TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – No. 5 seed Indiana State will travel to Nashville, Tenn. to play No. 8 seed Southern Illinois in the opening round of the MVC Tournament on Thursday, October 31 at E.S. Rose Park. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET and will be carried live on ESPN+.
Belmont (5-4-1) earned the #4 seed and will host the #5 seed Indiana State (4-3-3) versus #8 seed Southern Illinois (2-5-3). Winners of the opening round will move on to face the host #4 Belmont.
Last MVC Appearance for Indiana State Women's Soccer
Indiana State women's soccer will make its 13th appearance in the MVC Tournament in the 2024 season, the first time since the 2021 season.
In 2021, the Sycamores faced Evansville in a quarterfinal match, ultimately losing in penalty kicks after a hard-fought game that ended 1-1 in regulation and overtime.
2021 Match Highlights:
- First Half: Indiana State took a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute with a goal from Anna Holcombe. The Sycamores dominated possession, outshooting Evansville 4-3.
- Second Half: Evansville equalized early with a goal from Rachel Rosborough. Despite Indiana State's aggressive offensive efforts (17 shots), they were unable to score, and a penalty kick opportunity was saved by Evansville's goalkeeper, Michaela Till.
- Overtime: Both teams had chances but could not find the net, leading to a penalty shootout.
- Penalty Kicks: Indiana State converted three attempts, but Evansville scored five to win the shootout 5-3.
Looking Back on the Regular Season
Indiana State is searching for their first conference tournament win since 2016 where the Trees advanced to the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament after defeating the fifth-seeded Drake Bulldogs in a penalty shootout, 3-2, at Memorial Stadium.
The Sycamores clinched the No. 5 seed in the tournament with a 2-1 win over Belmont on Sunday afternoon to wrap up the regular season.
The 2024 Indiana State women's soccer team recorded its highest number of wins since the 2013 season, finishing with nine victories. In 2013, the team concluded the season with a record of 10-9.
Indiana State recorded 32 goals this season, marking the second-highest total in program history and the most since 2013, when they scored 33.
The Sycamores established new program records with 10 shutouts and 116 corner kicks in a season, while also achieving their third-highest points total at 86.
The strong defensive effort has been crucial to the Sycamores' success this season. ISU allowed just 16 goals—the fewest in the Valley—resulting in an impressive goals against average of .84.
Indiana State's four MVC wins and four road victories this season are tied for the second-highest totals in the program's history. Additionally, the Sycamores finished with a record of 5-0-4 at Memorial Stadium this season.
A Sycamore received MVC weekly awards four times throughout the regular season. Alex Lehnert was named Freshman of the Week twice, Maddie Alexander earned Goalkeeper of the Week, and Alexa Mackey was recognized as Player of the Week.
Sycamore Standouts
Mackenzie Kent has climbed her way into the Sycamore record book in multiple categories, now ranking tied for fifth all-time in shots on goal with 57, and tied for ninth with 13 career goals.
Freshman Alex Lehnert has made a significant impact in the 2024 lineup, leading the Sycamores with 15 points, which ranks fifth in the MVC, and six goals, placing her fourth in the conference. Additionally, she has contributed three assists this season.
Two graduate students, Maddie Alexander and Audrey Stephens, have started and played in all 19 matches this season.
Wimberley Wright ranks third in the MVC with five assists this season. She has started 18 matches, contributing 24 shots and scoring two goals.
Thirteen Sycamores have contributed goals this season, led by Lehnert and Kent, who each have six. Woods and Mackey have added three goals apiece, while Quinn, Wright, Famulak, and Roberts each have two. Additionally, Helling, Fairfax, Mullen, Fasquelle, Roesch, and the team each have one goal.
Alexa Mackey recorded only the second-ever hat trick in program history in the home opener this season, scoring all three goals inside the 52-minute mark. She is the first to accomplish the feat since Sydney Lovelace scored three against Chicago State in 2014.
Maddie Alexander had a standout season, setting multiple single-season records, including nine wins and the most shutouts in program history. Her save percentage of .870 ranks second overall, and her 107 saves place her sixth for the season, with a goals against average of .89. She recorded a standout 16 saves in a 2-0 victory over Drake, the highest in the MVC this season.
In her career, Alexander ranks fourth in saves with 353 and third in total minutes played at 6,116.08. She holds the second-best career save percentage at .825 and the top goals against average at 1.10.
Previous Matchup
Indiana State and Southern Illinois faced off in late September for their fifth all-time matchup, which ended in a 1-1 draw at Memorial Stadium. This result marked the Sycamores' third draw of the season, with Southern Illinois scoring a late equalizer in the 87th minute. Indiana State outshot the Salukis 12-6 and had a slight advantage in corner kicks, 5-4.
Wimberley Wright opened the scoring in the 73rd minute, netting a goal from 12 yards after receiving a pass from Alex Lehnert.
The Sycamores had three shot attempts in the first half, but tripled their attempts in the second half, with Mackey and Lehnert each taking three shots. Woods, Wright, and Kent also contributed shots on target.
Defensively, the Sycamores put up a strong effort, including a team save in the 59th minute to keep the lead. However, the Salukis equalized with a goal from Dory Latenser in the 87th minute. SIU goalkeeper Solano made seven saves in the match.
Scouting Southern Illinois:
The Salukis head into the MVC tournament with an overall record of 6-7-5 and a conference record of 2-5-3, as they are currently on a five-game losing streak.
SIU has netted a total of 17 goals in the 2024 season, with McKensey Bunch leading the way with five goals, followed by Sophia Schlicklin with four.
The team has taken 182 shots this season, with Bunch and Schlicklin contributing a combined 34.
Fabiana Solano has served as the primary goalkeeper for the Salukis, entering Thursday's matchup with 68 saves, six shutouts, and 19 goals allowed this season.
Up Next
The winner of Thursday's match will advance to an MVC Quarterfinal match where they will face No. 4 seed Belmont on Sunday, November 1 at 3 p.m. ET in Nashville.
Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on Sycamore Soccer, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from both the App Store and the Google Play Store.
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