CHICAGO – The Drake University women's soccer team is set for a pair of road matches this weekend. Drake plays at UIC Friday at 7 p.m. before closing the weekend at Wisconsin Sunday with a 1 p.m. match.
 
The Bulldogs started the 2016 season with a shutout win at North Dakota State last Friday. The win over the Bison marks the first time since 2012 that Drake opened a regular season with a victory.
 
Redshirt senior Alex Freeman (Duluth, Minn.), who missed nearly all of the 2015 season due to a knee injury, made an instant impact in her return scoring the match's lone goal off a corner kick from her teammate Kasey Hurt (Ankeny, Iowa) in the second half.
 
Drake's defense against North Dakota State was tough as it limited the Bison to just three shots on goal. Junior Brooke Salisbury (Kearney, Mo.) was instrumental in the defensive pressure as she played all ninety minutes in the match. Salisbury was recognized by the Missouri Valley Conference Tuesday as the defensive player of the week for her outstanding performance. Senior Brooke Dennis (Wauconda, Ill.) and junior Haley Morris (Clive, Iowa) each played one half in the net for the Bulldogs and each goalie recorded one save.
 
UIC played to double-overtime, scoreless draws in each of its first two games against Northern Illinois and Belmont. Wisconsin lost its season opener at Notre Dame, 1-0, and will host Milwaukee Friday night. Drake has never played UIC or Wisconsin.
 
The Bulldogs open their home slate at Cownie Soccer Complex on Sept. 2 against South Dakota.