In a tense defensive battle at Adelaide Street Field, the UIC Flames made program history by becoming just the second No. 6 seed ever to win the Missouri Valley Conference Women's Soccer Tournament, defeating Illinois State 2-1 on penalty kicks after 110 minutes of scoreless soccer.
Neither team could break through in regulation or two overtime periods, as both goalkeepers delivered stellar performances. UIC's Sara Sanabria, who entered the match at halftime, made crucial saves down the stretch, stopping 2 of 2 shots in 65 minutes of work. Francesca Faraci started in goal for the Flames, making 2 saves in the first half. For Illinois State, Madi Valenti was exceptional throughout, making 7 saves across the full 110 minutes to keep her team alive and force penalty kicks.
UIC held a slight edge in the match statistics:
- Shots: UIC 13, Illinois State 9
- Shots on Target: UIC 7, Illinois State 4
- Corner Kicks: UIC 8, Illinois State 4
- Possession: UIC 52%, Illinois State 48%
The Flames found more of their attacking rhythm in the second half, outshooting the Redbirds 9-1 after intermission. Hannah Gryzik led UIC with 3 shots (2 on target), while Sophia Jaime added 4 shots (1 on target). For Illinois State, Rylann Law, Sammi Cenek, and Cyerra Hibbert each recorded 3, 3, and 2 shots respectively.
Penalty Kicks
Illinois State's attempts:
- Eve Gricius: MISSED
- Elyse Deschryver: MADE (1-0 ISU)
- Abby Hall: MISSED
- Madi Valenti: MISSED
- Jade Rehberger: MISSED
UIC's attempts:
- Hannah Gryzik (#20): MADE (1-1)
- Sophia Jaime (#29): MISSED
- Kaysey Castro (#44): MADE (2-1 UIC)
- Camryn Ries (#13): Not needed
Sara Sanabria came up huge in the shootout, saving three of five Illinois State attempts to send the Flames to their first NCAA Tournament.
Key Moments
The match remained scoreless despite several quality chances. In the first half, Illinois State's Cyerra Hibbert tested Francesca Faraci early (2:54), while UIC's Hannah Gryzik forced a save from Valenti at 5:39. The second half saw UIC ramp up the pressure with 9 shots, including key saves by Valenti on attempts from Riley Collett (70:10), Julia Thomson (77:36), and Delaney Engel (87:09).
Illinois State
The Redbirds close out their season with an 8-6-8 record after making their first appearance in the MVC Championship Game since 2019. Illinois State’s win total marks the most by a Redbird squad since 2019 and most in a season under second-year head coach Raleigh DeRose. Despite falling during penalty kicks, Illinois State tallied its 13th shutout of the season, which sets a new program record for the Redbirds. The total also ties for the most by a Missouri Valley Conference team in a single season. Redshirt Sophomore Madi Valenti earned her 12th shutout of the season, which sets a new MVC record by a goalkeeper in a season.
Elite 18 Award Winner: Hannah Gryzik, UIC, Sr., 4.00 Marketing
2025 MVC Women's Soccer All-Tournament Team
Tori Angelo, Indiana State
Olivia Anderson, Southern Illinois
Madelyn Smith, Drake
Mika Marolly, Drake
Natalie Miller, Murray State
Sydney Etter, Murray State
Chloe Cline, Illinois State
Abby Hall, Illinois State
Madi Valenti, Illinois State
Hannah Gryzik, UIC
Katelyn Nardulli, UIC
Kasey Castro, UIC
Sara Sanabria, UIC (MVP)
