EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Soccer returns to Strassweg Field Thursday for the first of back-to-back home Ohio Valley Conference games when the Screaming Eagles host Morehead State University at 7 p.m.
 
Admission to Thursday's match is free thanks to ProRehab. Thursday is also USI Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night, inviting all USI staff and faculty to come support the Screaming Eagles. The game can also be seen with a subscription to ESPN+.
 
USI (3-5-2, 0-0-1 OVC) and Morehead State (3-7-0, 1-0-0 OVC) meet for the first time since the 2024 OVC Tournament quarterfinal clash at Strassweg Field last November, when Morehead State advanced with a 2-1 win. The Screaming Eagles look to avenge last year's postseason loss that saw USI grab a quick lead in the fourth minute before Morehead State scored twice in the second half, including the game-winning goal in the 88^th minute.
 
Overall, the all-time series between USI and Morehead State is tied 2-2-0. The Screaming Eagles won last year's regular-season meeting at Morehead State last October, 1-0.
 
USI Women's Soccer heads into Thursday's OVC contest on a five-match unbeaten streak, going 3-0-2 in the last five outings. USI opened its OVC schedule the last time out by securing a point with a 0-0 draw on the road at the University of Tennessee at Martin last Saturday. The two sides combined for 36 shots and 12 shots on goal in the match. Redshirt sophomore forward Eva Boer paced USI with three shots against the Skyhawks. Four other players had two shot attempts.
 
On Tuesday, redshirt junior goalkeeper Anna Markland was tabbed the OVC Goalkeeper of the Week for the third time this season after posting her fourth shutout and a season-high seven saves against 23 shots faced in Saturday's 0-0 draw at UT Martin. This season marks the second time in her career that the goalkeeper has earned OVC Goalkeeper of the Week three times in a single season. Markland previously won the award three times in the 2023 season, which was also the same season Markland was named the OVC Goalkeeper of the Year. On the season, Markland has a 1.59 GAA with 26 saves and four clean sheets in nine starts.
 
Markland and the USI defense have been stellar during the team's current five-match unbeaten streak. The Screaming Eagles have surrendered only one goal in the last five contests – that is one goal allowed in the last 450 minutes of action.

Offensively, senior forward Emerson Grafton leads USI in scoring with seven points off three goals and an assist. Three players have five points, including Boer and sophomore forward Josie Pochocki with two goals and an assist. 10 different Screaming Eagles have scored this season. Senior forward Peyton Murphy has a goal and a team-best three assists. Grafton paces the Eagles with 24 shots and nine on goal. Grafton is in the top five in the OVC in shots and shots on goal.

As a team, the Screaming Eagles are second in the OVC with 14 goals and first with 13 assists, adding up to be second in the OVC with 41 points on the season. USI ranks second among OVC teams with 124 shots and third with 12.4 shots per game. USI is also second in the OVC with 47 shots on goal.
 
Morehead State enters Thursday coming off an OVC-opening victory last Sunday, winning 1-0 against Western Illinois University. The win snapped a three-match losing skid for the Eagles. Morehead State outshot the Leathernecks 28-9 overall and 12-6 in shots on goal. Freshman midfielder Addison Petry scored the game-winning goal in the 38^th minute.
 
Senior midfielder Kennedy Baquero leads Morehead State with two of their six goals scored. Four players have 10-plus shot attempts this season, led by graduate midfielder Vela Karissa with 14 shots. Freshman forward Jade Walton has 13 shots and tops the squad with seven on target. In net, sophomore goalkeeper Claire Cress has started all 10 matches, recording a 2.11 GAA with 55 saves, which is first in the OVC, and three shutouts.
 
USI Women's Soccer will finish off the back-to-back home OVC slate on Sunday at 1 p.m. from Strassweg Field when the Screaming Eagles host Southeast Missouri State University. Sunday will be Senior Day, as USI will recognize and celebrate its senior class before the game.