The Valpo soccer team jumped out to a 1-0 lead early Thursday evening at Illinois State thanks to the first collegiate goal for freshman Ashlyn Cohen (Cooper City, Fla./Cooper City), but the host Redbirds responded less than six minutes later and then got the match-winning goal in the 80^th minute as the Beacons fell by a 2-1 final.
 
How It Happened

• The Beacons pulled out in front in the 14^th minute. Junior Molly O'Rear (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) won possession from a Redbird in the defensive half and sent a long ball over the top toward Cohen. The freshman split the ISU center backs, outrunning them to the ball at the top of the box before circling charging ISU goalkeeper Madi Valenti and slotting home into an open net to give Valpo the 1-0 lead.
• The lead was fairly short-lived, however, as Eiley Henderson headed in a cross at the far post in the 19^th minute to level the scoreline.
• Redshirt sophomore Kate Sheridan (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids) did well to make sure the match went into halftime tied, making a number of first-half saves. The best of her stops in the opening 45 minutes might have been her save on Chloe Cline in the 36^th minute, as Sheridan used quick reflexes to snuff out a first-touch chance on a ball pinging in the box.
• Behind seven first-half saves from Sheridan, the Beacons went into the locker room tied 1-1.
• Valpo tilted the field in its direction in the second half, as the Beacons had long stretches of control and consistently pushed the ball into its attacking third.
• They were unable to find the back of the net despite that control, however, and Illinois State got an 80^th-minute strike from outside the box by Eve Gricius to give the Redbirds the victory.

 
Inside the Match

• Valpo's starting lineup Thursday night featured six freshmen, and rookies accounted for 49.7% of the minutes played by field players.
• Cohen's first-half goal was the first of her collegiate career. She is the fifth different Beacon to find the back of the net this year.
• O'Rear's assist on Cohen's goal was her first point of the season. The junior now owns four career assists.
• Sheridan made her seventh start of the season in goal and made a season-high seven saves.
• Illinois State ended the evening with a 17-13 edge in shots, putting 10 on goal to Valpo's seven. The Redbirds also attempted nine corner kicks to Valpo's four.

 
Thoughts From Coach Marovich
"We definitely came out again from the start with the right performance, the right attitude, and we go up a goal early. But we can't turn around and then concede in moments like that, especially when you've gotten a hold of the game and especially on the road."
 
"Very early in the second half, we got a couple balls into dangerous spaces we wanted to get into. We have to then be better executing when we get into the box — we have to get that final touch right. We took a definite step forward tonight as a group, in our execution of getting the ball into those spaces we wanted to attack."
 
"This has been a tough run of results to take, but it's not going to shake who we are. We're going to continue to fight, to battle, to compete and keep working to get better. If we maintain that focus, we're confident eventually the results will turn around."
 
Next Up
Valpo (4-8-0, 0-4-0 MVC) returns home to Brown Field Sunday to host Southern Illinois on Senior Day. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m., while the Senior Day ceremony will begin at about 12:40 p.m.