NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State women's soccer team will be spending its Halloween on the soccer pitch rather than out trick-or-treating as the Redbirds (8-4-3, 4-0-2 MVC) face the Eastern Illinois Panthers (7-9-1) in Charleston, Ill., at 3 p.m. in the regular-season finale for both teams. It is the third-consecutive season that the two teams have faced each other to close out the regular season.
The Redbirds are coming off a thrilling victory over Drake last Sunday that clinched their first Missouri Valley Conference regular season title since 2003. After senior Bethany Russ put the Redbirds in the lead 43 second into the game off an assist from senior Shannon Duggan, Drake tied it up early in the second half. Senior Yvonne Northover scored the game-winner in the 65th minute when she buried a free kick from 25 yards out into the upper left corner. That tally earned Northover her second Brine MVC Offensive Player of the Week award in the last three weeks and the fifth for a Redbird this year. The win not only gave the Redbirds the No. 1 seed in the State Farm MVC Tournament and an automatic bid into the semifinals, but it was also their first-ever victory over Drake in eight all-time meetings.
Illinois State leads the all-time series against Eastern Illinois, 6-4-0. After losing the first three meetings with just one goal scored, ISU won six-straight by a combined score of 12-2. That streak was snapped last season when the Panthers took a 1-0 decision in the regular season finale. ISU is 3-2 all-time in Charleston.
After Wednesday's the season finale, the Redbirds have more than a week off before the MVC Tournament begins. They will face the winner of the No. 4 Drake/No. 5 Missouri State game on Friday, Nov. 9, at 5 p.m. at Black Beauty Field in Evansville.
