EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Soccer concludes a brief two-game road swing Thursday when the Screaming Eagles battle Northern Illinois University at 4 p.m. from DeKalb, Illinois. Thursday is the third road match out of the first four games to start the season for USI.
 
Last time out, Southern Indiana (0-2-1) came up just short in the front end of the current road swing, falling 1-0 at Eastern Kentucky University last Sunday. The Screaming Eagles responded well after allowing a fourth-minute goal and after facing 22 shots by the Colonels. However, USI could not find the back of the net on the attacking end with eight shots and four on goal. The four shots on goal matched USI's total from the season opener at Arkansas State University.
 
In Sunday's match at Eastern Kentucky, junior defender Brynn Quick (Cottage Grove, Minnesota) was once again involved in USI's attack, registering two shots on goal for the second consecutive game. Senior midfielder Maggie Duggan (Defiance, Missouri) also recorded a shot on goal, which marked the third consecutive match that Duggan has put a shot on frame.
 
Heading into Thursday, junior forward Payton Seymour (Louisville, Kentucky) leads the Screaming Eagles with eight shots on the season. Seymour matched Quick with a team-high two shots in the last outing against Eastern Kentucky. Seymour and freshman forward Eva Boer (St. Charles, Illinois) have each scored a goal this season, coming in last week's draw against Robert Morris University.
 
Between the posts, redshirt sophomore Anna Markland (Hoover, Alabama) has started all three matches and has recorded most of the playing time. Markland has a 2.22 goals against average with 13 saves. Last Sunday, senior goalkeeper Zoe Lintner (Wildwood, Missouri) played the last 26-plus minutes and snagged two saves.
 
Northern Illinois (1-0-1) has earned two results early on, opening the season with a scoreless tie at DePaul University before a 4-1 victory at home against St. Thomas University last Thursday. The Huskies were projected seventh in the 2024 Mid-American Conference Coaches Preseason Poll after going 8-8-3 overall last season.
 
The shot totals were fairly even in Northern Illinois' match against St. Thomas. After a 1-1 first half, the Huskies cashed in with three second-half goals, including two within three minutes in the middle of the second half. All four NIU goals were scored by a different player.
 
Senior defender Lea Gruennagel and junior defender Aubrey Robertson lead Northern Illinois with three points each with a goal and an assist on this season's tally. Gruennagel is one of three Huskies with four shot attempts on the campaign. Through two matches played, Northern Illinois is averaging 11 shots per game and has placed 14 of 22 total shots on goal.
 
Freshman goalkeeper Abi Dolding and graduate senior keeper Ary Purifoy have made one start each for the Huskies. Dolding made the start last Thursday against St. Thomas with six saves, while Purifoy notched a clean sheet in the season opener against DePaul.
 
USI and Northern Illinois are meeting for the third time in series history and for the second time in DeKalb, Illinois. Each of the first two meetings has been 1-1 ties.
 
Last season, at Strassweg Field, the Screaming Eagles grabbed the lead with a goal in the 62^nd minute. The Huskies got the equalizer late with a penalty-kick goal in the 86^th minute.
 
Thursday's match can be seen through NIU All-Access. Additional coverage links are available on the USI Women's Soccer schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.