The Basics
The Drake University women's soccer team looks to build on the momentum of its first Missouri Valley Conference victory with two games this week. Drake (2-6-4, 1-1-2 in MVC play) travels to Cedar Falls to face in-state rival, UNI (4-5-3, 1-2-2) on Thursday, Oct. 6 at 3 p.m. before returning home Sunday, Oct.9 to battle UIC (1-5-4, 1-1-2) at 1 p.m.
 
Clean Sheet
Drake is coming off their first conference victory of the season after shutting out Illinois State, 2-0 on Thursday (Sept. 29). Freshman Grace Smith and senior Meghan Brown both scored their first collegiate goals. Rachel Panther provided assists on both goals, as she currently ranks second in the MVC with four assists. 
 
Shot Callers
Freshman Layla Kelbel has recorded four shots and one goal in the last three games. She scored a goal against Missouri State in the 1-1 draw on Sept. 22. Kelbel is in a tie for third in the MVC with two goals.
 
Junior Emma Nagel continues to lead the team in goals with three. Nagel has put defenses on their heels with her 16 shots (second on the team only behind Panther with 19).
 
Lopez in Goal
Senior goalkeeper Vianey Lopez has dominated ranks third in the MVC with 48 saves so far this season. Lopez had four saves in the 2-0 clean sheet victory over Illinois State last Thursday.
 
Scouting UNI
The Panthers return home to Cedar Falls after settling for draws in their last two matches. UNI junior forward Heinsch has four goals on the season including two in the last four games. In the Panther road loss to Indiana State, Heinsch was on the attack with eight shots to go along with three shots on goal. She has 37 total shots this season with 15 on goal. 
 
The trio of Sydney Burskey, Caroline Hazen and Allison Whitaker have combined for six total goals, 36 shots and 17 shots on goal. Burskey has contributed four assists this season.
 
UNI outshooting its opponents 162-129 while averaging 13.5 shots per game but has been outscored this year, 20-15.
 
Series History vs UNI
Drake has been in command of the in-state rivalry with a 13-5-4 head-to-head record. The Bulldogs have won back-to-back matchups against UNI including the last time these two teams met in the 2021 MVC Tournament. Fittingly, Rachel Panther delivered the game-winning goal in OT to knock off the Panthers. Drake is 5-2-3 all-time on the road against UNI. 
 
Scouting UIC
The inaugural season in the MVC has not been a warm welcome for the Flames thus far. UIC currently sits in last place in the MVC with a 1-5-4 (1-1-2) mark. The Flames are being outscored by a 16-5 margin. UIC drew with Murray State, 1-1 on Sunday, Oct. 2. The Flames are 1-3-2 in their last six games.
 
Senior Megan Bowman has totaled 14 shots (all 14 in the last eight games) including six shots on goal and one goal. Her counterpart is graduate student Frankie Frericks, who has fired off 10 shots, two on goal while adding an assist and one goal. Five different student-athletes have scored a goal this season.
 
Redshirt sophomore goalie Lauren Keiser protects the goal with 32 saves and has faced 14 or more shots twice against Eastern Kentucky and Valparaiso. She ranks fourth in the Valley in saves and has a save percentage of .780. 
 
Series History vs UIC
The two teams have only met twice with meetings in 2016 and 2017. Drake won both games outscoring the Flames, 6-1. The Bulldogs won in Chicago by a score of 4-0 in 2016 before edging UIC in OT a year later in Des Moines.