WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
Belmont 3,
@Southern Indiana 0
HCU 1, @UTRGV 0
UMKC 2,
@SIUE 0
BELMONT 3, SOUTHERN INDIANA 0
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - University of Southern Indiana Men's Soccer closed out its five-game homestand with a 3-0 loss to Belmont University Wednesday evening at Strassweg Field.
The Screaming Eagles conclude the homestand with a 1-4 record, with a 1-0 win over Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology on August 26. USI scored three goals in the five games, one against Rose-Hulman and two in a loss to Indiana University Indianapolis on September 6.
The Bruins' potent offense was on display early, possessing the ball for the majority of the first half. USI held them off the board until the 30th minute, when they snuck a ball past junior goalkeeper Kael McGowan.
At the half, USI trailed only 1-0 despite the relentless Belmont pressure. The Eagles trailed in total shots, 11-4, and shots on goal, 4-1. Sophomore forward David Davila put up a team-high two shots in the first half, while freshman midfielder Nolan Stevens recorded the team's only shot on goal. In his first start as an Eagle, McGowan tallied three saves through the first 45.
Belmont came out of the break firing, scoring two goals at the 59:42 and 63:49 marks of the match. The Bruins continued to dominate the possession battle, allowing the Eagles only two second-half shots, neither on goal.
For the game, the Eagles were outshot 18-6 from the field and 8-1 on goal. Davila led the Eagles with two shots, while Stevens recorded the only shot on goal. McGowan recorded three saves over his 68 minutes, getting replaced by freshman goalkeeper Jacob English, who held the Bruins scoreless over his 22 minutes with two saves.
HCU 1, UTRGV 0
EDINBURG, Texas - Ryan Okerayi's knocked home a penalty kick in the 88th minute that gave Houston Christian University a hard-fought 1-0 victory over rival University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley Wednesday night at UTRGV Soccer Complex. It marks the second straight season that HCU has bested the Vaqueros by one-nil on a late score from Okerayi, who tallied in the 78th minute last year at Sorrels Field.
The two teams engaged in a very physical defensive struggle from the onset, with just 16 total shots taken. The game was scoreless at the half, but HCU started to put more runs together in the final third of the contest, eventually resulting in the game-winning sequence.
With just under three minutes remaining, the Huskies got a steal near midfield from Ian Belong, who then quickly played the ball ahead, slicing it into open space through a pair of defenders. Ryan Okerayi collected the ball off a missed tackle from the final defender and then drew out the UTRGV keeper.
A poke to the left inside was the box was met by a takedown just as Okerayi was preparing to shoot. The penalty was awarded and was calmly placed into the lower right corner with 2:27 left on the board.
HCU was outshot for the first time this season 9-7, but six of the shots were on target compared to just four by the host Vaqueros..
Okerayi had three shots, all on goal, and collected his team-best fifth goal of the season and 17th of his career. It comes one day shy of one full year removed of Okerayi's game-winner last season against the Vaqueros, as his steal and smash in the 78th minute last year provided the same outcome, a one-nil result at Sorrels Field.
Alex Aitken posted his fourth clean sheet of the season, collecting four saves while facing nine shots.
Emiliano Abboud had three shots and keeper Alexis Gonzalez posted five saves for the Vaqueros (0-5), who will join HCU in the OVC in 2026.
The Huskies are now 5-2 on the season, the best non-conference record since 2013, when HCU also went 5-2.
UMKC 2, SIUE 0
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Kansas City scored a pair of first-half goals and held on for a 2-0 win over SIUE men's soccer Wednesday at Korte Stadium.
The loss dropped the Cougars to 1-5-0 overall and 0-3 at home to start the season. UMKC improved to 3-4-1.
The turning point came early in the first half when SIUE was awarded a penalty kick after video review. Evan Howard sent a low drive at the net, but it was saved by Roos' goalkeeper Marc Popow. The save resulted in a corner kick for the Cougars. Kansas City successfully defended the kick and sprung a counterattack down the right side.
Joackim sent a ball into the box from near the end line and Bryce Outman scored with a low shot past SIUE goalkeeper Noah Scheidweiler.
The Roos made it 2-0 in the 30th minute when Raphael Kistmann sent a long pass over the top to a streaking Jeremy Francou. Francou had a break on goal and scored from just inside the penalty area.
The Cougars had several opportunities, with the best coming in the 60th minute when Ben Perkins got his head to a cross and put it on goal, where it was saved by Popow.
In all, Kansas City outshot SIUE 13-7, including 8-3 in shots on target.