EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Soccer returns home to Strassweg Field Thursday at 7 p.m. for an Ohio Valley Conference battle against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Thursday is USI Women's Soccer's annual pink game to help raise awareness in the fight against cancer. Fans are encouraged to wear pink and the first 50 USI students will receive a free pink shirt.
With three regular-season matches left, Southern Indiana (3-8-4, 2-2-2 OVC) is looking for its third conference win and fifth positive result in OVC play. Meanwhile, Little Rock (7-5-3, 4-0-2 OVC) is unbeaten in the OVC season and tied atop the standings with Lindenwood University. The Trojans are one of three teams to already clinch a berth in the conference tournament.
The Screaming Eagles aim for a second consecutive win after picking up a 1-0 road win at Morehead State University last Sunday. The win was USI's first road victory of the season and second shutout. Defenses were stout on Sunday, limiting chances in both directions. USI broke through in the 77
th minute when sophomore midfielder
Pilar Torres found space off a pass in the box and buried a game-winning shot into the low corner for her first goal of the season.
Southern Indiana was efficient with its limited chances on Sunday, putting six of eight shots on goal. The USI defense held Morehead State to only two shots on goal out of 10 total attempts. Junior midfielder
Emerson Grafton recorded an assist and placed all four of her shots on target, marking the first time a Screaming Eagles put at least four shots on goal since August 2022 when Jill DiTusa put four shots on frame against Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Through six OVC matches this season, USI has already tied its goals total in OVC play from 2023 with eight goals scored. USI has scored six of its eight OVC goals at home this season.
This season, nine different players have scored a goal with five players having scored twice on the campaign. Grafton leads Southern Indiana with eight points off two goals and four assists. Torres paces USI with 19 shots and five assists, which is fourth in the OVC. Torres has been a key threat for USI's attack recently, notching a shot on goal in six of the last seven matches. In goal, redshirt sophomore keeper
Anna Markland has a 1.80 goals against average with 57 saves and is coming off her first solo clean sheet of the season.
Little Rock is coming off a scoreless draw against Southeast Missouri State University on Sunday. The two teams combined for 18 shots and 11 shots on goal. The Trojans also had eight corner kicks and did not allow any to the Redhawks.
The Trojans are tied in the conference for the second-most goals scored with 17 but are also tough defensively with only 15 goals allowed, the second-fewest in the league. Little Rock has surrendered only one goal in conference play against Morehead State in late September, which is also the only goal the Trojans have allowed in the last seven matches.
Sophomore midfielder Candice Kilderry tops the squad with six goals scored, including four during the conference slate, and 13 points. Senior forward Jaeda Centeno is the leading shot-taker with 26 shots and 11 on goal. Centeno also has five assists. In the net, junior keeper Peyton Urban has a 1.05 GAA with 71 saves and eight shutouts.
Thursday's match is the fourth all-time meeting between Southern Indiana and Little Rock. The Trojans lead the all-time series 2-0-1. USI will be seeking to avenge a 3-1 loss to Little Rock in last season's OVC tournament quarterfinals. Torres scored USI's lone goal in the quarterfinal match last year. The two sides opened the 2023 conference season with a 0-0 draw at Little Rock.
Thursday's game can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+. Additional coverage links are available on the USI Women's Soccer schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.
