EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Soccer opened the 2026 season and its 30
th anniversary year on Thursday at Strassweg Field, earning a result with a 0-0 draw against Wright State University.
With Thursday's 0-0 tie, USI collected its first season-opening result since joining the Division I ranks in 2022. Additionally, the shutout against the Raiders gave USI its fifth straight clean sheet going back to the end of the 2025 season. Overall, during the shutout streak, the Screaming Eagles have held the opposition scoreless for 476-plus consecutive minutes.
The Screaming Eagles totaled 14 shots in Thursday's contest, with junior forward
Josie Pochocki and graduate forward
Payton Seymour each registering a team-best four shot attempts. Pochocki had two of USI's three shots on goal. Freshman forward
Sienna Respicio also had a shot on frame.
Wright State finished with 15 shots and five on goal, while taking 11 corner kicks in the match.
In the defensive effort helping to post the team shutout, returning All-OVC Second-Team selection and junior defender
Emma Schut, returning OVC All-Newcomer selection and sophomore defender
Tierney Mullady, and junior defender
Ava Hess helped lead the backline by playing a full 90 minutes. Senior midfielder
Kamryn Bea also logged a full 90 minutes of action.
Sophomore goalkeeper
Merrick Schwalbach notched her second career clean sheet and made five saves in the contest, including a few reactive punch-away saves.
Battling humid, muggy conditions on Thursday evening, USI came out some early chances by its three forwards. Pochocki took a couple of early attempts, including one in a one-on-one situation in the 18
th minute against Wright State's goalkeeper that was saved. Pochocki had another shot saved later in the first half. USI wound up with a four-shot advantage through the first 45 minutes.
In the second half, the Raiders came out with some early attacking pressure and a string of corner kicks. Following an initial shot save by Schwalbach within the first 90 seconds of the second half, Schwalbach punched away a close-range shot over the crossbar to keep the match level at 0-0. About 10 minutes later, Schwalbach thwarted another attack by Wright State by notching two more saves.
With just over 15 minutes remaining, USI flipped the field position and the pressure to its attacking end. The Screaming Eagles had three shot attempts in nearly a span of two minutes, including a pair of shots by Seymour. Then in the waning minutes, Wright State tried to take back control on the attacking side, but USI's defensive unit stood tall to close out the season-opening shutout performance.
The Screaming Eagles continue their three-match homestand to open the 2026 season on Sunday when USI hosts Middle Tennessee State University at 5 p.m. at Strassweg Field. The game was pushed back from its original 1 p.m. kickoff due to hot temperatures in the forecast.
