DES MOINES, Iowa – The top-seeded Drake women's soccer team saw its Missouri Valley Conference Tournament run come to an end on Thursday afternoon, as the Bulldogs fell 1-0 to Illinois State in the semifinal round at Mediacom Stadium.
After winning the MVC regular season title just a week earlier, the Bulldogs entered Thursday's contest with momentum and home-field advantage. However, a late penalty kick in the 85th minute from Illinois State's Abby Hall proved to be the difference in a tightly contested matchup.
Both teams battled through a scoreless first half that featured strong defensive play and limited scoring opportunities. Drake registered two shots on goal in the opening frame, while goalkeeper Addie Ford made a pair of key saves to keep the match tied heading into halftime.
The Bulldogs thought they had a break early in the contest on a possible goal one minute into the match, but it was ultimately called offsides and negated.
In the second half, the Bulldogs ramped up the offensive pressure, producing eight shots and four corner kicks. Despite their push, Illinois State's goalkeeper Madi Valenti stood strong, finishing the afternoon with three saves to preserve the shutout.
The decisive moment came in the 85th minute when the Redbirds were awarded a penalty kick following a foul inside the box. Hall converted the opportunity to give Illinois State the 1-0 lead. Drake continued to fight until the final whistle, generating a flurry of late chances in the final minutes, but ultimately failed to find an equalizer.
"We knew scoring on Illinois State from the run of play was going to be tough, but the first minute of the game indicated that we might be able to break them down with the goal that was called back," Drake head coach Lindsey Horner said. "I felt we were able to create dangerous moments off corners, throws, and free kicks and maybe that's how we would find the back of the net. Ultimately, I hate to see such an important game get decided on a late penalty, but such is our sport.
"I think we were all a bit stunned, but our players have so much to be proud of. This was such a special group of people that came together as one outstanding team. They trained hard, were great teammates and made this season fun. Our seniors absolutely put their stamp on our program and I'm so thankful for all they did for our program. Once the sting wears off from today, I hope our players are proud of this season and their individual impact on our success and culture."
Ford finished the match with six saves for the Bulldogs, holding a strong performance in net. Offensively, Drake was led by Angela Gutierrez, who recorded three shots, while Madelyn Smith and Claire Emmerich contributed one shot on goal a piece.
With the result, Drake concludes the 2025 campaign with an overall record of 9-6-4 and a 6-2-1 mark in conference play.
