Redbirds endure 2-hour lightning delay, draw with EMU

Brooke Ksiazek and the Illinois State soccer team tied Eastern Michigan on Friday. (Photo courtesy GoRedbirds.com)
Brooke Ksiazek and the Illinois State soccer team tied Eastern Michigan on Friday. (Photo courtesy GoRedbirds.com)

By ISU Sports Information

NORMAL – After waiting through a two hour lightning delay, the Illinois State soccer team played 110 minutes against Eastern Michigan before the match ended in a 2-2 draw in double overtime Friday night at Adelaide Street Field in Normal.

The two teams went back and forth for the first 15 minutes of the match with both sides registering scoring chances. The Redbirds had a shot off the goal post and another a foot high of the crossbar before lightning struck and forced the match into a two hour delay.

Tied at zero coming out of the delay, both offenses woke up for the final 30 minutes of the first half. Just six minutes after play resumed, EMU’s Kristin Nason ran onto the ball off a long pass from Jennifer Bentley and beat ISU’s Vanessa Niestrom to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.

However, ISU’s answer came shortly after. Two minutes later, Brianne Richards took a pass from Emily Dickman and tied the game at one. The goal was the second of the season for Richards and the assist was Dickman’s first point of the season.

In the 37th minute, Nason was at it again for Eastern Michigan, this time scoring off an assist from Rachel Washburn. The goal put the Eagles back in the lead, but once again, it would not last long. In the 43rd minute, Kiley Czerwinski netted her first collegiate goal off an assist from Ali Farkos to tie the game at two.

Coming out of halftime, ISU inserted Jessica Galason into the net and the redshirt freshman made five saves in 65 minutes of action. Galason, making her collegiate debut, was tested twice at the beginning of the second half, and made two great saves to keep the score knotted at two.

Despite 11 second half shots for ISU and five second half/overtime corner kicks for EMU, neither team could find the back of the net. Galason’s counterpart, Kaylin Williams, made eight saves in 110 minutes of action, including seven in the second half.

The Redbirds outshot Eastern Michigan 18-10, but did not take a shot during either overtime period. The draw moves ISU’s record to 1-3-1.

ISU will be in action Sunday at Wisconsin. Kick off is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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