Women's Soccer

MVC Announces Women's Soccer Weekly Honors

In the first 20 league matches this fall, there have been nine draws (45.0 percent of all matches played) -- that’s the highest percentage in league history.  In the past five-plus seasons (Spring 2021-present) - 27.2 percent of all matches have ended in a tie.  The league record for draws in conference play is 18 (of 55 total matches in 2023 for 32.7 percent).

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Haylee Braun, UNI
DEFENDER OF THE WEEK:  Alanna Pennington, Drake
GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK:  Reagan Miller, Southern Illinois
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK:  Grace Petrie, Illinois State

The league’s .547 non-conference winning percentage is the second-best in the league’s 31-year history sponsoring women’s soccer.

Top Non-Conf Records (MVC Women’s Soccer)
2017 -- 47-33-5 (.582)
2025 -- 37-29-20 (.547)
2010 -- 38-33-10 (.531) 
2001 -- 45-41-2 (.522)
 
  • Illinois State (1-0-5), Drake (3-0-2) and Belmont (1-0-2) all have unbeaten streaks of three or matches headed into this week.
  • Drake rolled to a 3-0 win against Indiana State on Sunday -- the Bulldogs tallied 16 shots in the match (nine on net). Meanwhile, the Sycamores did not get away a single shot attempt. Drake also racked up eight corner kicks to none for Indiana State.  The Bulldogs sit atop the MVC standings with 10 points (3-0-1).
  • With its ninth victory of the season, SIU established a school record for wins in a season -- the previous record of eight was set in 2022.  SIU opened the year with four-straight wins -- the four-match win streak is also a record established in 2025.
  • The Redbirds are unbeaten in their last six contests, which is the longest streak under head coach Raleigh DeRose and the most since 2019. Illinois State remains undefeated in its first four conference matches, the longest streak to begin conference play since 2019.
  • Indiana State suffered its first loss in league play on Sunday (at Drake).  Goalkeeper Delaney Timmons recorded six saves, one shy of her season-best this year.
  • In Sunday’s 0-0 result against Murray State, Belmont extended its unbeaten streak to three matches while recording its sixth shutout of the season.  Sydney Jones tallied four saves in the clean sheet, marking her fifth of the 2025 campaign.
  • UNI defeated Valpo, 2-1, on Saturday.  Haylee Braun scored twice.  Braun joins Olivia Knoepfle, Macy Smith, Denise Camarena, Sydney Burskey and Allison Flies as UNI’s sixth multi-goal scorer this year.
  • Allie Lammers of Evansville had four saves to post her fourth shutout in the draw against Illinois State.  She lowered her goals allowed average for the season to 0.57.  Her save percentage (.879) is second-best in the MVC and ranks 12th nationally.
  • Murray State earned a 0-0 draw at Belmont on Sunday.  The Racers have four draws this season -- all of those have occurred in Murray State’s last six matches.
  • Seven different UIC players have found the back of the net this season.  Bella Baker leads the Flames with three goals scored - tied for 11th-best in the MVC.
  • Valparaiso’s Molly O’Rear scored on Saturday in a 2-1 defeat to UNI. O’Rear’s goal was her fourth of the year, matching her total from her freshman season. It was the 15th goal involvement of the senior’s career (8g, 7a).
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PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Haylee Braun, UNI, So., F/M, Fenton, Mo. / Nerinx Hall HS
Braun scored both goals in UNI’s 2-1 victory at Valparaiso, its first MVC win of the season.  She netted the equalizer in the 37th minute, followed by her first career game-winning goal in the 76th minute.  Braun recorded her second and third goals of the season and of her career and in doing so became the Panthers’ sixth different multi-goal scorer this year.

DEFENDER OF THE WEEK
Alanna Pennington, Drake, Jr., M, Ankeny, Iowa / Ankeny Centennial HS
Pennington bolstered a dominant Bulldog backline in Drake’s win over Indiana State on Sunday. She played a major role in shutting down the Sycamore attack to help secure the 3-0 victory for the Bulldogs as she was part of a defense that did not allow Indiana State, one of the higher scoring teams in the league, to record a single shot in the match. Pennington played 89 of a possible 90 minutes in the match subbing out in the final minute.

GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
Reagan Miller, Southern Illinois, Jr, GK, Bradenton, Fla. / IMG Academy
Miller made five saves, one shy of her career-high, to shut out UIC in SIU’s 1-0 win on Sunday. It was Miller’s fifth shutout of the season, and helped SIU set its single-season record for wins with their ninth of the season.

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Grace Petrie, Illinois State, Fr., M/D, Stratford, Conn. / Stratford HS
Logged 90 minutes for the 10th consecutive match and helped the Redbirds maintain their eighth shutout of the season. Illinois State now ranks eighth in the country for shutouts this season. Petrie helped Illinois State extend its unbeaten streak to six matches -- the league’s longest entering this week.