McLean County Times

Illinois State University's soccer team will face Drake University at Adelaide Street Field on Thursday, with the match scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

The Redbirds come into the contest after a scoreless draw against UIC, which extended their unbeaten streak to eight games. The team remains undefeated in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play after six matches this season.

Sunday's result marked Illinois State's 10th shutout of the year. This figure leads the MVC and is tied for fourth nationally. It also matches the third-highest number of shutouts in a single season in program history.

Redshirt sophomore Madi Valenti secured her ninth shutout of the season, tying her for fifth place in the nation and third in program history for most shutouts in a season. The performance also gave Valenti her 14th career shutout, placing her fifth all-time among Redbird goalkeepers.

Following her effort on Sunday, which included two key saves, Valenti was named Goalkeeper of the Week for the third time this season. "With the recognition, Valenti becomes the first Redbird since Kate Del Fava to earn three or more weekly awards in a season." The program has now had a player receive a weekly award for eight consecutive weeks, setting a new record.

Drake enters the matchup as the top seed in the MVC, holding a 7-4-4 overall record and a 4-1-1 mark in conference play. In their most recent game, the Bulldogs secured a 1-0 win over UNI. The team is coached by Lindsey Horner, who is in her 18th season as head coach after previously serving five years as an assistant.

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