DES MOINES, Iowa - On a night when the Drake women's soccer team honored its four seniors, the Bulldogs (7-8-2, 1-2-2 MVC) battled Illinois State (12-5, 6-0 MVC), the regular season Missouri Valley Conference champions, down to the wire before the Redbirds escaped the Cownie Soccer Complex with a 2-0 triumph on Saturday (Oct. 25).

The game came down to a fortuitous call for Illinois State and its three-time conference player of the year in the 76th minute (75:19) that resulted in a penalty kick for Rachel Tejada. She stepped to the line and connected on her 13th goal of the season for what proved to be the game-winning tally.

Just over three minutes later at the 78:54 mark, Hannah Leinert extended the Redbirds' advantage to 2-0 on the strength of her seventh goal of the season.

The Bulldogs' best-scoring opportunity came in the seventh minute (6:05) when senior Generve Charles (Wausau, Wis./Wausau East) got 1v1 with Illinois State goalkeeper Aryn Newsome, but her shot went just wide.

Sophomore Rebecca Rodgers (Peotone, Ill./Peotone) had her attempt at the 55:01 mark slide wide as well.

The Redbirds outshot Drake on the evening, 24-9, including 12-2 on goal.

A pair of three-shot performances from Charles and senior Ashlie Stokes (Sioux City, Iowa/Sioux City North) led the Bulldogs. Tejeda directed Illinois State with a game-high nine shots.

Sophomore goalkeeper Kylynn Moyer (Omaha, Neb./Millard North) pulled in a game-high nine saves for Drake, while Newsome pulled in two stops for the Redbirds.

The Bulldogs honored their four seniors in Charles, Stokes, Tori Flynn (O'Fallon, Mo./St. Joseph Academy) and Spencer Vasey (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) in pre-game ceremonies.

Drake returns to action closing out its regular season with a 6:00 p.m. contest at Indiana State on Thursday (Oct. 30).