NORMAL, Ill. – The Missouri State women's soccer team (3-7-3, 0-2-1 MVC) held the Illinois State Redbirds (7-5-2, 1-0-1 MVC) to just a single goal, while scoring one of its own, in the Bears' 1-1 double-overtime draw on Sunday (Oct. 9).
 
"I am happy with the toughness of the team today," commented head coach Rob Brewer. "Illinois State is a very talented team and we were fortunate early in the match, because we did not start the game off well."
 
The Redbirds pressured MSU's defense in the first half, taking the first two shots of the match within the first two minutes. In the seventh minute of the match, Mary Disidore took the first of six opening-half shots by the Bears, sending the ball right into the hands of ISU's goalkeeper, Haley Smith. Four minutes later, MSU's Ashley Coonfield took her only shot of the match, but was unable to get the ball past Smith.
 
In the 18^th minute of the match, ISU's Kelli Zickert dribbled around two MSU defenders, creating a one-on-one situation with MSU goalkeeper, Evan Stamp. Dropping down into the splits, Stamp was unable to stop the ball as it popped up over her foot and into the back of the net.
 
Exactly 10 minutes later, MSU's Ashley Coonfield was dribbling down the field before she found teammate Rachel Catrell, who noticed Disidore calling for the ball in the midfield. The wide open Disidore battled her way around two defenders that stepped up, firing a shot off 30 yards out and past Smith to the far post corner. The goal by MSU is just the second mark allowed by ISU in five matches.
 
Disidore continued the push for MSU, taking the first shot for either team in the 51^st minute of the match, sending the ball into the side of a Redbird defender. Illinois State tacked on 13 second-half shots to hold the 29-8 shot advantage going into overtime.
 
Illinois State was the only team able to get a shot off in the first overtime, as three Redbirds tallied a total of four shots, sending the ball just wide of the goal on all four occasions. In the second overtime, the Redbirds added two more shots to their shot total but were unable to get the ball through the MSU defense.
 
"The point we earned today is important," said Brewer. "A lot can happen between now and the end of the regular season, so that point could determine where we finish in the standings. It is a point that most teams in our league wouldn't be able to get at Illinois State, because they are such a tough team at home."
 
Stamp matched her career-high save total in the first half alone, making nine stops on 16 shots taken by Illinois State. The junior went on to make four more saves, giving her 13 total in the match and 71 on the year. Stamp has made eight or more saves in a single match on four occasions this season.  
 
Returning to the pitch today was redshirt senior Molly Brewer, who missed the last five matches after suffering an injury in the early minutes of MSU's 1-0 victory over Central Arkansas (Sept. 11).
 
Missouri State will return home for a two-game stint, beginning with Indiana State on Saturday (Oct. 15) at 11:30 a.m. The Bears will play their final non-conference match on Monday (Oct. 17) against Kansas State 6 p.m. The match between MSU and the Wildcats at Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium will be the MSU Pink Game.