NORMAL, Ill. - After more than a week of training, the Illinois State women's soccer team will have the chance to face some opposition in different colored jerseys. The Redbirds visit Missouri Sunday at 10 a.m. in their lone exhibition game of the preseason. The game will be ISU's only match before opening the regular season at home against IPFW Friday, Aug. 22, at 3 p.m.
"So far our preseason practices have gone very well and our players are really looking forward to our first exhibition this weekend," said head coach Drew Roff. "Playing against a very talented and experienced team of Missouri's caliber this early in the season is a great test for us. I expect it to be very helpful in identifying the areas that we need to improve in before our home opener next week. "
ISU welcomes back 12 letterwinners from last season's Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship team. ISU also welcomes in nine newcomers who will see their first collegiate action. The matchup with the Tigers will give Roff and his coaching staff their first chance to see how the new lineup can perform.
The Redbirds split a pair of exhibition games last season, losing to UW-Milwaukee 3-0, and blanking IPFW, 3-0. Sophomore forward Alyssa Schulz scored two goals against IPFW and senior forward Mel Routledge added the other.
Missouri opened exhibition play with a 1-1 draw at Creighton on Thursday, Aug. 14. Creighton took a 1-0 lead in the 85th minute of the game, but Missouri freshman Krista Kruse tied the game with a goal a minute later. Missouri held a 32-5 advantage in shots in the game. Sunday's exhibition is Missouri's last before opening the regular season against Illinois Saturday, Aug. 23.
Missouri posted a 13-8-1 record in 2007, including a 6-4-0 mark in Big 12 Conference play, which put them in a tie for third in the regular-season standings. Despite losing to Texas A&M in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament, Missouri made it to the 2007 NCAA Tournament as an at-large selection. The Tigers advanced past Southeast Missouri State in penalty kicks in the first round before losing to eventual national champion USC, 2-0.
