VALPARAISO, Ind.  – An Alyssa Siebers goal with just over 10 minutes remaining in the contest secured a school-record-tying 23rd career shutout for senior goalkeeper Haley Smith and extended Illinois State's win streak to eight games in the Redbirds' 1-0 win over Valparaiso on Saturday evening.
The win improves Illinois State to 10-4 on the season and the Redbirds are one of just two schools in the MVC with an unblemished conference record at 3-0 this season.
Smith moved into a two-way tie for the top spot in program history in career shutouts – along with Becky Feldman (1997-2000). With her sixth shutout this season she also moved into the top-10 in school history for single-season shutouts. Smith stopped both of the Crusaders' shots on goal, as Valparaiso had just eight total shots in the contest.
The Redbirds took 10 shots in the opening 45 minutes, with seven of those on goal, but none finding the back of the net. It took until Siebers knocked a ball in from in close from a cluster off of a corner kick sent in by Abby Basler for a team to reach the scoreboard in the contest, and neither team could mount a score over the final 10 minutes of the match.
Basler had a team-best five shots – three on goal – in the contest, as Natalie Vaughn-Low and Megan McEachern each had three attempts with two of them on goal.
Illinois State returns to the pitch on Wednesday, Oct. 16, with a 6 p.m. kickoff at Indiana State against the Sycamores (1-1-1 in the MVC).
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