EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) – Saturday will be the second official match between cross-town rivals University of Evansville and Southern Indiana since the Screaming Eagles entered NCAA Division-I play last year. In previous years, many exhibition games were played on the Aces pitch.
Now, for the first time in NCAA play, the Purple Aces will travel across town to visit the Screaming Eagles. Even though the official history is relatively new, Southern Indiana is still pumped for the rivalry.
“You’re going to start to feel it now,” head coach Mat Santoro said. “This is the second year in a row that we’re playing in the fall as a Division-I program and there’s a cup on the line and fans will show up. So I think it will become a pretty good rivalry.”
The players weighed in as well.
“It’s a rivalry match,” midfielder Nick Faddis said. “Every rivalry match is going to be a little extra and this is the perfect opportunity to get back into our flow, so we’re excited for it.”
“I’m really excited,” defender Travis Sides said. “I grew up going to their soccer camps, going to their games and being their ball boy. Being able to go at them out here at USI is a dream come true.”
The Purple Aces and Screaming Eagles kick off at 6:00 p.m. CT on Saturday night at Arad McCutchan Stadium.
