EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men's Soccer fell 6-2 to Eastern Illinois University on Thursday night at Strassweg Field despite a two-goal performance by sophomore midfielder
Nolan Stevens.
Despite an early second-half goal, USI (0-6-3, 0-2-0 OVC) was unable to climb out of a 4-0 halftime deficit against Eastern Illinois (2-5-2, 1-1-0 OVC).
Nolan Stevens became the first Screaming Eagle this season to score multiple goals in a match with goals in the 54th and 74th minutes Thursday, scoring his first and second goals of the season. Sophomores
Virgil Stevens and
Jimmy Murphy grabbed their first assists of the season.
Eastern Illinois got things started quickly, taking six corner kicks and scoring three times on seven shots in the first 30 minutes of the contest. USI managed three shots after the goals as a response, but EIU found the net one last time with 50 seconds left in the first half to take a 4-0 lead into halftime.
In the second half, it was the Screaming Eagles who got things started quickly. In the 54th minute, N. Stevens knocked in his first goal of the season from the left side. However, the Panthers went on the attack just one minute later when sophomore Nolan Getzinger, who scored in the first half, notched his second goal of the match and pushed EIU's lead back to four, 5-1. Eastern Illinois would continue their attack, scoring once again in the 60th minute to build a 6-1 cushion. Later, N. Stevens connected with the back of the net again for USI on the assists from V. Stevens and J. Murphy in the 74th minute of the match, but the Screaming Eagles could not cut any further into the Panthers' lead.
USI will hit the road on Sunday, October 1, starting a three-game road trip with a stop at Western Illinois University. Sunday's match against the Leathernecks will begin at 5 p.m.
Team coverage for Sunday's game will be available on X (USIMSOC) and Instagram (usi_msoc). Live stats and ESPN+ coverage can be accessed at USIScreamingEagles.com.
