Illinois State ties Purdue FW, remain unbeaten

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Illinois State Soccer (1-0-1, 0-0-0 MVC) remained unbeaten on the 2024 season with a scoreless draw Sunday at Purdue Fort Wayne (0-1-1, 0-0-0 Horizon). 

The Redbirds are unbeaten through the first two games of a season for the first time since the 2018 campaign, when Illinois State tied Cal State Northridge 2-2 and beat Eastern Michigan 1-0. First-year head coach Raleigh DeRose becomes the second coach in program history to be unbeaten through their first two games at the helm of Illinois State. Former head coach Drew Roff opened his first year at Illinois State with a 3-0-0 mark in 2007. 

Illinois State held Purdue Fort Wayne to just one shot on goal, as sophomore goalkeeper Madi Valenti stepped up to make the save in her first career start. Valenti posted a clean sheet for the Redbirds, the first of her college career. 

Opportunities were hard to come by Sunday, as Illinois State put five shots on frame. Perhaps Illinois State’s best chance of the afternoon came in the first half, when freshman Eiley Henderson earned a one-on-one chance with the goalkeeper but couldn’t connect. The Redbirds led the shot count 9-8, however the Mastodons held a 5-3 edge in the second half.  

It was the first scoreless draw for Illinois State since 2022, when the Redbirds tied Valparaiso 0-0, and the first scoreless draw for Illinois State outside of MVC play since a result with No.19 Marquette in 2017. 

UP NEXT: The Redbirds take their unbeaten record on the road once again, this time to Champaign for a meeting with Illinois Aug. 25 at 5 PM on B1G+. 

Keelen Barlow, Illinois State Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

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