McCleary’s Late Goal Delivers Tie for Skyhawks at Illinois State

Sunday, August 23

Normal, Ill.

6 p.m.

UT Martin

1-0-3, 0-0-0

Illinois State

2-0-1, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
UT Martin	0	1	1
Illinois St.	1	0	1

McCleary’s Late Goal Delivers Tie for Skyhawks at Illinois State

8/23/2026 10:40:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

NORMAL, Ill. – Sophomore Addy Cleary of the University of Tennessee at Martin soccer team hammered home a goal in the 86^th minute of Sunday night's match at Illinois State to secure a 1-1 draw for the Skyhawks at Adelaide Street Field in Normal.

At 1-0-3, UT Martin is currently unbeaten through the first four games of the season for the first time since 2014, when it started 4-0-0.

"Illinois State did a great job of controlling the tempo in the first half and we struggled to find any rhythm," said head coach Mike Varga after the match. "We made a couple of changes at the half and the team responded. We didn't hang our heads after the first goal and we battled until the end. I am proud of our effort in the second half and happy for Addy to get the equalizer."

The Redbirds were first on the board in the game when Eve Gricius sent a corner kick into the box in the 24^th minute that was headed into the bottom left of the goal by Grace St. Petrie.

The score remained 1-0 in favor of Illinois State until the 84^th minute when Mac Titus launched a goal kick that was headed at midfield by Unni Wolf and picked up by Peyton Cook, who kicked the ball over her head to find Ella Rucka on the run. Rucka then sent the ball into the box where McCleary found it, beat her defender and sailed it into the upper left corner of the net to tie the match.

Titus finished the game with three saves on four shots, while Madi Valenti made four saves for Illinois State. Despite being outshot 14-5 on the night, all five Skyhawk shots were on target with two from Kylee Thompson and one each from McCleary, Alex Weihs and Maggie Stephens.

The Skyhawks return to action Thursday when they make a short drive to take on former OVC rival Murray State at 1 p.m. at Cutchin Field.