.
Two goal performances. Junior Caleb Mathers (Clarkston, Michigan) and sophomore midfielder Josh Weinzapfel (Evansville, Indiana) recorded two goals each in the 6-0 win over KWC. Mathers posted his first collegiate goal in the first half to give USI a 2-0 lead and capped off the Eagles' scoring with the team's sixth goal of the game. The Eagles got their third and fourth goals of the game off Weinzapfel's foot when he recorded back-to-back goals in the first five minutes of the second half.
Neidlinger standing tall in goal. Senior goalkeeper Jeffrey Neidlinger (Carmel, Indiana) has stood tall in goal through the first two games. Neidlinger recorded seven saves in 110 minutes against Cedarville and made three saves in the 90 minutes versus KWC.
Eagles vs. UIS: USI leads the all-time series with UIS, 6-2-0, and has won the last five meetings since 1990. The Eagles defeated the Prairie Stars, 1-0, last year on the road. Jeffrey McClure scored the game-winnner last year for the Eagles.
UIS in the GLVC. The Prairie Stars (1-1-0, 0-0-0 GLVC), who split their 2013 opening weekend, was 15th last year in the GLVC and are picked to place 16th this fall.
Eagles vs. McKendree. USI lead the all-time series with McKendree, 4-2-1, and has won the last two meetings, dating back to 2002. The Eagles won their inaugural GLVC meeting with McKendree last fall, 4-2, in Lebanon, Illinois. Jeffrey McClure had two goals for USI, while senior midfielder Miles Durham (Madisonville, Kentucky) scored the eventual game winner and junior midfielder Carlos Mayser (Santa Cruz, Bolivia) finished the scoring with USI's fourth goal.
McKendree in the GLVC. The Bearcats (2-0-0, 0-0-0 GLVC) were only one of two teams in the GLVC to win both of their opening weekend games. McKendree was 11th in its inaugural GLVC season in 2012 and are picked to place ninth this season.
