University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Illinois State
UNI soccer closes regular season against Illinois State
10/20/2023 12:47:00 PM | Women's Soccer
UNI soccer (12-4-1) vs. Illinois State (3-8-4)
- 12 p.m. CT | Oct. 22, 2023
- Cedar Falls, IA | UNI Soccer Field
- ESPN+
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI soccer returns home for its regular season finale on Sunday afternoon against the Illinois State Redbirds. The match marks the final Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) contest for both squads and is the 26th all-time meeting between UNI and Illinois State.
In addition to being the final regular season home match for the Panthers, Sunday's match caps off homecoming week at UNI and alumni weekend for Panther soccer. UNI soccer is having an alumni-only match and social on Saturday and Panther soccer alumni will be recognized at halftime of Sunday's contest.
The Panthers, who have clinched a spot in the 2023 MVC Tournament, enter Sunday's match looking to snap their first two-match losing streak of the season. After falling 1-0 at Missouri State last Sunday, UNI lost 2-0 at Valparaiso on Thursday night after the Beacons scored off corner kicks in the 52nd and 69th minute. UNI currently sits in third place in the MVC standings and could secure a postseason home match with a victory on Sunday. The Panthers could finish as high as third place or as low as sixth place depending on how results around the conference play out on Sunday.
The MVC standings remain congested entering the final matchday of the regular season, though separation has formed at the top of the conference. Drake and Missouri State are battling for the MVC regular season crown, and UNI sits six points behind the Bears and seven points behind the Bulldogs. UIC is in fourth place, one point behind UNI, and Valparaiso and Murray State are two points behind the Panthers. UIC and Valparaiso face one another on Sunday while Murray State visits Indiana State.
Illinois State has an opportunity to play spoiler on Sunday. The Redbirds were eliminated from postseason contention with a 4-1 home loss against UIC on Thursday night, and Illinois State sits in 10th place in the MVC standings with a 1-5-3 conference record. The lone win in MVC play for the Redbirds came on Oct. 1 in a 1-0 victory over Southern Illinois, but Illinois State has also earned draws against Evansville, Valparaiso and Belmont.
UNI is looking to bounce back on Sunday after suffering a road setback on Thursday night. The Panthers were unable to emerge from a rainy, cold night in Valparaiso with a positive result as the Beacons scored on two set pieces for a 2-0 victory. The match entered halftime scoreless, but Nicole Norfolk put the hosts in front with a header in the 52nd minute and Lindsey DuSatko clinched the victory with a goal in the 69th minute. Not only did the loss mark the first two-match losing streak for the Panthers this season, it also marked the first time UNI has lost consecutive MVC matches since 2021.
In the loss, the 2023 Panthers moved into second place for the most shots attempted in a season in program history. UNI has attempted 269 shots, 40 behind the 2017 squad's program record of 309. Lauren Heinsch recorded her 29th shot on goal during the 2023 regular season on Thursday night, and can set a single season program record for most shots on goal with one shot on target against the Redbirds.
As the Panthers return home, the team has an opportunity to achieve more program milestones in the regular season finale. The 2023 Panthers are just one assist away from matching a single season program record for most assists recorded. The 2017 squad's 29 assists remain the highest total for a single season in program history, and the 2023 team has 28.
Individually, Caitlin Richards remains one shutout away from matching former UNI goalkeeper and current UNI soccer assistant coach Jami Reichenberger's (2017-18) program record of 18 career shutouts. Olivia Knoepfle, meanwhile, continues to rise up UNI soccer's single season points leaderboard. Knoepfle has 19 points, the second-highest single season total in program history, and is five points away from matching Brynell Yount's (2017) program record of 24 points. Knoepfle is tied for the MVC lead in total points and leads UNI in goals with seven, which is tied for fourth place on Panther soccer's single season scoring list.
Illinois State lost its final home match of the 2023 regular season against UIC on Thursday night. The Flames raced out to a 4-0 lead before Katie O'Malley scored in the 58th minute for the Redbirds' lone goal of the contest. Haley Glover provided the assist on O'Malley's goal for her first assist of the season. Glover leads the Redbirds and ranks seventh in the MVC with 13 points. Audrey Brown made 11 saves against UIC despite allowing four goals, and Brown ranks fourth in the MVC with 65 saves and 4.33 saves per game. Illinois State has allowed 30 goals entering play on Sunday, the highest total in the MVC.
Interestingly enough, Illinois State enters Sunday's contest in a nearly identical position to its final match of the 2022 regular season. Last year the Redbirds, who were already eliminated from postseason play, upset Missouri State 4-2 at home which allowed Valparaiso to take the 2022 MVC Regular Season Championship. The victory marked Illinois State's first in conference play. So while the Panthers aren't fighting for first place in the MVC on the final matchday of the regular season, the Redbirds are familiar with wrecking postseason plans.
UNI will look to prevent the Redbirds from spoiling Sunday's festivities while securing what could be a massive program milestone. The Panthers are a perfect 9-0-0 at UNI Soccer Field in the 2023 season and could secure the first unbeaten home campaign in program history with either a win or a tie on Sunday.
