Nov. 17, 2007

NCAA Second Round Game Notes

NCAA SECOND ROUND
Illinois vs. Notre Dame
Sunday, Nov. 18 - Noon (CT)
Alumni Field
Notre Dame, Ind.
Gametracker available

ILLINOIS STORYLINES
Ilinois is...
...8-6 in NCAA Tournament games
...5-2 in NCAA First Round games
...2-2 in NCAA Second Round games
...7-4 in NCAA Tournament under Rayfield
...12-1-1 when scoring first
...9-1-1 when leading at the half
...11-0-1 when allowing fewer than 2 goals
...11-3-2 when out-shooting opponent

TOURNAMENT TIDBITS
A Bit Of History: Illinois returns to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year and seventh time in the last eight years. The Illini have advanced to the second round four straight years and five times in the history of the program.

Have We Met Before?: The second round game marks the first regular season meeting between Illinois and Notre Dame. The two programs are not unfamiliar, though, as the Illini have made offseason trips to South Bend in the spring, including earlier this year.

The Big Show: The Big Ten conference had five representatives selected to the NCAA bracket. It marks the 12th year in a row the conference has sent at least three teams to the NCAAs. Four Big Ten teams advanced to the second round after Friday's matches, with Ohio State suffering the only loss among the conference teams.

Familiar Faces: This year's NCAA bracket features seven of the Illini's 2007 opponents, including four seeded teams in No. 1 Penn State, No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 Purdue and No. 3 Florida. In addition to those seeded, Missouri, Ohio State and Indiana also made the field of 64.

Them's Fightin Words: The clash between the Fighting Illini and Fighting Irish features a rare matchup of schools using the feisty adjective. Only two other NCAA Division I schools have nicknames commonly described as "fighting," including the Campbell Fighting Camels and Delaware Fighting Blue Hens. The North Dakota Fighting Sioux will join D-I next year to make it a five-way fight.

LEADING OFF
Magnificent Seven: The Illinois soccer team had seven team-members selected to the 2007 All-Big Ten teams. Senior forward Ella Masar and junior defender Emily Zurrer were named to the first team for the second year in a row, while senior defender Mary Therese McDonnell and sophomore midfielder Jackie Santacaterina earned second team honors. In addition, Illinois had a trio of fresman earn Big Ten All-Freshman honors, including defender Danielle Kot, forward Laura Knutson and midfielder Cory Steigerwald. The seven respresent the most selections in school history.

Remember The Illini: Illinois made sure the first round of the Big Ten Tournament against Minnesota would be unforgettable. After regulation and two overtimes, Illinois entered its first-ever penalty kick shootout. With each team making three in the best-of-five round, Minnesota missed its first PK in the shootout, allowing Illinois to make the final kick to edge the Gophers, 4-3.

Gosh Gos: Senior midfielder Kara Gostisha has been a force since moving from the back line to the midfield early in the season. Gostisha scored her first career goal against Cal State Northridge then added her second against Wisconsin. Perhaps the most important goal of her career, though, came in the opening half against Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament. Illinois ended the match in a 2-2 tie, but Gostisha then propelled the Illini into the semifinal with her game-winning PK.

Takes A Licking And Keeps On Ticking: Illinois goalkeeper Lindsey Carstens exited the first half of the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament against Minnesota after taking a cleat to the forehead. Carstens returned within the half with a bandage on her forehead, then received stitches at halftime. The West Chester, Ohio, native proceeded to to make four saves in regulation and added two more crucial stops in the PK round to send the Illini onto the semifinals.

The Lowe Down: Ella Masar has been selected as finalist for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. Masar is the only Big Ten representative among the 10 finalists. She leads the team with 11 goals and 25 points. The award recognizes seniors who have outstanding character, in addition to success on the field and in the classroom. Fan voting will be combined with coaches' votes for the final result. Go to www.seniorclassaward.com to vote for Masar.

Back It Up: Illinois' back line has created a formidable wall this season against opponents. All four starting defenders have played over 1,300 minutes, creating a consistency that led the Illini to 12 shutouts. Junior Emily Zurrer has played all but two minutes this season, leading the team with 1836 minutes played. Senior Mary Therese McDonnell and freshman Danielle Kot have each started in all but one match and have played the entire match a combined 31 times, while senior Kristy Weeks has started 15 games and has gone the distance 13 times.

Carstens Claims Record: Senior goalkeeper Lindsey Carstens captured her 25th career shutout in Illinois' 3-0 win over then- No. 24 Indiana, putting her alone at the top of the record book for career shutouts. Carstens added two more shutouts with wins over Michigan and Michigan State before picking up another in the postseason against Louisville to bring her career total to 28. The West Chester, Ohio, native lead the conference with 11 shutouts this season, tying her career-high from last season.

Ready, Aim, Fire: Although Illinois collected its lowest shot total of the season, the Illini managed to out-shoot Louisville, 6-5, in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. It marked the 16th time this season Illinois has owned a shot advantage over its opponent. Overall, Illinois has out-shot its opponents, 322-184.

UP NEXT
The Illinois soccer team will face host and four seed Notre Dame for the right to advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.

Series Notes: Illinois and Notre Dame have never met during the regular season. The Illini are 2-2 in second-round games of the NCAA tournament, winning two of the last three years. The Irish have made the round-of-32 each of the past 15 years and are looking to make their 12th trip to the round-of-16.

Scouting Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish are riding a 14-game unbeaten streak in the second round of the tournament. Notre Dame's powerful offense, with 61 goals this season, is led by Kerri Hanks (13g, 18a, 44p) and Brittany Bock (14g, 3a, 31p). Goalkeeper Lauren Karas has carried the majority of the load this season, with a 0.60 GAA and five shutouts.