Oct. 30, 2009

Box Score

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Four first-half goals propelled the Illinois soccer team to its best offensive performance of the season, as the Illini got a big 5-0 victory over Michigan State on Friday evening at the Illinois Soccer Stadium. The win was especially significant for head coach Janet Rayfield, as it was her 100th career victory at Illinois. The match will air tape-delayed on the Big Ten Network on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 11 a.m. CT.

"Tonight we had the confidence in the penalty box," Rayfield said. "Our forwards were shooting like they were expecting to score instead of hoping to score. In the first 20 minutes we did that, and as a result we put two in the back of the net and were able to relax and let things go from there. We talked a lot this week about what it meant to be confident for each other, and I think you saw that tonight.

"It's nice to have that kind of longevity," Rayfield said of her 100th Illini win. "It means I've been around this game a long time. You don't think as much about the wins as you think about all the players who helped you get those wins."

Nine different players recorded an offensive point for the Illini (7-7-3, 2-4-2 Big Ten), led by junior Laura Knutson's goal and assist. The other goal scorers were sophomore Jenna Carosio, freshman Niki Read, junior Christina Sahly and junior Cory Steigerwald. Illinois' five goals marked its most since beating Iowa 6-0 on Oct. 7, 2007.

Carosio got the Illini on the board first with the first goal of her career, heading a cross from senior Brittany Garrett to the back of the net in the 10th minute. Knutson then scored in the 21st to make the score 2-0, taking a pass from sophomore Marissa Mykines inside the box and scrambling to finish. Minutes later, Read made it 3-0 in favor of the Illini as she found herself wide open inside the box and fired a shot to the lower right corner.

Sahly gave the Orange and Blue even more of a cushion minutes before halftime, scoring her third goal of the season on a through ball from freshman Shayla Mutz to give Illinois a 4-0 advantage at the break. In the first half, all four of Illinois' shots on frame resulted in goals.

Junior goalkeeper Alexandra Kapicka made four saves in the first half, three of which came in the span of two minutes as Michigan State (9-4-4, 2-4-2) turned up the offensive pressure toward the end of the break. Kapicka preserved Illinois' fourth shutout of the season in the 54th, saving a point-blank shot by Michigan State's Lauren Hill.

Steigerwald closed out the scoring in the 73rd, connecting on a cross from sophomore Julie Ewing to make the final 5-0. For the match, Illinois owned a 17-12 shots advantage and had eight shots on goal to MSU's six.

Rayfield was able to empty her bench with the significant lead, as all 23 players on the Illini roster saw time on the field. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Steph Panozzo made the first appearance of her career, subbing in for Kapicka in the 79th and making one save.

Illinois closes out its home season on Sunday, hosting Michigan at 1 p.m. at the Illinois Soccer Stadium. It is Senior Day for four Illini - Courtney Bell, Brittany Garrett, Chichi Nweke and Jackie Santacaterina. The match will air live on WDWS AM 1400. Anybody who shows a ticket from Saturday's Illinois-Michigan football game at the gate will receive free admission.