Eagles host "Gold Game" September 8
 
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana men's soccer team launches the 2013 campaign at 6 p.m. (CDT) September 5 when the Screaming Eagles travel to in Cedarville, Ohio, to play a Midwest Region match with Cedarville University. USI completes the season-opening weekend by hosting Kentucky Wesleyan College for the home opener at 1:30 p.m. September 8 at Strassweg Field.
 
The Eagles' home-opener with the Panthers will be the second annual "Gold Game." USI will wear gold jerseys to help promote awareness of pediatric cancers.
 
WEEK 1 EAGLE NOTES:

USI hopes to repay Cedarville. The Eagles hope to repay the Yellow Jackets this year after Cedarville spoiled USI's 2012 home opener, 1-0. Cedarville, a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC), scored in the 85th minute to win the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

New era against KWC. The September 8 match-up between USI and KWC begins a new era between the two programs as the rivalry moves to the non-conference portion of the schedule. The Eagles have an all-time record of 25-6-2 against the Panthers, who begins play in the G-MAC this fall. 

Eagles vs. G-MAC. USI has an all-time record of 28-10-0 against the G-MAC, which is in its second year of existence. The G-MAC features institutions from Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and Tennessee, including Cedarville, KWC, Alderson Broaddus University, Central State University, Davis and Elkins College, Ohio Valley University, Salem International University, Trevecca Nazarene University, and Ursuline College. Georgetown College is considered provisional member. 

Last year's "Gold Game" victory. USI won the inaugural "Gold Game" in overtime last year, defeating Lewis University, 3-2. The Eagles scored in the final minute of regulation to force overtime and survived a Lewis penalty kick before getting the "sudden victory" goal in the 96th minute. 

Upcoming 2013 GLVCseason. USI, the all-time leader with 10 GLVC titles, was picked to place sixth in the upcoming conference season. The Eagles are coming off a fifth-place showing in the 2012 regular season and a surprising semifinal appearance in the conference tournament. 

Santoro in the lead. Head Coach Mat Santoro is in his fourth season at the helm. Santoro, who has a 31-36 overall record during his tenure, led USI to an 11-7-0 overall record in 2012 and its first GLVC semifinal appearance since 2003.

Returning All-GLVC defender. Sophomore defender Lucas Woodford (Newburgh, Indiana) was third-team All-GLVC a year ago. He also was the first USI freshman to be named All-GLVC since 2002 when Kyle Penick was the GLVC Freshman of the Year. 

Sub-1.00 GAA between the posts. Senior goalkeeper Jeffrey Neidlinger (Carmel, Indiana) led the Eagles between the posts in 2012 with a 0.87 goals against average. The 0.87 GAA was the first sub-1.00 for the Eagles since 1995 when Eric Overton had a 0.95 GAA.