Illinois State Soccer Falls Short on the Road Against SIU

Image Courtesy of Illinois State Athletics 

NORMAL, Ill. — Illinois State falls to the top team in the Missouri Valley Conference, putting an end to their six-game win streak. Southern Illinois remains the number one team in the MVC standings after a 1-0 home victory over the Redbirds. 

SIU made an immediate impact, putting pressure on the ISU defense. Within eight minutes of the game starting, SIU had already recorded three shots on goal, but all were saved by goalkeeper Madi Valenti, who finished with five saves on the evening.  

Just past the eight-minute in the first half, the Redbird defense gave way when Dana Nadda passed to Nao Katamoto, who put the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net, scoring the lone goal of the match. 

After SIU’s goal, the game became a defensive battle, as both high-powered offenses struggled to get near the net. ISU attempted two shots in the first period, and seven overall, but only one was on target, and was saved by the SIU goalkeeper. 

Southern Illinois also struggled after their initial attack, recording only six more shots during the match. 

At the end of the night, ISU had fallen 1-0 on the road. The Redbirds now fall to third in the MVC with an 8-2-3 record, and a 3-1 conference record.  

The Redbirds will look to bounce back Oct. 15, when they return home to face Belmont. 

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