McLean County Times

Illinois State University’s women’s soccer team secured a 1-0 win over Drake University in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Tournament on Thursday at Mediacom Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. The victory advances Illinois State to its first MVC Tournament Championship game since 2019.

The match was decided late when senior Abby Hall scored from a penalty kick in the 85th minute. The opportunity came after senior Cyerra Hibbert was fouled inside the box during an Illinois State attack.

Drake started strong with an early chance that required a save from Illinois State’s redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Madi Valenti. Although Drake appeared to score on the rebound, the goal was disallowed for offside.

Illinois State gained momentum as the first half progressed, limiting Drake to just one shot for the remainder of the half while outshooting them 6-2. Despite this advantage, both teams went into halftime without scoring.

In the second half, Illinois State continued to pressure with five shots in the opening 20 minutes but did not break through until Hall’s late penalty. After falling behind, Drake attempted three shots in search of an equalizer, but Illinois State held firm defensively.

Valenti recorded her 11th shutout of the season, setting a new single-season record for Redbird goalkeepers and tying for fourth most shutouts nationally.

With this result, Illinois State will host UIC in Sunday’s MVC Tournament Championship Game at Adelaide Street Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m., and fans can watch live on ESPN+ or purchase tickets through goredbirds.com or at the entrance gate on game day.

“GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos, and more.”