McLean County Times

Illinois State University's women's soccer team will face the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Tournament Championship Game on Sunday at Adelaide Street Field. The match is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

This marks Illinois State's first appearance in the MVC Championship game since 2019, and the first time hosting the final since 2016. In that 2016 title game, Illinois State defeated Evansville 2-1 to claim its most recent tournament championship. Overall, the Redbirds have reached the championship game ten times, holding a record of seven wins and three losses.

The Redbirds advanced to this year's final after a narrow 1-0 victory over Drake in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday. Senior Abby Hall scored from a penalty kick late in the match to secure the win for Illinois State.

Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Madi Valenti achieved her eleventh shutout of the season during that victory, setting a new single-season record for an Illinois State goalkeeper. The team as a whole has recorded twelve shutouts this season, matching its program record and ranking tied for fifth nationally.

Sunday's matchup will be the eighth meeting between Illinois State and UIC and their second encounter in MVC Tournament history. Earlier this season, both teams played to a scoreless draw at Adelaide Street Field.

UIC advanced to Sunday's final by defeating Murray State on penalties after a draw in regulation play. The Flames are coached by David Nikolic and feature senior Riley Collett, who was named to the All-MVC First Team with four goals and two assists this season.

Tickets for Sunday's contest can be purchased online through goredbirds.com or at Adelaide Street Field prior to kickoff.

GoRedbirds.com serves as an official source for tickets, information about athletic fund contributions, multimedia content, merchandise, photos, and additional resources related to Illinois State athletics.