Redbirds clip Eagles 2-1 for 2nd straight win

[September 25, 2008]  NORMAL.-- The Illinois State soccer team won its second straight game
Wednesday, besting Morehead State, 2-1, at Adelaide Street Field. ISU's two first-half goals proved to be enough to secure a victory over the Eagles for the second-consecutive year. With the win, the Redbirds evened their record at 5-5-1.

Senior Mel Routledge and junior Danielle Mutters each scored for ISU. For Routledge, it was her fourth goal in the last five games and the 17th of her career, moving her into a tie with Diana Puckett for second on the ISU all-time goals list. The four goals over the last five games for Routledge are the most she has had in that span in her career. Mutters netted her second goal of the season, giving her multiple goals in a year for the first time.
 
Junior Ammanda Wisniewski and sophomore Bethany Brown both garnered assists on the day. Wisniewski earned her team-leading third assist of the season and Brown picked up her first point of the year. Freshman Jess Carlson led the Redbirds with five shots and Routledge had four.

Freshman goalkeeper Sasha Reiber made her second consecutive start and earned another win. She made three saves and allowed the first goal of her career, snapping her season scoreless streak at 213:20. ISU held Morehead State to just seven shots and four corner kicks in the contest.

"We did a good job jumping on Morehead State early, scoring the two goals in the first half, but I thought we pulled our foot up off the gas a little bit in the second half," said ISU head coach Drew Roff. "A 2-0 can be a little too close and we saw that when Morehead State scored in the second half and was suddenly within a goal of tying it. I'd like to see us add another score in those situations, especially as conference play begins this weekend."

ISU took the lead early when Routledge scored on the very first shot of the game. In the fifth minute, Wisniewski played a ball through the middle between two defenders and Routledge gathered the ball in and raced to the goal.  She was right around the penalty shot line when she ripped a shot into the upper left corner of the net for the score.

The second ISU goal came in the 34th minute when Brown sent a corner kick into the box and Mutters headed home the game-winner into the upper portion of the net. Both of Mutters' goals this season have been on headers off corner kicks

The Redbirds nearly added another score at the
end of the first period when Carlson ripped a shot to the near post that was saved and ricocheted away. Redshirt freshman Nicole Russel tried to slide in to poke it over the goal line, but the Morehead State goalkeeper got her hands on it immediately.

Morehead State pulled within one in the 59th minute when Erin Adams beat the ISU defense down the left side of the field and scored into the upper left corner. The Eagles couldn't put together another good scoring run after that and ISU held on for the win. The Redbirds visit Evansville in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams Saturday at p.m.

[Text from file received from ISU Athletic Dept.]