The SIU Women’s Soccer team (8-3-3, 5-1-2 MVC) hosted their final home game of the regular season on Sunday against Illinois State. The Dawgs took the 1-0 win to extend their unbeaten streak to 5 games in a row.

Sophomore goalkeeper Ary Lougher got her second start of the year in front of the net for the Dawgs and exceled, saving both shits that went her way. The Dawgs defense was helpful in limiting shots to a minimum. Only four got off as a shot, but only two were on target for the net, which Lougher saved.

The Offense ignited for ten shots throughout the match, with eight of them being on goal. Senior Christy Murauskis tallied three shots with two of them being on goal, and senior Paris Walsh shot two on goal as well.

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But it was Senior Liz Brechtel who succeeded in finding the back of the net, with the help in an assist from senior Georgina Franco.

The Dawgs first half started off antsy, with two shots and three fouls occurring between both teams in the first ten minutes of play. At around the 20 minute mark, three offsides were called on SIU in a row, but none ended up giving the Redbirds a good chance at a goal. After a shot was saved by Lougher, the match went a full ten minutes without another shot occurring. Two more SIU shots were unsuccessful in the 32nd and 38th minute of the match as the first half came to a close.

In the second half, it only took two minutes for the Redbirds to try another shot, but that sailed wide. Illinois State wouldn’t get another shot off for a long time, before SIU’s aggressive offense forced a yellow card on Walsh that ended up forcing a foul on a Redbird defender instead. Brechtel found the back of the net off Franco’s pass in the 65th minute of the match to break things open enough. Only one more shot was able to get off for the Redbirds and the Dawgs hung on for the tightly defended win over Illinois State.

The Salukis next game will be on the road against Valparaiso this upcoming Thursday at 7:30pm. The Dawgs will look to make it 6 in a row in which they haven’t lost and keep their stronghold of the third place in the conference standings.

Sports editor Joseph Bernard can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @Jojobernard2001. 

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