McLean County Times

Illinois State soccer team will travel to Des Moines this weekend to face Drake on Sunday at 1 PM, with the match available on ESPN+. The Redbirds currently hold a record of 2-6-2 overall and 0-1-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), while Drake stands at 2-5-4 overall and 1-1-0 in the MVC.

Historically, Illinois State has a slight edge over Drake with a 12-11-3 all-time record. However, the Redbirds have not secured a win against the Bulldogs since their victory in the 2019 MVC Tournament. In Des Moines, Drake leads the series with a 6-5-2 record.

Illinois State's defense has shown strength this season, earning three shutouts on the road, all with Madi Valenti as goalkeeper. This performance ties former Redbird Priya Gillan's record from 2021 for most shutouts in a single season since 2019. It is also notable as it marks the first time since 2021 that Illinois State has recorded multiple road shutouts.

Offensively, Illinois State generated a season-high of 17 shots in their recent win over Western Illinois. This achievement marks only the fourth instance since early 2022 where they have tallied more than 15 shots in one game. Additionally, they managed to put 11 shots on target, reaching double-digit shots on goal for the first time since 2021.

The team also demonstrated proficiency in set pieces, recording ten corner kicks during their win—a feat they have accomplished twice this season. They previously had twelve corner kicks against Oakland on August 29. This marks the first time since 2016 that Illinois State has posted multiple games with ten or more corner kicks in one season.

Following Sunday's match against Drake, Illinois State will return home to Adelaide Street Field for a contest against Valparaiso on October 3 at 6 p.m.

GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App remain primary sources for tickets, merchandise, and other related information.