The UIS women's soccer team faces a tough road test this weekend against two of the GLVC's top teams. The Prairie Stars will take on McKendree Friday at 5:00 p.m. and No. 12 Maryville on Sunday at noon.
Illinois Springfield (5-4-3, 5-3-1 GLVC)
UIS enters the weekend tied for fifth in the GLVC standings alongside McKendree, after splitting a pair of home games last weekend. On Friday night, the Prairie Stars faced a tightly contested match against the UMSL Tritons. UMSL came out strong and took the lead in the 23rd minute when Jada Holloman received the ball on the left side of the box and fired a precise shot into the top right corner. UIS responded by increasing the tempo and found the equalizer just before halftime when a deflected shot from Carolyne Mathenia fell to Katelynn Ward, who slotted it home. The second half saw chances for both sides, but another moment of brilliance from Holloman secured the win for UMSL. In the 60th minute, she dribbled past three UIS defenders and finished into the far corner to seal a 2-1 victory. The Triton defense held firm through a late wave of UIS attacks. UMSL outshot UIS 10-5, with both teams managing four shots on goal.
Sunday's contest came against Division II newcomer, Lincoln. From start, it was one way traffic in favor of the Prairie Stars. UIS opened the scoring in the 4th minute as Brooke Biffar sent a ball into the box that found a wide open Dani Auble, who finished past the goalkeeper with her right foot. The Prairie Stars doubled their lead in the 16th minute when Hannah Stearns played a pass over the top to Madison Grandys, who settled and scored for her first goal of the season. UIS extended their lead in the 44th minute when Abby Dellamorte threaded a perfect through ball to Carolyne Mathenia, who found space and finished with composure. Just 37 seconds later, Lincoln responded with a goal amid confusion in the UIS box, making it 3-1 at halftime. The Prairie Stars came out strong again in the second half, with Mallory Herber, Taytum Scarborough, and Katleyn Cavanaugh adding goals to secure a commanding 6-1 victory.
Katelynn Ward leads the Prairie Stars with four goals on the season, while Dani Auble is right behind with three. Brooke Biffar leads the team with five assists. Goalkeeper Allison Mirimanian has started all 12 games, allowing 13 goals.
McKendree (9-3-1, 5-3-1 GLVC)
The reigning GLVC tournament champions also enter the weekend tied for fifth after going 0-1-1 at home last weekend. Friday night's contest against Maryville was a showcase of two of the top teams in the conference. The Bearcats took the lead in the 25th minute when Katie Spotanski struck to put McKendree ahead. Despite their defensive efforts, Maryville's attack broke through in the 70th minute as Emily Doane converted a rebound to level the score. Neither side could find a game-winner, and the match ended in a draw. Maryville dominated the shot count, outshooting McKendree 18-7, including an 11-5 edge in shots on goal.
Sunday's match saw an upstart UMSL team pull off an upset with three first-half goals that set the stage for a road victory. The Tritons struck early, netting their first goal in the 5th minute after capitalizing on a rebound. UMSL's defense remained solid throughout the match, preserving the shutout. In an entertaining contest, UMSL outshot McKendree 19-15, with a 10-8 advantage in shots on goal.
Anna Stiffler and Lena Higgins lead the Bearcats with eight goals apiece. Katie Spotanski and Maddie Mauch have chipped in with five goals each. Stiffler also leads the team in assists with six. Higgins and Karin Tebelius are right behind with four assists each. Maicy Mueller has started ten games in goal for the Bearcats, allowing 12 goals. Peyton Baker has started the other three games, allowing four goals.
UIS vs. McKendree History
McKendree has often held the advantage in this matchup, with the Prairie Stars holding a 1-13 record against the Bearcats. Last year's contest saw McKendree run away with a 5-0 win.
No. 12 Maryville (8-0-2, 7-0-1 GLVC)
The reigning GLVC regular season champions only had one game last weekend, drawing with McKendree on Friday night. As mentioned previously, Maryville scored the equalizing goal in the 70th minute after McKendree led from the 25th minute on.
Elsa Nilson-Hurtig leads the Saints with 9 goals this season, tying for the most in the GLVC. Ashlyne Hunt has also made a strong contribution, netting 7 goals. Lexi Gentry stands out with 7 assists, while Nilson-Hurtig has added 5 assists of her own. Agnes Vilen has been solid in goal, starting all ten games and allowing just 5 goals. Currently, Maryville holds the second spot in the GLVC standings, having played one game fewer than the conference-leading Drury Panthers.
UIS vs. Maryville History
Recently, Maryville has consistently edged out UIS in closely contested matches. In the 2023 encounter, the Saints secured a late victory with a goal in the 88th minute, overcoming the Prairie Stars in dramatic fashion. UIS last defeated Maryville in 2021, and the Prairie Stars currently hold a 4-12 record all-time against the Saints.