The Illinois State soccer team is prepped to take on Northern Illinois in their home opener on Friday at Adelaide Street Field. Kickoff with the Huskies is set for 7 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.
Northern Illinois – What You Need to Know
The Huskies are off to a 0-1-1 start this year, falling to Milwaukee and most recently playing Louisiana-Lafayette to a 4-4 2OT draw. Northern Illinois scored all four of their goals in the second half, including a goal by Hannah Kroupa in the 62nd minute and a hat trick by sophomore Trudy Quidzinski (68", 78", 86"). Sophomore goalkeeper Julia Lentz made four saves on 12 shots faced.
Northern Illinois is led by Julie Colhoff, who is in her second season as head coach of the Huskies.
Series History
The Redbirds lead the all-time series with the Huskies, 11-3-2. The last time these two teams met resulted in a 0-0 2OT draw in DeKalb, Illinois in 2016. Current Redbirds Mikayla Unger and Megan McEachern both took two shots in that game, with Haley Smith making two saves in goal for Illinois State.
Last Time Out
Illinois State was bested 4-3 by Big Ten opponent Iowa on Sunday afternoon. Senior midfielder Kate Del Fava scored all three goals for the Redbirds, posting her first career hat trick. Michaela Kirschten, Alix McArthur, Hannah Mueller and Alyssa Siebers all earned their first assists of the season and Smith had seven saves in between the sticks.
Promotions
The Redbird soccer team will be hosting Local Heroes Night in conjunction with Friday's game, recognizing all local heroes and veterans in the community. The Illinois State ROTC will be in attendance.
The team will also honor Army Ranger Sgt. Josh Rodgers, who passed away in April 2017 in the Nangarhar Province. Joshua's sister, former Illinois State soccer player Hannah Rodgers, and her family will be in attendance and present the game ball before the match.
Back by popular demand, the Local Heroes Night concession special will consist of $2 Icees.
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.
