NORMAL, Ill. – The title defense has officially started for the Illinois State soccer team. After 10 nonconference matches, ISU will open the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference slate at home Sunday against Missouri State. The Redbirds look to repeat as regular season champions and hope to win their fourth-straight MVC Tournament at year's end.
Despite coming off a loss, Illinois State enters Valley play on a relatively high note, winning three of its last four. After three-straight losses to ranked opponents, the Redbirds were searching for quality nonconference wins, and they got them in back-to-back defeats of Baylor and Western Michigan.
Much of ISU's recent success can be attributed to Rachel Tejada's midseason surge. After scoring just one goal in the first six games, Tejada has scored six in the last five matches. Two of those goals were game-winners, while another broke the program and conference goal record.
Tejada's recent hot streak has taken her to the top of several offensive statistical categories in the MVC. At the forward position she is joined by Hannah Leinert who has netted four goals to go along with four assists this season.
The Redbirds are in search of their 10th MVC regular season crown and looking to win back-to-back titles for the first time since 2007 and 2008. The quest starts Sunday against a Missouri State team that ISU has defeated in the last three meetings. ISU holds the advantage in the all-time series 14-6-8 and defeated the Bears 3-1 last season.
The match will be ISU's annual Pink Game and the Redbirds will be wearing pink to support the cause against cancer. The team is encouraging all fans to wear pink as well.
Sunday's match will also be the debut of the new scoreboard at Adelaide Street Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be broadcast live on GoRedbirds.com. You can follow the team on Twitter @ISU_Soccer.
GoRedbirds.com:Â Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
