Smoothing defense, timely runs, and a star goalkeeper in the making. That's what sums up new coach Katie Hultin's side in the first two matches of the season.
Each opening week match was on the road for the Illini. The Illinois soccer team pressed the backline of the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) from the opening whistle.
In the third minute of the match, the sophomore transfer from Georgia, Cayla Jackson, opened her scoring account from the top of the penalty area by way of a perfect pass from Sydney Stevens. Jackson's strike was ultimately the lone goal of the match.
The Flames had their share of chances. However, Izzy Lee was up to the challenge, recording her first shutout of the season. The best opportunity for UIC came in the 25th minute when a Flames forward took a clean shot on goal, forcing Lee to make a game-saving stop. The pressure continued to build in the second half, as UIC seemed to find spaces on the pitch, but the Illini defense was up to the challenge.
The second match in Bowling Green, Ohio, was an action-packed affair with both teams putting their opposition on the back foot early.
This time, it took until the second half for the Illini to score. Stevens recorded her first goal of the season to go along with her first assist. Peeling off a defender, Stevens made her run towards the top of the penalty area. From a heads-up pass from Ashlyn Adams, Stevens needed just a few dribbles to create enough space to take her shot. The ball nicked the bottom of the top crossbar and bounced past the Bowling Green keeper.
From there, the Illini defense suffocated the Falcons. Still, Bowling Green was able to get by the Illini backline to take a couple of good shots on goal. However, Lee was once again up to the challenge. When the final whistle blew, Illinois recorded their second shutout of the season.
The Illini get a few days to revel in their wins before their home opener against undefeated Boston College. The Eagles come to Demirjian Park for a Monday Night Futbol showdown on Monday, August 25th at 6:00 p.m. CT.