ISU Looks to Make History in Second Round Against No. 11 Pepperdine

LOS ANGELES – For the second-straight season the Illinois State soccer team has advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Friday night, the Redbirds will look to make history by advancing to the round of 16 for the first time in program history.

ISU defeated South Florida in the first round 3-2 in Tampa, Florida, as Rachel Tejada led the way. Tejada scored two goals and assisted another. The Redbirds built a 3-0 lead and the defense held firm in the final 20 minutes as ISU's lead was trimmed to one.

Six days later and on the opposite coast, ISU faces a difficult task in No. 11 Pepperdine. The Waves enter the match 15-2-4 and a week removed from a shootout victory over USC in the first round. Like ISU, Pepperdine has played a difficult non-conference schedule this season, going 4-1 against ranked opponents with the lone loss a 2-0 defeat to No. 1 UCLA.

The Waves' rely on a stingy defense that has allowed just 15 goals this season. Goalkeeper Hannah Seabert has a goals against average of 0.69 and 10 shutouts on the season.

The match is a classic defense versus offense matchup as ISU's high-octane offense is one of the best in the nation. The Redbirds broke the program record last game, scoring their 58th goal of the season. The previous high was 56.

Tejada has scored eight goals in the last three games and four different players were credited with an assist in the first round win over USF. ISU's 58 goals ranks seventh in the nation and they have not been shutout this season.

Not to be overlooked, the ISU defense and goalkeeper Aryn Newsom have also put together a solid campaign. Newsom passed the 300 save mark and recorded her program-record 50th win against USF and the defense bunkered down in the penalty box late in the match and kept USF from tying the game.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST at Drake Stadium on the campus of UCLA. The winner of the match will face the winner of No. 1 UCLA versus Harvard on Sunday afternoon.

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