ROMEOVILLE - Josh Hickam (Granite City) contributed his second game-winning goal in as many days as Southern Illinois University Edwardsville won the Great Lakes Valley Conference men's soccer title Sunday.
         SIUE defeated Southern Indiana 1-0 to win the GLVC title, its first men's soccer crown since 1997.
         Hickam, picked as a second team All-GLVC selection, scored at 61:57 on an assist from Matt Horan (St. Louis). The goal tied Hickam for the team lead in goals with 12 and points with 26. It also was the fourth game-winning goal of the season.
         Cougar goalkeeper Matt Evers (Edwardsville) remained steady for the Cougars in the shutout, making five saves. Evers, tabbed a first team All-GLVC selection, lowered his goals against average to 0.73. The win was Evers' second straight postseason shutout and seventh for the season.
         SIUE controlled the offensive flow of the game with 17 shots to Southern Indiana's 13. Both teams had to play without scorers as SIUE's Mike Ngonyani (Bloomington, Ind.) and USI's Greg Henry were issued red cards during GLVC Tournament semifinal games on Saturday. The Cougars also avenged one of its four losses, having previously fell to Southern Indiana 1-0 in Evansville, Ind., in October.
         The Cougars have won five consecutive games and have outscored their opponents 13-3 in those games.
         SIUE, 13-4-2, now must wait until late Monday to learn of its fate for the NCAA Tournament. Winning the GLVC Men's Soccer Tournament gives SIUE a good case for inclusion in the 2002 tournament but is no guarantee. Only 16 teams make this year's NCAA Tournament, including just two from the Central Region.
                  -siue cougars-