Normal, Ill. - Illinois State soccer (0-0-0, 0-0-0 in MVC) will open up its 2022 campaign on the road Thursday night against Illinois (0-0-0, 0-0-0 in Big Ten). The match is slated for a 7 p.m. CT start from Demirjian Park on Big Ten Plus.
Thursday August 18, 2022 | 7 PM CT | Demirjian Park | Champaign, Ill. | Big Ten Plus
Illinois State (0-0-0) vs Illinois (0-0-0)
LIVE STATS | STREAM
QUICK KICKS
- Illinois State Soccer opens its 27th season Thursday at Illinois.
- Thursday also kicks off a new era for Redbird soccer, as Marisa Kresge is set to coach her first game at the helm of the Redbirds. The former Wisconsin assistant is the sixth head coach in program history and the second female to lead Redbird Soccer. (Nora Maguire, 1996)
- The Redbirds are unbeaten in four of their last five season openers.
- Illinois State is opening the year on the road for the second straight season. In the fall 2021 season opener, Illinois State took down Eastern Michigan 4-0 on the road.
- It marks the third time since 2015 the Redbirds will open the year with a Big Ten foe (Ohio State, 2015; Wisconsin, 2016; Illinois; 2021)
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
Illinois is coming off a 5-11-1 campaign under head coach Janet Rayfield. D Ashley Cathro, D Kendra Pasquale and M Eileen Murphy were named to this year's Big Ten Preseason Watch list for the Fighting Illini.
SERIES HISTORY
Thursday marks the 18th all-time meeting between Illinois State and Illinois, two schools whose campuses are separated by 50 miles. The Fighting Illini lead the series by a 12-3-2 margin.
Illinois State last defeated Illinois in September of 2017, a 2-0 win at Adelaide Street Field. A win tomorrow night would be the program's first-ever victory in Champaign.
PRESEASON SPLIT
The Redbirds split a pair of matches in the preseason, taking down SIUE 1-0 at home on Aug. 8 and falling 2-1 to Purdue Aug. 13 in West Lafayette.
Allison Baker's 12th-minute goal was enough for a hard-fought win to open the preseason against the Cougars. Hillary Griffin's goal secured a halftime lead for Illinois State over Purdue, a second-round NCAA Tournament team from a year ago. The Boilermakers were able to post a strong second half for a 2-1 comeback win.
FRESH FACES
The Redbirds welcomed 12 newcomers to their 2022 roster, including three transfers and nine true freshmen. The staff additions of Kresge and assistant coach Riley Butler only add to the list of newcomers within the program.
Nearly half of the Illinois State's 27-player roster was not with the team a year ago.
UP NEXT
Following Thursday's match, Illinois State kicks off its 2022 home slate Sunday vs Eastern Michigan for Back-to-School Day at Adelaide Street Field.
To keep up with Illinois State Soccer, follow the team on Twitter @Redbird_Soccer.
