Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Taking on the regular season champions in the semifinals of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, the University of Evansville women’s soccer team suffered a 6-0 defeat to Illinois State Friday afternoon at Missouri State University’s Cooper Family Soccer Plex. With the loss, the Purple Aces end the 2011 season with a 4-12-4 overall record, while the Redbirds improve to 12-5 and advance to the finals, taking on the winner of the Missouri State-Northern Iowa semifinal match.

The Redbirds took a commanding, 3-0, lead in the first half, scoring the first goal of the match in the 10^th minute of play. Receiving a pass from Natalie McCabe on the left side, MVC Freshman of the Year Rachel Tejada dribbled into the box and lined her 19^th goal of the season low into the back left corner of the net.

Just over seven minutes later, Tejada led the attack down the field and made a pass from the center of the box to Jessica Carlson on the left side. Carlson’s shot snuck past a diving Chaviel Harrison in goal.

Kyla Cross put the Redbirds up 3-0 in the 31st minute when she dribbled through two defenders into the box and shot to the far post for the score.

After a cross from Carlson on the left side of the box, Cross spun away from her defender and was able to tap the ball into the left side of the net for a 4-0 lead at the 50:34 mark

Tejada followed quickly with an unassisted goal in the 52^nd minute, her 20^th of the year.

With 44 seconds remaining, the Redbirds added one last goal by Aimee Wronski, for the 6-0 victory.

In the match, Illinois State owned a 17-4 shot and 9-1 shot on goal advantage. Senior Sam Conrad led the Aces with two shots, including one on goal.

Harrison finished with three saves in the match.

Despite the loss, Evansville made a spectacular late-season run, tallying three straight shutouts with just 11 healthy players, to earn a number four seed in the MVC tournament and trip to the final four.