While the Illinois State soccer team picked up its first Missouri Valley Conference win against Northern Iowa in mid-September, the remainder of the league begins conference play this weekend with the Redbirds taking on Drury and Southwest Missouri State in Springfield, Mo.
The Redbirds (5-3, 1-0) are coming off a 3-0 shutout against Wisconsin-Green Bay. Drury enters Friday nights 7 p.m. primetime match-up with a mark of 3-5. The Panthers have dropped their last two games against Arkansas and Centenary.
Sundays opponent, Southwest Missouri State, currently has a record of 5-3-1. Tuesday night, the Bears fell to Saint Louis, 1-0, in an overtime battle in St. Louis.
Last season, the Birds shutout Drury, 5-0, and edged SMS 2-1 in the regular season. The Bears returned the favor during the Valley Championships, ending the season for Illinois State, 1-0 in overtime.
Assistant coach Pete Cuadrado expects both games to be very physical, but thinks the Birds are ready for the conference play.
They are very similar teams and are both very scrappy, Cuadrado said. Practices have been competitive and people have been working hard. The three goals against Green Bay have given us some confidence. Our focus all year has been on winning the conference, and a win before we enter conference play has been kind of a boost.
