CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS — The Northern Iowa women’s soccer team battled Missouri Valley Conference-leading Southern Illinois for much of Sunday’s match but surrendered a goal just before halftime and another late in the second half, falling 2-0 to the Salukis on November 1, 2026, in Carbondale.
The Panthers struggled to generate consistent offensive pressure against Southern Illinois, which controlled much of the action and finished with a 12-5 advantage in shots, including a 5-1 edge in shots on goal.
UNI kept the match scoreless for more than 43 minutes before Southern Illinois broke through in the closing moments of the opening half.
Neither team attempted a shot until the 15th minute, when UNI’s Ella Ubben sent an effort off target. The Salukis began developing offensive opportunities near the 20-minute mark, but the Panther defense held firm despite facing four first-half corner kicks.
Keira Bogott attempted to put Northern Iowa ahead in the 42nd minute but was unable to convert.
Southern Illinois finally broke the deadlock in the 44th minute when Dana Nadda connected on a right-footed shot, sending the Salukis into halftime with a 1-0 advantage.
Northern Iowa came close to answering early in the second half.
In the 52nd minute, Shaelee Franck launched an attempt that struck the left goalpost, narrowly missing an equalizer. Franck tried again five minutes later, but her second shot went wide.
Southern Illinois threatened to increase its lead in the 57th minute when Maya Dixon tested UNI goalkeeper Hailey Luedtke, who made the save to keep the Panthers within one goal.
As the match entered its final 15 minutes, UNI continued looking for an opportunity to pull even.
Kylie Knief placed a shot on goal in the 76th minute, but Southern Illinois goalkeeper Reagan Miller turned away the attempt.
Two minutes later, Aylie Haycock delivered the decisive blow, scoring in the 78th minute to extend the Salukis’ lead to 2-0.
Northern Iowa was unable to mount a comeback in the remaining minutes.
Franck led the Panthers with two shot attempts, while Ubben, Knief and Bogott recorded one apiece. Knief accounted for UNI’s lone shot on goal.
Luedtke finished with three saves while allowing two goals.
Despite the loss, Luedtke continues to rank among the Missouri Valley Conference’s top goalkeepers. Her 77 total saves and average of 5.5 saves per match both lead the conference, according to UNI Athletics.
Sunday’s result also altered the recent history between the two programs. Northern Iowa now holds a 4-2-1 all-time record against Southern Illinois, while the Salukis have defeated the Panthers in consecutive meetings for the first time.
With the regular season nearing its conclusion, UNI will look to finish on a stronger note when it returns to Cedar Falls for its final scheduled match.
The Panthers will host the Drake Bulldogs on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at 1 p.m. Central time at the UNI Soccer Field in Cedar Falls.
The Missouri Valley Conference matchup will be available to watch on ESPN+.