Sept. 29, 2000
Box Score
Champaign, Ill. -
Illinois showed all the poise and confidence of a Big Ten contender Friday night. Before a season-best home crowd of 781, the Illini edged rival Northwestern 1-0.
The victory gives Illinois the slight series edge over Northwestern, 2-1-1, and improved the Illini to 3-1 in the Big Ten and 7-3 overall in 2000. Illinois has also now posted three straight Big Ten wins for the first time in school history. In fact the three wins tie a school record for Big Ten victories set each of the past two seasons with six conference matches left.
"We protected our home turf in the conference tonight," said Illinois Head Coach Tricia Taliaferro. "It was a war out there. It was a credit to our players that we were able to get the early goal and make it stand up."
Although Illinois held a 21-9 advantage in total shots, the shots on goal battle finished even at 5-5, a clearer signal of just how close the game was. Northwestern got the game's first legitimate scoring chance. Illinois' Heidi Holtzman deflected a Brooke Bell free kick from just outside the goal box wide.
The Illini turned that save into an opportunity of their own. Tara Schuling fed a breaking Emily Brown (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier H.S.) who beat a defender and fired the ball into the net for what turned out to be the game's only goal. Brown, who quietly waits for her moment to strike, now has six goals and two assists on the year after tallying a school-record 18 goals in 1999.
"Emily Brown is a dangerous player," noted Illinois Taliaferro. "She has the ability to come out of nowhere and make big plays."
Although Northwestern flirted with gaining momentum, most of the rest of the match saw the momentum not really sway out of Illinois' end. The game was ultimately won in the midfield where players like Meghan Kolze (Lake Zurich/H.S.), Tara Schuling (West Babylon, N.Y./H.S.) and Hollie Schurr (Arlington Heights/Hersey H.S.) patrolled. Kolze made a key tackle on a Northwestern break chance in the first half.
"The game was intense considering five or six of us have played with five of six of their players in club," noted Kolze. "Anytime you get a win over your in-state rival it is a good feeling. They gave us a good fight, but fortunately we pulled out the victory."
Northwestern had four shots on goal to the Illini's one in the first half. The Illini made an early statement in the second half when Tara Schuling dribbled in a got off a shot in the first minute of the second half, sending a message that a comeback would be difficult for Northwestern.
The Wildcats best chance came off a corner in the second half. NU's Enyo Dzata sent a shot into the box, but Illini defender Rebecca Patrick (Naperville, Ill./North H.S.) cleared. Northwestern had more corner kicks than Illinois 6-3.
Illinois goalkeeper AnneMarie Hennes (Griffith, Ind./Andrean H.S.) had perhaps her best collegiate game to date, posting four saves, including a key deflection of Aileen Guiney shot, which preserved the win. Hennes also posted her third shutout of the season and raised her record to 3-2.
"The talent has always been there," said Taliaferro of Hennes. "It's been about her gaining confidence, and I think she's shown that more and more each game."
The Illini can take a big step forward with a win on Sunday. The defending Big Ten Tournament champions Michigan Wolverines come calling. The Illini lost to Michigan 4-3 in the semifinals of the conference tourney at year ago. This year Illinois is 5-0 at home, out-scoring opponents 18-3.
