Women’s soccer is off to a hot start in the 2024 season.
The team is still undefeated after 10 games, with 9 wins and 1 tied game this season. The team opened up conference play last week with a 1-0 win over Carthage College. The only goal of the game was scored by senior defender Katy Bearden, the first goal of her collegiate career. Bearden’s performance last week earned her CCIW defensive player of the week honors, helping Millikin to 2 clean sheets in their games against Carthage and Greenville.
Bearden is only the second Millikin player to earn CCIW player of the week honors, joining Myka Smith, junior goalkeeper, when she was awarded defensive player of the week honors on September 10.
The women’s soccer team was predicted to finish 5th in conference, with reigning champs North Central voted in first place. They also just received their first regional ranking in program history, coming in at 8th in the Region VIII rankings from October 3, 2024.
Millikin’s only draw came from Webster University on September 11. Since then, they are on a 5 game win streak, 4 of which were shutout wins.
The Big Blue have a very balanced offense, with more than 8 players having scored at least one goal on the season. Defensively, they have played 2 goalkeepers, Myka Smith and Madalyn Everly. Smith has one shutout in four games played. Everly has 4 shutouts in six games played.
Bearden, a senior captain on the team, shared why she thinks this year has been so successful so far.
“As a team we are so much more connected this year than in the past. We have more confidence in ourselves and as a team, which helps us stay connected and win games,” she said.
The women’s soccer team is back in action on October 12 at Carroll for a CCIW matchup.
