EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana women's soccer team opened the 2019 campaign with a dominating 5-0 victory over Purdue University Northwest Thursday afternoon at Strassweg Field. The Screaming Eagles start the year 1-0-0, while Purdue Northwest begins 0-1-0.
 
USI wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard in the opener, when sophomore forward Katlyn Andres (Louisville, Kentucky) scored off a cross from junior forward Taylor McCormick (Rapid City, South Dakota) at the 5:21 mark. Freshman midfielder Jill DiTusa (St. Charles, Illinois) gave the Eagles a 2-0 advantage by the intermission when she scored her first collegiate goal at 40:03 off assists by junior midfielder Sunny Lehman (Evansville, Indiana) and junior forward Audrey Andrzejewski (St. Charles, Missouri).
 
The Eagles would explode for three more goals in the second half. Junior forward Maggie Winter (St. Louis, Missouri) picked up her first tally of the season at 53:03 when she scored on a nifty through ball into the box by Andres to post a 3-0 lead. Lehman followed with her first goal of the season, scoring unassisted at 70:40, after intercepting an attempted clear by the Pride to give the scoreboard a 4-0 USI advantage.
 
Senior midfielder Courtney Spicer (Loveland, Ohio) finished off the 5-0 final for the Eagles on a goal at 74:23, off a pass from sophomore defender Elizabeth Lippert (Lexington, Kentucky).
 
Between the posts, freshman goalkeeper Maya Etienne (Midland, Michigan) recorded her first collegiate victory and shutout. Etienne only faced two shots and did not have to make a save as the USI offense kept the ball on the Purdue Northwest side of the field for most of the contest.
 
The Eagles conclude the non-conference portion of the campaign Sunday when travel to North Canton, Ohio, for a match-up with Walsh University at 11 a.m. (CDT).  Walsh begins its season tonight with a road trip to Slippery Rock University.
 
Live coverage of the USI-Walsh match-up can be found at GoUSIEagles.com.