Illinois State soccer travels to Macomb, Illinois, for its final nonconference match of the season against Western Illinois on Sunday at 3 p.m. CT at John MacKenzie Alumni Field. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
SERIES BREAKDOWN
• Sunday's match will be the Redbirds' 15th all-time meeting with the Leathernecks.
• Illinois State holds a 10-2-2 advantage in the series and has won five straight matches.
• The most recent meeting between the two squads ended in a 5-0 shutout victory on Aug. 28, 2025.
• Illinois State holds a 5-2 record at John MacKenzie Alumni Field.
• The Leathernecks hold a 1-8 record this season with a win over Northern Iowa.
• Rita Moran leads WIU with two goals, while four different Leathernecks have an assist on the year.
• WIU has started two different goalies this year in Mahe-Lee Caron and Lillian Johns, who've combined for a .674 save percentage.
QUICK KICKS
• The Redbirds are coming off a 1-0 win over Eastern Illinois, marking ISU's third shutout this season and the 20th of goalkeeper Madi Valenti's career.
The Redbirds earned a 3-0 shutout victory over Purdue Fort Wayne last Sunday. With the win, ISU completed an unblemished home non-conference season for the first time since 2009.
• The Redbirds earned a 1-1 draw last Thursday with Saint Louis, who received a vote in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll this past week.
• Kaya Durkee was named the MVC Defender of the Week after scoring her first career goal and aiding the Redbirds to a shutout over the Mastodons. It is the first weekly honor of her career and for the Redbirds this season.
• The Redbirds remain unbeaten at home this season with a 2-0-2 record, extending their home unbeaten streak to 12 games dating back to last season.
• The draw with the Northwestern Wildcats marks the Redbirds' first tie or win against a Power Four opponent since a 1-0 shutout over Pittsburgh on Sep. 3, 2017.
BACK-TO-BACK
After scoring her first career goal last Sunday, defender Ava Watson found the mesh once more against the Panthers. Watson fired a shot from the top of the penalty box, sneaking the ball into the upper right of the net to give Illinois State a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute.
FIRST CAREER GOAL X3
Three Redbirds scored their first career goals on Sunday against Purdue Fort Wayne. Maggie Dowling struck first in the 35th minute off assists from Rylann and Rowann Law. A few minutes later, Kaya Durkee notched her first career goal with a left-footed shot into the top center of the net. Ava Watson then capped off the first half with a right-footed shot from the top of the penalty arc.
• It marked Illinois State's first three-goal game since Oct. 13, 2024, against Indiana State.
UNBEATEN AT HOME IN NON-CON
With the win over Purdue Fort Wayne, Illinois State completed an unblemished home non-conference season for the first time since 2009.
SHUTOUTS LEADERBOARD
Goalkeeper Madi Valenti is working her way up the program record book in career shutouts, moving into sole possession of fourth place earlier this season and becoming just the fourth Redbird in program history to amass 20 shutouts with the 1-0 win over Western Illinois on Thursday.
26 - Haley Smith............................................2016-19
23 - Becky Feldmann.....................................1997-00
22 - Aryn Newsom.........................................2010-14
20 - Madi Valenti ..................................2024-Present
17 - Allison Farrington...................................2001-03
DURKEE DPOW
Kaya Durkee was named the MVC Defender of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday. It is her first career weekly honor and the first for the Redbirds this season. Durkee, a defensive specialist from Danville, California, has earned the nickname "second goalie" from the ISU broadcast booth for her play in the back line. She helped the Redbirds go 1-0-1 last week, including a 3-0 shutout of Purdue Fort Wayne. During the Redbirds' second shutout of the season, Durkee scored her first career goal with five minutes remaining in the first half.
HOME SWEET HOME
With the draw against Saint Louis and shutout victory over Purdue Fort Wayne last week, the Redbirds extended their home unbeaten streak to 12 games with a 5-0-7 record dating back to last season. It is the fourth-longest home unbeaten streak in program history. The Redbirds return home Oct. 4 for a contest against UNI.
TEJADA JERSEY RETIREMENT
Illinois State soccer legend Rachel Tejada will have her No. 14 jersey retired on Oct. 4 when the Redbirds host UNI, alongside ISU's annual Julie Heidecke/Alumni celebration.
• Tejada's No. 14 will be the second number in Illinois State soccer history to be retired, alongside the twelfth Redbird on the field, Heidecke's No. 13.
• The four-year letterwinner for the Redbirds is the only player in Missouri Valley Conference history to be named Conference Player of the Year four times.
• In her Redbird career, Tejada helped Illinois State earn three MVC regular-season championships and secure four straight MVC tournament titles.
• Tejada still holds the Redbird and MVC career records for goals (74), assists (42) and points (190).
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