SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana junior defender Kelsey Smith (Evansville, Indiana) scored 2:51 into overtime to give the Screaming Eagles a 3-2,overtime win over the University of Illinois Springfield Friday evening in Springfield, Illinois. USI finishes the season-opening road swing 2-0-1 in three-straight overtime matches and 1-0-0 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, while Illinois Springfield falls to 0-3-0, 0-1-0 GLVC.
 
Smith deposited the game-winning goal into the back of the Illinois Springfield net off an assist by freshman forward Ryley Hancock (Evansville, Indiana) at 92:51. The goal was Smith's second of the contest and second of the year.
 
In the first half, the Eagles soared through the Prairie Stars and built a 2-0 advantage by halftime. Hancock gave USI its first lead of the contest when she scored just 2:38 into the match to give USI the 1-0 lead. She was assisted on her second goal of the year by senior forward Madi Vellky (Dublin, Ohio).
 
USI would push the lead to 2-0 before the halftime siren on Smith's first goal of the game and her first goal as an Eagle at 34:03. She was unassisted on the play.
 
It was the Prairie Stars turn to go on offense in the second half as they scored a pair of goals to knot the game up at 2-2 and force overtime. Illinois Springfield got its first goal at 59:00 minutes and at 75:33
 
Between the posts, USI freshman goalkeeper Emily Hopkins (Greenfield, Indiana) posted her second win of the season. Hopkins allowed two goals and made five saves to earn her second overtime victory in three matches to begin her USI career.
 
The Eagles kick off the 2015 home schedule and a three-game homestand Sunday when they host McKendree University for a noon match at Strassweg Field. The Bearcats saw their record go to 1-1-1 after losing to 18^th-ranked Bellarmine University, 1-0, at home tonight.
 
USI and McKendree enter Sunday's contest with the all-time series tied, 5-5-1, but the Eagles hold a slim lead, 3-2-0, in matches at Strassweg Field.