Normal Ill. - Illinois State Soccer (2-6-0, 0-0-0 MVC) looks to continue its winning ways as the Redbirds kick off MVC play Sunday at UIC (0-4-2, 0-0-0 MVC). Kick off is slated for 1 p.m. CT from Flames Field on ESPN3.
The Redbirds are riding a two-game win streak after wins over Lindenwood, and Western Illinois last week.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
UIC is still searching for its first win of the season as they open MVC play for the first time in school history. UIC joined The Valley in July of 2022 after 28 years as a member of the Horizon League.
The Flames fell 3-1 on the road to Eastern Kentucky in their lone match last week. Graduate student Frankie Frericks scored an 83rd-minute penalty kick in UIC's loss to the Colonels.
SERIES HISTORY
Sunday is the first intra-conference contest between Illinois State University and the University of Illinois-Chicago.
Illinois State holds a 2-0-0 edge in the all-time series with UIC. The Redbirds and Flames last met in the 2017 and 2018 seasons, when Illinois State took wins by a combined 9-3 margin.
OFFENSIVE OUTBREAK
After struggling with offensive production through the first six games of the season, Illinois State flipped the script over two games last week. The Redbirds set season-high marks for shots (25 at W. Illinois), shots on goal (12 at W. Illinois), goals (5 vs Lindenwood), and corner kicks (9 at Western Illinois) last week.
Illinois State's five goals against the Lions is the most for the program in a single game since 2019 (5-0 at UNI, Sept. 28) and their most at home since 2017 (5-3 vs Loyola, Oct. 11).
The Redbirds now lead The Valley in several major offensive stat categories:
- As a team, the Redbirds sit alone atop the MVC with 11 goals this year.
- Freshman Hillary Griffin tallied three assists last week and is tied for 11th in Division I Women's Soccer with five assists on the year. That number also leads the MVC.
- Griffin is tied with senior Allison Baker to lead the MVC with seven points
- Junior Haley Glover has six points on the year, which is tied for third in the conference.
- Illinois State is the ONLY team in the Valley with three players who have scored 6+ points this year.
MVC PLAYER(S) OF THE WEEK
Baker was named the MVC Offensive Player of the Week while freshman Kelsi McLaughlin received MVC Freshman of the Week honors on Monday. It marks the first time since the spring 2020-2021 season that Illinois State has received an MVC Weekly honor and the first time since 2019 that multiple Redbirds have earned honors in the same week.
Baker scored three goals and added an assist to earn the first MVC Offensive Player of the Week honors of her career. She posted a 2-goal, one-assist performance in the win over Lindenwood on Thursday. Baker recorded tallies in the 21st and 49th minutes for her first two goals of the season and the first brace of her collegiate career. Baker also assisted on a 46th minute goal from Griffin, finishing the night with five points against the Lions. She tacked on another goal Sunday at Western Illinois as the Redbirds defeated the Leathernecks 2-1.
McLaughlin scored the first two goals of her collegiate career last week, including an 87th-minute game winner Sunday against Western Illinois, to earn MVC Freshman of the Week honors. On Thursday she scored in the 17th minute to give Illinois State a 1-0 lead over Lindenwood. McLaughlin has started her last five matches since making her first career start Aug. 28 at Utah.
IMPACT FRESHMEN
Illinois State continues to be led by a strong freshman class in 2022. The Redbirds have four freshmen who have registered a point this year. (Leah Crotty, Griffin, McLaughlin and Sammi Cenek). Three freshmen have scored for the Redbirds (Crotty, Griffin, McLaughlin) making Illinois State the ONLY MVC team to have three different freshman net a goal this season.
Griffin leads all MVC players with seven points, while McLaughlin leads all MVC freshmen with two goals this year.
UP NEXT
Illinois State returns to Normal for a two-game home stand next week. The Redbirds host UNI Sept. 22 for Pack the Pitch night at Adelaide Street Field. Kick off is set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
