Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In the last home contest of the season, the University of Evansville men’s soccer team suffered a 2-0 loss to the visiting Western Illinois Leathernecks Tuesday night at Arad McCutchan Stadium. With the Senior Night loss, the Purple Aces fall to 5-10-1 on the season, while the Summit League champions improve to 10-5-1.

A midfield battle for much of the first half, Western Illinois broke the scoreless stalemate in the 40th minute when Diego Gonzalez found the back left corner of the net on a pass into the middle of the box from Drew Edmond.

The Leathernecks added an insurance goal in the 58th minute on Ebenezer Mengistu’s line drive from the top-middle of the penalty box, receiving a pass from Matt Carlson on the right side of the field.

In the match, Evansville owned a 9-7 shot and 4-3 shot on goal advantage, but couldn’t get anything past WIU goalkeeper Andy Ryan. The Aces’ best scoring opportunity was in the 83rd minute when freshman Dylan Terry fired a line drive from the right side and bent it towards the goal, but Ryan was able to make the save.

Ryan earned the shutout, recording four saves. UE goalkeeper Robert Randant made one save in the contest, playing the full 90:00 minutes.

Terry, sophomore Joel Nash, and senior Tad Kreamalmeyer led Evansville with two shots apiece.

In a pregame ceremony, Kreamalmeyer, along with classmates Jarrett Robbins and Aaron Henkle were honored as a part of Senior Night.

The Aces close out the 2011 season Saturday when they travel to Omaha, Neb. to take on Creighton Saturday at 7:30 p.m. CT. The Bluejays are ranked No. 1 in the latest official RPI report released by the NCAA and ranked second in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll.