The UIS women's soccer team was narrowly defeated by McKendree, 1-0, on Sunday at Kiwanis Stadium.

The first half began with both Illinois Springfield and McKendree settling into their rhythm, as northwestern winds kept much of the play along the bench side of the field. Gigi Yurevich was tested early but made key saves to keep the game level until the 30th minute when McKendree's Maggie Gleckler broke through with a goal, putting the visitors ahead 1-0.

UIS responded with attempts from Ellie Mejia and Addison Wittenberg, but both efforts were thwarted by McKendree's defense. Shot attempts by Reese Lowery and McKenna Gahagan narrowly missed the mark. As the half wound down, the Prairie Stars maintained pressure but entered the break with a one-goal deficit.

In the second half, UIS held an an 8-2 advantage in shots and forced four saves from McKendree. Early in the half, attempts by Greta Kohnz and Gahagan were stopped by Bearcat goalkeeper Peyton Baker. The Prairie Stars applied heavy pressure late, with Riley Lloyd narrowly missing in the 84th and 89th minutes. Despite several late chances and corner kicks, the home team couldn't find the back of the net.

Yurevich, in goal for the full 90 minutes, recorded two saves against nine shots faced and allowed one goal. Riley Lloyd registered three shots, one of which was on target.

"I'm really proud of our team after this weekend," head coach Scott Myers said. "We showed we can contend with some of the best in the conference. The adjustments the players made in the second half were well executed, and we put McKendree in their half for a majority of the 45 minutes. We will regroup and look to finish the GLVC strong over the next two weeks. I am very proud of our team's growth this season, as we have battled in each and every game."

Up Next
Looking ahead, the Prairie Stars will host Indianapolis on Sunday, Oct. 26, at Kiwanis Stadium in Springfield, Ill. The match is set to begin at noon.