University of Illinois
9-5-0 (3-2-0)
Iowa
8-5-1 (2-1-1)
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| IOWA | 1 | 0 | 1 |
No. 16 Illinois Falls to Iowa, 1-0
October 10, 2008 | Soccer
Oct. 10, 2008
IOWA CITY, Iowa - The No. 16 Illinois soccer team (9-5 , 3-2 Big Ten) was unable to come a first-half deficit, falling, 1-0, to the Iowa Hawkeyes (8-5-1, 2-1-1 Big Ten) on Friday night at the UI Soccer Complex. The Illini owned the statistical categories, out-cornering the Hawkeyes, 10-5, and out-shooting them, 6-2.
" We missed an opportunity early and I think that's the difference right now because on the road, we're not putting away those opportunities early to have a chance to crack the confidence of the team that's playing at home," head coach Janet Rayfield said. "When we're on the road and we miss those chances, it bolsters the confidence of the other team and starts to affect ours. That's where we have to get better. We can't let those missed chances affect our confidence."
Iowa registered the first goal in the 19th minute when Jackie Kaeding drew Illini goalkeeper Alexandra Kapicka from between the posts before firing a shot from just inside the 18 into the back of the net. The Hawkeyes maintained the one-goal lead heading into the break.
Illinois' best opportunities to even things up came as the minutes began to wind down in the second half. After a foul in the 65th minute, sophomore defender Danielle Kot sailed a free kick into the box where junior midfielder Jackie Santacaterina flicked it to freshman forward Marissa Mykines. Mykines shot was deflected by Iowa goalkeeper Emily Moran then cleared by the Hawkeye defense.
"We missed a couple bouncing around in the box," Rayfield said. "It's such a chaotic environment because there are so many people and that's how Iowa makes it difficult to score. We have a way that we play in terms of moving the ball and we're good 1v1 and they took those things away from us."
The Illini had a trio of restart chances in the 70th minute as well, taking three corner kicks in the span of a minute. The Hawkeyes, though, flooded the box and managed to stifle the Orange and Blue's aerial attack.
"We needed to have a lot more moments like that throughout the game and just keep coming at them and believe (a goal) was going to come," Rayfield said. "That flurry was what the game should have looked like from start to finish, with them fighting it off, but it only looked like that when we really felt the sense of urgency to score, and on the road that urgency should be there from start to finish."
Mykines created another chance for the Illini in the 79th minute as she drove to the endline before crossing back to the middle of the box. Senior midfielder Marti Desjarlais picked up the loose ball and nearly tied the match before Moran pounced on the shot for the save.
Illinois looks to bounce back on Sunday as it wraps up the roadtrip at Minnesota. The Illini will take on the Gophers at 1 p.m. (CT).
Team Stats
Kaeding, Jackie (1)
Assisted By: McLaughlin, Keli
Off middle cross from McLaughlin
19:25
