EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Two Cougars scored their first career goals as SIUE men's soccer played to a 2-2 tie at Southern Indiana Sunday night.
SIUE moved to 2-8-2 overall and 1-2-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Southern Indiana is now 2-7-3 and 1-1-3.
Dom Bartoni got the scoring started with his first goal as a Cougar in the 23rd minute. Bartoni banged home a rebound from 12 yards away after consecutive shots by Evan Howard and Ethan Hackenberg were turned away by USI goalkeeper Jacob English.
Ben Perkins doubled the Cougars' lead in the 31st minute with his first career goal. Hugo Cornish played a ball back from the right side and Paulo Junior Sousa Rodrigues sent a long pass over the top where Perkins was able to run on for a break away. Perkins scored with a low drive to the far post.
Southern Indiana pulled within a goal after a free kick in the 37th minute. A long restart was headed into the box where it came down to Kadiri Bello. Bello scored from just outside the six-yard box to the far post past SIUE goalkeeper Noah Scheidweiler.
USI tied the score in the 74th after SIUE failed to clear a crossing pass and it came out to David Davila for the 2-2 score.
The Cougars outshot the Screaming Eagles 17-6, marking the third straight game SIUE has outshot its opponent, and the third straight game that SIUE has limited it opponent to fewer than 10 shots. The Cougars put a season-high nine shots on goal compared to five from USI.
Cornish had five shots total and three on goal. Carles Zomeño and Howard each had two shots on goal.
English made seven saves for Southern Indiana. Scheidweiler made three saves for SIUE.
The Cougars return home for the next two games. SIUE will face Houston Christian Thursday and Incarnate Word on Sunday.
