NORMAL, Ill. — On a crisp Sunday afternoon, the UNI soccer team concluded its 2024 regular season with an intense 1-1 draw against the Illinois State Redbirds at the Adelaide Street Stadium, showcasing a tightly contested matchup in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play.
With this draw, the Panthers achieved a respectable 9-5-4 overall record, alongside a 4-3-3 conference tally, accumulated 15 points, and found themselves locked in a tie with Indiana State for fifth place in the MVC standings. However, due to tiebreaking criteria, Northern Iowa secured the sixth seed in the eight-member MVC Tournament, which will lead them to a crucial rematch against the Redbirds this Thursday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the initial 32 minutes, the match remained scoreless, but the Redbirds took the lead in the 33rd minute when Eve Gricius executed a well-timed assist to Ellie Arnold, giving Illinois State a 1-0 advantage. The Panthers activated their offensive strategy, launching a barrage of shots and doubling up the Redbirds’ attempts. It wasn’t until the 81st minute, when UNI’s Maddie Eastus unleashed a stunning shot over the top, that the Panthers finally equalized, sending the ball soaring past Illinois State goalkeeper Madi Valenti, who stepped in for the second half.
Northern Iowa dominated the shot count, outshooting Illinois State 15-7 overall and 6-2 in shots that were on goal. Eastus had a standout performance, taking three shots, while teammates Lauren Heinsch, Olivia Knoepfle, and Marissa Gross each contributed with two shots. In the goalkeeping department, Caitlin Richards delivered a solid performance with one crucial save.
Reflecting on the match, head coach Bruce Erickson praised his team’s resilience, stating, “I liked the way we came back in the second half and had the better of the play. Now we need to learn from this game and focus all our energy on playing Illinois State again on Thursday.”
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Sunday’s draw marked the end of UNI’s impressive three-match winning streak against the Redbirds; however, the Panthers did extend their unbeaten run to four matches against them. Despite the tie, Illinois State maintains a commanding lead in their all-time series at 17-9-1, with this match being the first-ever draw recorded between the two teams.
- Northern Iowa’s finish as a tie for fifth in the MVC standings marks the fifth consecutive year the team has concluded in the upper half, and it is the seventh occurrence under the guidance of head coach Bruce Erickson.
- Maddie Eastus’ goal in the 81st minute was not just crucial but also her seventh of the current season and marked the 13th goal of her collegiate career.
- Goalkeeper Caitlin Richards continues to impress, having recorded at least one save in her last 19 appearances, a streak that extends back to the previous season. She stands just 27 minutes away from breaking the UNI record for career minutes played in goal (6,403), a record set by the program’s inaugural goalkeeper, Anne Marie Witko, from 2000 to 2003.
UP NEXT
The Panthers will square off against the seventh-seeded Illinois State once again on Thursday, Oct. 31, during the opening round of the MVC Tournament, taking place at Flames Field in Chicago. The kickoff is set for 2 p.m. CT, with live coverage available via ESPN+. The victorious team from this knockout match will move on to face third-seeded UIC in the quarterfinals scheduled for the following Sunday.
Fans can keep up with UNI women’s soccer throughout the season by following their social media platforms on Facebook (UNI Panther Soccer), X (@UNI_Soccer), and Instagram (@unipanthersoccer). The complete 2024 schedule, roster, and the latest updates on the Panthers can be found at UNIpanthers.com.
