TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State returns home to Memorial Stadium on Thursday night as the Sycamores host Eastern Illinois for a non conference matchup. Kickoff between the Sycamores and the Panthers is set for 7 p.m. ET with the game set to be carried live on ESPN+.
Indiana State (4-2-1) started the 2024 season off with a three game winning streak at Memorial Stadium before they fell on a road opening match at UT Martin with a score of 2-1. ISU won a matchup on the road at SEMO, 3-0 over the Redhawks before they tied 1-1 against Bellarmine. Indiana State fell for the second time this season to Marshall 1-0 on Sunday afternoon, when The Herd picked up the game winning goal in the 85th minute of play.
The Sycamores hold a 9-6-5 all-time series lead over the Panthers. Thursday will serve as the 21st meeting between these two teams after recording a draw each of the last two seasons (1-1 in 2023 and 0-0 in 2022) with the Sycamores winning the two previous meetings before the ties.
The Sycamores are ranked second overall in the Missouri Valley Conference rankings after seven games of play. ISU ranks first in points (59), assists (17), goals-against-average (0.57), and tied in first for most goals scored (21).
Sycamore Standouts:
The Sycamores will look to bounce back this week after struggling to gain traction against Marshall at the Hoops Family Field on Sunday. ISU was outshot 20-10, including a goal scored in the final 5 minutes of the contest. Maddie Alexander posted six saves for the Sycamores and Alexa Mackey, Alex Lehnert, Wimberley Wright, and Lina Fasquelle each recorded shots on goal in the loss.
Alexander remains the team's top goalkeeper of the season starting in all seven matches with a 0.62 goals-against-average. The Battle Creek, Mich. native has posted 36 saves on the season (2nd in MVC) while being tied for first in the conference with three shutouts. Alexander continues to lead the Valley with a .900 save percentage in the 2024 season.
The Sycamores have scored 21 goals over the 2024 season paced by Mackenzie Kent's four on the year, while Alexa Mackey and Alex Lehnert and each found the back of the net three times. Kent is tied in the MVC for first with most goals scored this season. Mackey leads the Sycamores with 16 shots and 10 shots on goal in 2024, while Lehnert has 13 shots with nine on target on the year.
Wimberley Wright continues to pace the ISU offense, where the Denton, Texas native has lead the Missouri Valley Conference for four straight weeks, where she records five assists in 474 minutes of play.
Brooklyn Woods records the most minutes for ISU (554) behind Alexander (584), where she has been a constant threat offensively recording two goals scored, one assist, five points, with a 0.667 shot on goal percentage this season.
Scouting Eastern Illinois:
EIU enters Thursday's matchup with a 2-4-2 record on the 2024 season. The Panthers lost both of their contests last week falling at IU Indy and at home against Northern Illinois.
Dirk Bennett enters his second season at the helm for the Eastern Illinois women's soccer team after serving as the Panthers assistant women's soccer coach since July of 2019. Bennett became the seventh head coach in program history in February of 2023.
Alex Tetteh leads the Panthers offensively as she was named the OVC Offensive Player of the Week after her performances against Illinois Springfield and Eastern Kentucky. Tetteh recorded a hat trick in the win over UIS scoring all three of her goals in the opening twenty minutes. She has 15 shots, with six on goal this season.
Ashlyn Hoover has been the lone goalkeeper for EIU this season and was named the Ohio Valley Conference Goalkeeper of the Week following her performances against Valparaiso and Purdue Fort Wayne. Hoover made eight saves and posted a goals-against-average of 0.50 that week. Hoover records 28 saves in the 2024 season with two shutouts, while allowing 13 goals scored.
Game Day Promo: Thursday's game will serve as ISU's Forest game for the 2024 season where there will be a Soccer Forest T-Shirt giveaway for all Forest members. The Honey Creek Middle School Dance Team will be performing at halftime of the matchup.
Up Next:
The Sycamores are back on the road this weekend with a contest against SIUE, on Sunday, September 15 at 3 p.m ET.
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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