LEBANON, Ill. - The Senior Day celebrations extended beyond pregame for McKendree University women's soccer, as the Bearcats took down Great Lakes Valley Conference-foe Maryville in regulation. The win put the Bearcats four points ahead in the GLVC standings this fall. 

McKendree and Maryville played a back-and-forth match, splitting possession 50-50 in the full-regulation match. The ball was primarily in the Bearcats' attacking half with nearly 65 percent of overall possession coming in that half of the pitch. The Bearcats also dominated shots with 12 compared to the Saints' four and doubled the Saints' corners earned with four in the 90-minute contest.

Prior to the match, McKendree women's soccer honored its six seniors in the class with Senior Day ceremonies. The six seniors were midfielder Olivia Dreyer (Quicy, Illinois | Quincy Notre Dame), goalkeeper Mercedes King (Troy, Illinois | Triad), midfielder Emma Knoebel (Maryville, Illinois | Collinsville), forward Kaylee McClanahan (Springfield, Illinois | Springfield East), defender Kristina Pedersen (Kopenhagen, Denmark | Hillerod Handelsgymnasium), and midfielder Riley Ross (Springfield, Illinois | Rochester).

The zero-to-zero stalemate went into the half with The Bearcats firing six shots in the first 45 minutes with the Saints unable to fire any shots in the first 45. McKendree earned three corners but were unable to convert on any of the first half corner kicks. 

It was the 69th minute when the null-to-null match was broken open following a throw-in by McKendree. The thrown-in was taken by senior defender Danielle Knutson who then corralled the ball once against following the throw-in and sent a cross into the Maryville box. The midfielder Dreyer swooped in and fired the ball past the Saints' keeper for the score. The goal marked Dreyer's first collegiate score, properly celebrating senior her senior day outing. The assist by the defender Knutson was her first point recorded this fall.

The Bearcats held the lead through the the end of regulation, giving McKendree the victory and three more points tacked on to its season total.

The keeper King earned a second-straight clean sheet and her fifth this fall. With no goals allowed over the weekend, King lowered her goals allowed average to 0.67 this fall with 24 saves and an 8-1-2 record. 

With the win, the Bearcats improve to 9-2-2 in the GLVC and 7-1-0 at Leemon Field. McKendree owns 29 points this fall in the league and currently own the lead by four points over the closest GLVC-foe. 

UP NEXT:
McKendree caps off its regular season with a matchup across the river at Missouri-St. Louis. The Bearcats take on UMSL on October 31 at 12 P.M. at Don Dallas Soccer Field. 

Following the final regular season match, the GLVC tournament will take place on November 7,12-14.

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