EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women's Soccer ventures to Valparaiso, Indiana, on Sunday to take on Valparaiso University at 1 p.m. in USI's third game of a current four-game road stretch.
 
USI Women's Soccer (1-5-2) has split its first two matches of the current road stretch and is 1-1-1 on the road so far this season. The Screaming Eagles are coming off a 1-0 road victory at Cleveland State University on Thursday. Thursday's triumph was USI's first win of the season and snapped a three-game losing skid.
 
The Screaming Eagles came away with the 1-0 victory on Thursday after scoring the game-winning goal in the 89^th minute. Off a corner kick and a scrum in the box, freshman defender Lilah Katz scored her first career goal and first game-winner. Thursday's win was also USI's third shutout of the season.
 
USI totaled a season-high 25 shots against Cleveland State, which was the most since the Screaming Eagles tallied 27 at the end of last season against Western Illinois University. USI also placed 10 shots on goal for the second time this season, while limiting the Vikings to only six shots and four on target.
 
Katz's goal tied her with fellow freshman Liza Anderson and junior defender Emma Schut with one goal scored this season. Senior forward Eva Boer, who assisted on Katz's game-winner on Thursday, tied Anderson with a USI season-high five shots and now leads the team on the season with 14 shots. Meanwhile, Anderson tops the squad with eight shots on goal this season, which ranks third in the Ohio Valley Conference, after posting a USI season-high four shots on goal against Cleveland State.
 
In goal, sophomore goalkeeper Merrick Schwalbach is coming off her third clean sheet of the season at Cleveland State, making four saves in the process. Her three shutouts are second in the OVC. Schwalbach improved her season GAA to 1.38 and now has 33 total saves on the campaign.
 
Valparaiso (3-4-1) has been playing well lately, with two wins in its last three matches, and is 2-1-0 at home this year. The Beacons are coming off a 4-1 home win Thursday against Oakland University. After being tied 1-1 through 20 minutes, Valpo ended up scoring three unanswered goals against the Grizzlies.
 
Statistically, sophomore forward Martha Goddard leads the Beacons in scoring with 10 points on five goals. Valpo has 14 total goals this season. Goddard has two braces this season, including one in the last match against Oakland. Fellow sophomore forward Kiara Desiderio, who also scored twice on Thursday against the Grizzlies, has nine points off four goals and one assist and leads the team with 32 shots and 12 on goal. Valparaiso has split time in net between junior keeper Salange Bell and freshman keeper Adria Schultz. Bell has a 1.40 GAA and 23 saves, while Schultz owns a 1.67 GAA with 11 saves.
 
Valparaiso is hosting USI in its non-conference finale before starting Missouri Valley Conference play. Sunday is only the second all-time meeting between USI and Valpo, as USI won at home 2-0 last season. In that game, former Screaming Eagle Emerson Grafton recorded a brace to account for both of USI's goals.
 
Sunday's match can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+. Live stats and additional coverage are available at usiscreamingeagles.com.