No. 2 Illinois State (13-5, 6-1 MVC) will take on No. 3 Missouri State (11-4-2, 4-2-1 MVC) in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Women's Soccer Championship on Friday in Springfield, Mo. Kickoff at Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium is set for 3 p.m.
Friday's match will be streamed on ESPN+. Fans can also follow along with live stats or on Twitter (@Redbird_Soccer) for in-game updates.
Missouri State – What You Need to Know
The Bears have combined for 23 goals this season, with five different players tallying at least three goals. Junior Jordan Eickelman and sophomore Kennady Orlick lead the team with four goals each, while Eickelman and senior Ashley Coonfield have a team-high 11 points.
Junior goalkeeper Kaitlyn Maxwell has played every minute in goal this year for Missouri State, picking up 75 saves and posting a .835 save percentage.
Redbirds vs. Bears
Illinois State leads the all-time series with Missouri State, 19-8-9, and has emerged victorious in the last three meetings with the Bears. Earlier this season, the Redbirds defeated Missouri State in Springfield, Mo. in a 1-0 shutout win. Kate Del Fava notched the gamewinner for the Redbirds, while goalkeeper Haley Smith made three saves off nine shots faced to help preserve the shutout.
Last Time Out
Illinois State secured their No. 2 seed with a 1-0 win over Drake on Friday, Nov. 1. Due to inclement weather, the match was played in an indoor facility in Bettendorf, Iowa. Del Fava's goal just before halftime gave the Redbirds the victory they needed to earn an opening round bye in the MVC Tournament. Smith added her ninth shutout of the year, while recording two saves
Up Next
The winner of Friday's semifinal match will take on the winner of No. 1 Loyola Chicago and No. 4 Drake, with that match directly following after the conclusion of the first semifinal. The championship will be held on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium.
For all latest on Illinois State soccer, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com and follow the team on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App:Â Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
