Saluki soccer’s first home, conference match ends in 0-0 tie after double overtime
February 28, 2021
Editor’s note: Story updated 5:30 p.m. Feb. 28 to include comments from the head coach.
Southern Illinois University’s soccer program finished in a 0-0 tie with Valparaiso University after 110 minutes of play on Sunday for their first home matchup of the 2021 season.
The match was both SIU’s and Valpo’s first Missouri Valley Conference game of the season, and additionally, the match was Southern’s first-match in the MVC ever.
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“Obviously, every game that we have an opportunity to play, we want to get a good result,” head coach Grant Williams said. “Every point that you can earn in Valley play is a [valuable] one, so I thought our kids did a tremendous job of competing from the first minute.”
This season is the Salukis’ first season in the MVC, after having their inaugural season in the fall of 2019.
Coming off a 4-0 loss on the road to Western Kentucky University, the Salukis (0-1-1, 0-0-1 MVC) were looking for their first victory of the season.
Southern and the Brown and Gold (1-1-2, 0-0-1 MVC) lasted through both halves and two additional 10-minute overtime periods with neither team scoring a goal.
Valparaiso took more shots (11) and had more shots on goal (3) than Southern Illinois did; SIU took six shots total with two on goal.
“There were moments that we were on the front foot, there were moments that they were on the front foot, it’s everything that you would expect in two teams that are fighting for an opportunity to be in Valley post-season,” Williams said.
At the end of regular time, Valpo had out-shot SIU 9-to-5.
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Southern’s junior forward Maya Warrior led on the offensive side of the ball by taking two shots, while Valparaiso’s redshirt senior forward Tahelah Noel led for the Brown and Gold with three shots total. Valpo’s sophomore forward Kiley Dugan also recorded two shots on goal.
Sixteen minutes into the first half of play, SIU’s senior defender Kathryn Creedon took a shot on goal, which was saved by freshman goalkeeper Nikki Coryell.
In the second half, Valpo’s Dugan took two shots on goal, one around 60 minutes into play and the other around 70 minutes into play, both of which were saved by the Salukis’ sophomore goalkeeper Maddy Alaluf.
Alaluf recorded another save in the first overtime period from a shot by freshman forward Lindsey Dusatko.
Coryell added another save to her tally in the second overtime period by stopping a shot by freshman midfielder/defender Ashlyn Henrie.
“I’m glad for our kids [to] have gotten this experience under their belt; it’s a short week as we get ready to go on the road and play Indiana State on Friday,” Williams said.
The Salukis will take the field again on March 5 for another Missouri Valley Conference matchup against Indiana State University. SIU will travel to Terre Haute, Ind., for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
Williams said playing on the road is always tough, so during the upcoming week they will monitor their volume of practice and preparation and focus on offensive improvement.
“We’re still not quite clicking in the attacking third, so that will be our focus this week: How do we create more dangerous opportunities over the course of 90 minutes,” Williams said.
Editor Brooke Buerck can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @bbuerck25.
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