• OVC Men’s Soccer Report – October 10 (PDF)
This Week’s Schedule
Thursday, October 12
*Chicago State at Southern Indiana, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Liberty at Eastern Illinois, 4:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*UIW at SIUE, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*HCU at Lindenwood, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Saturday, October 14
*HCU at SIUE, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
Sunday, October 15
*Liberty at Southern Indiana, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*UIW at Lindenwood, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
*Chicago State at Eastern Illinois, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+)
OVC Players of the Week
CO-OFFENSIVE
Mitchell Murphy, F • 6-1, 170, Grad. • Quincy, Ill. • SIUE
Murphy scored a trio of goals last week as SIUE went 1-0-1 to remain undefeated on the year and in a tie for first place in the OVC. His goal in the 55th minute on Thursday against Lindenwood gave the Cougars a 2-1 advantage in a game that would end 2-2. On Sunday he scored both goals against Liberty, as SIUE handed the Flames its first home loss of the season. He had a goal after a takeaway in the first minute and sealed the victory with a penalty kick in the 80th minute. Murphy ranks 16th nationally in shot accuracy (59.4%).
CO-OFFENSIVE
Sello Diphoko, F • 5-9, So. • Soutpan, South Africa • UIW
Diphoko scored both game-winning goals last week as UIW swept Eastern Illinois and Southern Indiana to jump into a tie for first place in the OVC. The sophomore took seven shots (five on goal) and scored a pair of goals, while also adding an assist in just 68 minutes of action. His goal in the 83rd minute as the difference as the Cardinals topped EIU 4-2 on Thursday. On Sunday against Southern Indiana, he started the scoring with a goal in the 53rd minute and 35 seconds later assisted on a goal to make the score 2-0. He currently ranks third nationally in game-winning goals (4).
Others Nominated: Iann Topete, Chicago State; Ryan Okerayi, HCU; Ethan Blake, Lindenwood;
CO-DEFENSIVE
Jose Ibarra, D • 6-2, 180, Jr. • Streamwood, Ill. • Chicago State
Ibarra played 171 minutes in two matches last week as Chicago State allowed only one goal. After the team had lost 7-1 at Liberty the prior week, he helped lead a defense that shutout the Flames 2-0 on Thursday. On Sunday the team allowed one goal against Lindenwood.
CO-DEFENSIVE
Miles Merritt, MF • 5-10, Fr. • Albuquerque, N.M. • UIW
Merritt played all 180 minutes last week as UIW won a pair of matches to jump into a tie for first place in the OVC. He played an important role in possession control for the Cardinals. He scored a goal in the 41st minute as the team came-from-behind to top Eastern Illinois 4-2 to start the week. He then was part of a defensive unit that shut out Southern Indiana 4-0 on Sunday, the first shutout of the season for UIW.
Others Nominated: Sam Zeeman, HCU; Noe Bijou, Lindenwood; Will Harris, SIUE.
GOALKEEPER
Sam Gomez, GK • 6-1, 180, Grad. • St. Louis, Mo. • SIUE
Gomez earned his fifth Goalkeeper of the Week award after helping SIUE remain unbeaten on the season, as the team tied Lindenwood and won at Liberty to remain in first place in the OVC. The graduate student played all 180 minutes, allowing only two goals and making 12 saves. Eight of those saves (a career-high) came in Sunday's 2-0 win at Liberty, where the Flames lost at home for the first time this season. It marked his fifth shutout of the season. Gomez ranks fourth nationally in save percentage (84.8%) and 10th in GAA (.636).
Others Nominated: Lucas Fontana, Chicago State; Jordan Santa Cruz, HCU; Enzo Gil, Lindenwood; Hugo Constant, UIW.
Notes From Around the League
Highlights From Around the League: Two weeks into the Conference season, SIUE and UIW are tied atop the league standings with 3-0-1 records ... The teams will play on Thursday in Edwardsville ... Lindenwood was 1-0-1 last week and are now third in the standings ... After losing to Liberty 7-1 in the first game of Conference play, Chicago State rebounded to best the Flames 2-0 this week, earning its third victory of the season; it is the most wins for the program since re-adding the sport in 2020 ... SIUE is one of seven teams nationally without a loss; the team's .864 winning percentage ranks third nationally entering the week ... SIUE is 61 in the latest NCAA RPI rankings while Liberty is 68 ... SIUE is fifth nationally in save percentage (85.1%), sixth in goal differential (+17) and eighth in GAA (.636) ... Liberty is 10th in scoring offense (2.36 goals/game) and 12th in points/game (7.09) ... UIW is sixth in shot accuracy (52.4%) ... UIW's Sello Diphoko is third nationally in game-winning goals (4) ... SIUE's Sam Gomez is fourth nationally in save percentage (84.8%) and 10th in GAA (.636) ... HCU's Alex Aitken is 10th nationally in saves/game (5.0).
Inaugural Season of OVC Men's Soccer: This year marks the inaugural season of OVC men's soccer. It was announced as the conference’s 19th-sponsored sport in March 2023. Four OVC institutions currently field men’s soccer teams: Eastern Illinois, Lindenwood, SIUE and Southern Indiana. In addition, Chicago State, Houston Christian (HCU), Incarnate Word (UIW) and Liberty are affiliate members, giving the OVC eight men’s soccer programs for 2023. Western Illinois, who joined the OVC in other sports on July 1, 2023, is competing one final year in the Summit League and will be in the OVC in men's soccer in 2024.
SIUE Ranked Earlier This Season in United Soccer Coaches Poll: After a 3-0 start to the season, SIUE appeared in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll on September 5, coming in at No. 18. It was the first time the Cougars had been ranked since the spring 2021 season. After a draw the next week, the team slipped to "others receiving votes."
Liberty Picked as 2023 OVC Preseason Favorite: Liberty University was picked as the preseason favorite in the inaugural season of Ohio Valley Conference men’s soccer in a vote of coaches and communications directors. The Flames picked up eight of the 16 first-place votes to tally 88 points, which was two points ahead of SIUE (who picked up four first-place votes). Houston Christian (HCU) picked up the other four first-place votes to tally 81 points in being picked third. Lindenwood was picked fourth (62) and followed by UIW (53), Southern Indiana (29), Eastern Illinois (25) and Chicago State (24).
2023 OVC Tournament: The inaugural OVC Men's Soccer Championship will be held on the campus of SIUE in Edwardsville, Illinois. The top six seeds will make the field, with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds getting byes to the semifinals.
All Teams Eligible for OVC Tournament: Both reclassifying teams, Lindenwood and Southern Indiana, are eligible to compete and win the OVC Tournament Championship this season. Should a transitioning school win an OVC Tournament Championship, the AQ shall be awarded to the tournament runner-up. Should the tournament runner-up also be a transitioning school, the AQ representative shall be the third-place team (where the third-placed team cannot be determined, the AQ shall be the semifinal team that had the highest remaining seed going into the tournament).
ESPN+: This year marks the sixth of the OVC’s media rights deal with ESPN to air games on ESPN+, the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company Direct-to-Consumer & International segment. This season over 200 men’s and women’s basketball regular season Conference games and non-conference games will be streamed on ESPN+. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) or as part of a bundle with Disney+ and ad-supported Hulu ($15.99/month). ESPN+ is an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices). More information can be found at
www.OVCSports.com/ESPN.