NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State soccer team (4-3-0) overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit and used a full team effort to defeat visiting Northwestern (0-6-0), 2-1, in double overtime Sunday afternoon at Adelaide Street Field. The victory was the first for ISU over its in-state rival since 2004.
"We struggled a bit in the first half to connect on our passes and weren't able to win many balls in the air," head coach Drew Roff said. "At halftime, we regrouped and we came out fighting in the second half. They dug down deep and our players just battled. We knew that if we could get a couple of good chances up front we would be able to finish one. It was a real gut check for our team and I am very proud of how resilient they were. They really showed what they were made of today."
In the Redbirds' second overtime game this season, freshman Rachel Tejada recorded the game-winner in the 104th minute for her ninth goal of the season. Junior Rachel Bostick set up the goal by winning a header in the middle of the field that resulted in Tejada's breakaway chance and was credited with her first assist of the season.
"Rachel was tremendous for us today," Roff said. "She got in a rhythm were she wasn't going to lose a 50/50 ball and she won everything in the air and was able to keep it in their end. She covered a lot of ground and I was really impressed with her performance today."
Despite being outshot 6-5, Northwestern controlled much of the action in the first half and took a 1-0 lead in the 26th minute, when Kate Allen headed in a corner kick service from Sami Schrapkamp. The goal was Allen's team-leading third of the season and the lone tally of the first half.
Illinois State mounted a rally in the second half and found the equalizer in the 51st minute. Senior Jessica Carlson delivered a pass to Tejada inside the 18-yard box that resulted in a penalty kick, after Tejada was brought down from behind by a Northwestern defender. Carlson stepped up and converted on the penalty kick try for her third goal of the season.
The Redbirds fired 16 shots in the second half, but could not slip another past NU goalkeeper Anna Cassell, who finished the contest with 13 saves, until Tejada's game-winner in the second overtime period. ISU also earned eight second-half corner kick opportunities to Northwestern's two and outshout the Wildcats, 4-1, in extra time.
"I thought their goalkeeper was tremendous and she was probably the best goalkeeper we have seen so far," Roff said. "We knew that we were going to have to do something special to score on her after seeing some of the saves that she made, but Tejada is a true goal scorer and she only needs a little bit of space to get it done."
Tejada led the Illinois State offense with six shots, while Bostick added four. Redshirt freshman Aryn Newsom recorded a career-high six saves and improved to 3-2 on the season in goal.
"This performance today really showed what this team was made of," Roff said. "We have two overtime wins now and it shows that this team keeps fighting, doesn't quit and keeps playing until the very end."
The Redbirds will continue its non-conference schedule Friday, Sept. 16, when they travel to Ypsilanti, Mich., for a 3 p.m. match with Eastern Michigan. ISU will conclude the weekend at Western Michigan, Sunday, Sept. 18, at 10 a.m.
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