LEBANON, Ill. | Leemon Field - McKendree University women's soccer collected its seventh-straight win, winning 2-1 over Drury and improving to 9-1-3 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and 13-1-3 overall this season. The Bearcats came away from the weekend with the second seed in this years GLVC Championship Tournament, which begins on November 5 in the quarterfinal round. McKendree, as a higher seed, will host the seventh-seeded Rockhurst Hawks at Leemon Field for a 12PM kick-off.
McKendree went down in the first half with less than a minute remaining as the Panthers found a way to sneak on through the Bearcats' defense. The squads were level with five shots both ways and two corner kicks for the Bearcats and one for the Panthers.
In the second half, McKendree tallied just three shots but made the most of the attempts with both goals coming in that latter 45 minutes. The game was tied in the 48th minute as junior forward
Lena Higgins found the back of the net with her fourth score of the season as senior midfielder
Reagan Mauch and freshman midfielder
Maggie Gleckler. The game remained knotted at 1-1 until the 73rd minute when McKendree found a chance and took full advantage. A long throw in by junior defender
Maria Voss put the ball in position while graduate midfielder
Allison Frederking sent a header at the Panthers' keeper. The Frederking header created enough havoc to cause an own goal by Drury.
McKendree held off the Panthers in the closing minutes of the game as freshman goalkeeper
Peyton Baker saw time in net, grabbing four saves in the effort.
SCORING RECAP
48th | #10
Lena Higgins (4) via #11
Reagan Mauch (3), #39
Maggie Gleckler (6)
73rd | DRURY, own goal
GLVC CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
The Bearcats moved up in the standings with the victory over Drury, totaling 30 points to finish second in the GLVC in 2023. With the finish, McKendree will host its quarterfinal matchup with Rockhurst on Sunday, November 5 with kick-off at 12PM.
The 2023 GLVC Women's Soccer Championship Tournament will be held Nov. 10 and 12 at Corwin Clatt Stadium in East Peoria, Ill., after the quarterfinals on Nov. 5 are hosted by the top-four seeds. This is the first year the event will be hosted at this venue and a return to a neutral site for both the men's and women's tournaments since the spring of 2021.
Tournament information and bracket can be found via the GLVC's
Championship Central.
NOTES
McKendree recorded its eighth-straight winning season enroute to its ninth-straight GLVC Tournament. The Bearcats are seeking a seventh-straight NCAA tournament berth in 2023.
The Bearcats have won seven-straight as they enter the post-season play with five of seven victories coming via shutout.
With Sunday's result, McKendree extended its home unbeaten streak during the regular season to 22 games, which dates back to the 2021 season.
Junior forward
Lena Higgins tallied her third score of the season in the victory. Higgins totals 13 points which ranks second on the Bearcats.
Senior midfielder
Reagan Mauch and freshman midfielder
Maggie Gleckler each dished-out an assist in the win. Mauch totals three assists while Gleckler owns six on the campaign.
UP NEXT
Second-seeded McKendree will host seventh-seeded Rockhurst in the GLVC Quarterfinal round at Leemon Field on Sunday, November 5, at 12PM.
