NORMAL, Ill. - For the seventh time in program history, the Illinois State soccer team opened the season with a victory, beating IPFW, 3-1, Friday at Adelaide Street Field. The Redbirds benefitted from three different players scoring their first-career goals in Redbird uniforms. ISU's three goals were the most a Redbird team has scored in a season-opener since a 5-0 win over Northern Illinois in 2005.
Sophomore forward Alyssa Schulz, freshman back Alex Howell and freshman forward Mary Sahm each scored their first-career goals for the Redbirds. Schulz recorded just one point last season on an assist, while Howell and Sahm found the scoring column in their first-career games. Freshman midfielder Natalie McCabe added an assist on Schulz's goal for her first-career point.
Junior Katie Grill-Donovan and sophomore Courtney Blake each played a half for the Redbirds in goal. Grill Donovan faced two shots and allowed a goal and Blake did not face any shots, but did collect her first-career victory.
"I was pleased with the way we performed today," said head coach Drew Roff. "We started five freshmen, but they adjusted well and we were able to do some things well. We had plenty of scoring opportunities and probably should have converted on more of them, but we came out strong in the second half to put some distance between us and IPFW. The two goals we scored in the beginning of the second half weren't so much a result of a tactical change as they were just adjusting to how the game was playing out. I thought we could get wide and play some balls into the box, rather than attack the middle of the field, which is what we did in the first half."
ISU controlled the ball throughout the game and had a 22-2 advantage in shots. It was the Mastodons who took the early lead, however, when Brittni Roy slipped past the Redbird defense, took a lofted pass and beat Grill-Donovan one-on-one in 36th minute.
The Redbirds offense capitalized soon after with three unanswered goals in just under five minutes. Howell provided the equalizer in the 43rd minute when IPFW goalkeeper Meagan McLaughlin punched a corner kick through a crowd of players into the middle of the field. Howell came streaking in with no one in front of her and laced a shot into the top of the net from 18 yards out for her first collegiate score.
After the game went into halftime tied at one, ISU maintained the momentum when Schulz took a pass from McCabe on the left side of the box and beat new IPFW goalkeeper Kristen McFadden just 37 seconds into the second half. The Redbirds' third goal came a little over a minute later, again off a corner kick. Junior midfielder Raquel Rattray headed the ball on goal, but an IPFW defender was there to knock the ball away before it could slide inside the post. Sahm then chipped in the loose ball from close range for her first-career goal to provide the final 3-1 margin.
The Redbirds are on the road for the first time Sunday when they face Green Bay at noon.
