NORMAL, Ill. - Despite outshooting Northern Iowa, 24-5, the Illinois State women's soccer team failed to score for the fourth straight game, falling in Missouri Valley Conference action to Northern Iowa, 1-0, Friday afternoon at Adelaide Street Field.
The win was the first for the Panthers in the 2006 season, and also the program's first win since August 28, 2005. Breaking its 28-game losing streak, UNI moves to 1-13 overall, 1-3-0 in Valley action. The `Birds fall to 3-7-3 on the year, 0-3-1 in the league.
Illinois State head coach Pete Kowall thought that Northern Iowa set the pace for the game from the beginning.
"The first couple of minutes they took it to us a little bit," said Kowall. "I think that was an indication that this was going to be a harder game than we had originally anticipated. Our players didn't step up to the challenge. We had enough chances and we couldn't stuff one into the net."
The lone goal of the game came in the 15th minute as a Northern Iowa midfielder sent a through ball to forward Jackie Gielau. Illinois State keeper Erica Goethel came out to intercept the ball at the top of the box and collided with Gielau, falling to the ground. Gielau side-stepped Goethel, retrieving the ball and quickly burying it into the Redbird goal as Redbird defender Shannon Eccleston pursued.
"We worked on that play yesterday in practice, where they send the ball over the top" continued Kowall. "We talked about how we were going to communicate and cover, but we didn't implement what we worked on. We just didn't communicate very well and their goal was the result. It's unfortunate we can't utilize what we work on in practice and use it in game situations."
The unassisted goal was the third of the year for Gielau, a junior who is second on the Panther squad with six points. Goethel would leave the game at that point because of an injury sustained on the play, though the junior recorded the game's decision. Senior goalkeeper Andrea Shaw took over in the net at the 15:26 mark. Shaw tabbed three saves on the afternoon.
Senior co-captain Meghan Boler led the `Birds with five shots, two of which were on goal. Several other Redbirds contributed shots, including Yvonne Northover with four, and Mel Routledge, Danielle Mutters, Carrie Schurr and Ammanda Wisniewski all recording three shots a piece. Additionally, ISU took six corner kicks compared to just two by the Panthers.
Illinois State continues its five-game home stand on Sunday, as the `Birds return to action against Indiana State at 12 p.m. at Adelaide Street Field.
