EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Soccer concludes its season-opening three-match homestand on Thursday at 5 p.m. when the Screaming Eagles host the University of Akron at Strassweg Field.
 
Thursday's contest is USI's Welcome Week Match to celebrate the first week of the fall semester. Admission to Thursday's match and all USI Women's Soccer home matches is free thanks to ProRehab.
 
USI Women's Soccer (0-1-1) heads into the second week of the season after tying Wright State University 0-0 in the season opener last Thursday before falling 2-0 to Middle Tennessee State University last Sunday. Last Thursday's tie against Wright State was USI's first season-opening result since 2021.
 
In the last match against Middle Tennessee, USI's defensive scoreless streak ended. Prior to the Blue Raiders finding the back of the net in the second half on Sunday, the Screaming Eagles had five consecutive shutouts, one shy of a program record, and did not allow a goal for 530-plus minutes, only 25 minutes shy of a new program record. The defensive scoreless stretch went back to the end of last season.
 
In Sunday's game against Middle Tennessee, USI matched MTSU with nine shots in the contest. USI placed five shots on goal compared to four for Middle Tennessee.
 
Graduate forward Payton Seymour and freshman midfielder Shea Krakowski paced USI with two shots apiece against the Blue Raiders. Five different Screaming Eagles took a shot on target.
 
Overall, Seymour tops the squad with six shot attempts through two games played. Junior forward Josie Pochocki is second with four shots and a team-best two shots on goal.
 
Between the posts, sophomore goalkeeper Merrick Schwalbach had two saves against MTSU. Schwalbach recorded her second career shutout with a career-best five saves in the previous match against Wright State to open the 2026 season. Schwalbach has played every minute in goal through two matches, matching the minutes total with her two centerbacks in front of her, sophomore defender Tierney Mullady and junior defender Ava Hess.
 
Akron (1-0-0) is coming off a 3-0 season-opening home win against Oakland University last Sunday. The Zips scored twice in the first half and once more in the second half. Akron put 13 of 20 shots on goal while limiting Oakland to four of six shots on target.
 
Senior forward Rachel Wenzel notched a brace in Akron's season-opening win, scoring the first and third goals of the match. Freshman forward Emma Ogdahl logged the Zips' second goal. The two players are tied for a team-high three shots and three shots on goal on the season. Senior forward Jordanne Oberhaus, Akron's leading scorer in 2025, also has three shots this season.
 
Senior goalkeeper Sara Bower, who was Akron's leading netminder last season, made three saves on six shots faced toward the clean sheet in the season-opening win over Oakland.
 
Thursday's meeting will only be the second time the two sides have faced each other. Akron defeated USI 5-3 in Akron, Ohio, last season. Mullady and senior forward Eva Boer accounted for two of USI's three goals in last year's matchup.
 
Thursday's match can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+. Live stats and additional coverage are available at usiscreamingeagles.com.