McLean County Times

Illinois State University's soccer team is set to begin its Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) schedule with a match against Murray State on Thursday evening. The game will take place at 6 p.m. and will be available for streaming on ESPN+.

This matchup marks the fourth time Illinois State and Murray State have played each other. Murray State currently leads the series with two wins and one draw. In their most recent meeting last season, the teams ended in a 1-1 tie in Murray, Kentucky, with Illinois State's Junior Aniya Seymore scoring her first career goal during that game.

Illinois State comes into this conference opener following a scoreless draw against Saint Louis on Sunday. The Redbirds have allowed only one goal over their last six matches, which is the fewest goals conceded by the team in any six-game span since 2003. They have also recorded shutouts in five of those six contests.

Senior Jade Rehberger was recognized as MVC Defender of the Week on Monday due to her performance in back-to-back shutout draws. She is the third Illinois State player to receive a weekly MVC honor this season, joining teammates Kaya Durkee and Rylann Law.

Murray State arrives in Normal after remaining unbeaten in its last four games, including three victories. In their latest outing, they secured a 4-0 win over SEMO. The Racers are coached by Matt Lodge, who is now in his eighth year leading the program and guided them to the MVC Tournament Championship game during their first year in the conference.

Tickets and additional information about Illinois State athletics can be found at GoRedbirds.com or through the Illinois State Redbirds App.