Aug. 20, 2010

Box Score

CHICAGO - The Illinois women's soccer team opened the 2010 season with a shutout victory, 2-0, at Loyola-Chicago on Friday evening. Senior Danielle Kot and freshman Vanessa DiBernardo each connected on one early goal for the Illini.

The Orange and Blue opened scoring seven minutes into the contest, on the Illini's first corner kick opportunity of the season. DiBernardo took the kick for the Illini, firing the ball across the box. Kot, waiting on the far side, headed the cross over the Ramblers' defense and starting goalkeeper, Katie Groesch. The Brookfield, Wis. natives' header to put Illinois ahead, 1-0, marked her first goal since her freshman season in 2007.

"Danielle does a lot for us defensively but we let her loose from the back on restarts," head coach Janet Rayfield said. "For her to get score that goal is really going to help her confidence in the box."

Five minutes later, DiBernardo doubled the Fighting Illini's lead with her first collegiate goal. The 2009 Illinois Gatorade Women's Soccer Player of the Year received the ball at midfield, dribbled into the Ramblers' box uncontested and fired a low shot into the right corner of the net.

"As a freshman, getting that first goal can be a struggle," said Rayfield, in reference to her freshman midfielder's first tally. "If you go for a long time without getting a goal, you can start to doubt yourself. It has to be nice to get that early confidence booster."

Sophomore Steph Panozzo and senior Alexandra Kapicka combined to earn the shutout in net for Illinois. Panozzo stopped the only Rambler shot on goal in the first half as the Illini defense stifled Loyola-Chicago's offense throughout the contest.

For the contest, the Illini outshot the Ramblers, 19-6, and took four corner kicks while holding Loyola-Chicago without a corner opportunity. With this shutout, the Illinois defense has now posted clean slates against the Ramblers in all three of the Illini's matches with Loyola-Chicago.

Illinois returns to action for its first contest of 2010 at Illinois Soccer Stadium as the Illini host Wright State on Tuesday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m.