University of Northern Iowa
Drake
Panther soccer takes on Drake this Sunday in critical conference matchup
10/18/2024 12:54:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Panthers kick off final full week of MVC play on home pitch this weekend against in-state rival with conference tournament seeding on the line.
UNI soccer (8-4-3 / 2-2-2 MVC) vs Drake (5-6-5 / 4-2-1 MVC)
- 1 p.m. CT | Oct. 20, 2024
- UNI Soccer Field
- Cedar Falls, Iowa
- ESPN+ (Tim Harwood: Play-by-Play / Spencer Steffy: Analyst)
- LIVE STATS
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CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The UNI soccer team will host in-state rival Drake on Sunday afternoon with key seeding up for grabs in the upcoming Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Tournament.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT at the UNI Soccer Field in Cedar Falls. Live coverage will be available on ESPN+.Â
The Panthers are in search of just their fifth all-time victory in the series and their first win against the Bulldogs since the spring season of 2021.
Northern Iowa currently sits in a three-way tie with Illinois State and Indiana State for fifth-place in the MVC standings with three matches to play in the regular season with 11 points, while Drake sits tied for third with Belmont with 13 points. Missouri State clinched the MVC Tournament's top-seed and at least a share of the league's regular season title on Thursday. The conference's top-two seeds receive automatic byes into the MVC Tournament semifinals, with the three and four seeds hosting quarterfinal round matches with a single bye.
The Panthers are coming off a 2-1 road victory last Sunday at Southern Illinois with two goals netteed by leading forward Lauren Heinsch, setting two new program records for career matches with a goal scored (21) and game-winning goals (9).Â
UNI soccer has outscored its opponents 10-2 over the last five matches, achieving either a win or draw in each and earning points in the MVC standings. Northern Iowa is currently on a five-match unbeaten streak. With 32 goals this season, they have recorded the third-highest single-season total in team history and lead the MVC in scoring. Additionally, UNI's 20 assists are tied for fifth in the school's history for single-season assists.
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SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Drake heads to UNI after a 2-1 win over second-place UIC on Thursday in Des Moines. Following a successful last season with a 13-4-3 overall record, the Bulldogs have faced a tough schedule in 2024, looking to secure a high seed ahead of the postseason. Drake, last year's MVC regular season champions, hosted Valparaiso in the MVC Tournament championship match, but fell to the Beacons by a score of 1-0.
Under the leadership of 12th year head coach Lindsey Horner, Drake aims to keep their winning streak alive with the support of junior Eve Blakey, who has scored five of the Bulldogs' 21 goals this season. Layla Kelbel has attempted 33 shots this season contributing to the team's overall tally of 182 shots this season. Leading the Bulldogs in goal, Addie Ford leads Drake with 42 saves and holds a .656 save percentage.
UNI women's soccer action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Panther Soccer), X (@UNI_Soccer) and on Instagram (@unipanthersoccer). The full 2024 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
