Sept. 29, 2011
Printable Week 7 Soccer Notes 
Week Seven Soccer Notes
Game 12: (RV) Illinois (6-4-1, 0-2-1) vs. Indiana (5-5-1, 0-1-2)
Friday, Sept. 30 // 7 p.m. CT // Illinois Soccer Stadium // Champaign, Ill.
Game Coverage
Live Statistics: Available on fightingillini.com
Promotion: “World Cup Night” featuring World Cup-related raffles, including a shirt signed by Team USA, as well as a face-painting station and a youth soccer clinic hosted by the Illini following the game.
The Series
Illinois leads the all-time series, 8-3-3. (Last meeting: #21 Illinois 2, Indiana 1; Oct. 3, 2010)
Game 13: (RV) Illinois vs. Purdue (3-7-2, 0-2-1)
Sunday, Oct. 2 // 1 p.m. CT // Illinois Soccer Stadium // Champaign, Ill.
Game Coverage
Live Statistics: Available on fightingillini.com
Radio: Illini Sports Network - WDWS AM1400
The Series
Illinois leads the all-time series 9-5-2. (Last meeting: #21 Illinois 4, Purdue 1; Oct. 1, 2010)
Just For Kicks
Illinois...
... scored five or more goals in three consecutive games (Gonzaga, Toledo, Ball State) for the first time in program history.
... scored five or more goals in four separate games for the first time since 2000.
... has won its last 69 games when scoring three or more goals, dating back to 1999.
... is 6-1-1 when scoring at least two goals in a game and 4-1-1 in day games.
... finished 6-2-0 in non-conference play, the fifth consecutive and 13th overall season Illinois started the Big Ten schedule with a winning non-conference mark.
Fighting Illini Media Coverage
The University of Illinois soccer squad will receive considerable coverage from local and regional media outlets throughout the 2011 regular season, with live broadcasts of contests featured on the Big Ten Network and the Illini Sports Network - WDWS 1400AM in addition to print weekly coverage in the Daily Illini and News-Gazette. In total, two Illini contests will be featured on the conference’s television network, while WDWS will carry five home matches.
Illinois’ home-opener against Gonzaga will be broadcast by WDWS, with Brian Moline and Tim Ditman calling the game from Illinois Soccer and Track Stadium. The Illini Sports Network will also cover the Orange and Blue’s match-ups with USC (9/2), Purdue (10/2), Minnesota (10/14) and Wisconsin (10/16).
The Big Ten Network will show a delayed broadcast of Illinois’ contest at Michigan State on Oct. 8, with the game airing on the network on Oct. 9. The following weekend, the BTN will broadcast live from Illinois Soccer and Track Stadium during SoccerFest 2011 as Illinois hosts the Wisconsin Badgers at 3 p.m. on Oct. 16. Big Ten Student U will broadcast one additional contest, when Illinois hosts Minnesota on Oct. 14.
Illinois on the Big Ten Network
at Michigan State // Oct. 9 at Noon*
vs. Wisconsin // Sunday, Oct. 16 at 3 p.m.
Illinois on Student U
vs. Minnesota // Friday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.
Illinois on WDWS AM 1400
vs. Gonzaga // Friday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m.
vs. USC // Friday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m.
vs. Purdue // Sunday, Oct. 2 at 1 p.m.
vs. Minnesota // Friday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.
vs. Wisconsin // Sunday, Oct. 16 at 3 p.m.
*next-day delay
Last Time Out
The University of Illinois soccer team (6-4-1 overall, 0-2-1 Big Ten) completed the longest regular season road trip in program history, a stretch of five games, with losses at Ohio State, 2-1, and Penn State, 1-0.
Against Ohio State, Lauren Granberg gave the Buckeyes the lead at the 25:00 mark with a shot from eight yards out; however, sophomore Jannelle Flaws answered with her second collegiate goal only 12 minutes and 35 seconds later to square the contest at 1-1 entering halftime. Granberg provided Ohio State with the difference-maker in the 57th minute with a header shot; however, the Illini outshot the Buckeyes, 20-9, and controlled the rhythm of play throughout much of the contest, failing to convert on their repeated attempts.
Against Penn State, the Illini were shutout for the first time in 14 contest, dating back to the 2010 season. The Illini held the high-scoring Nittany Lions to a lone goal, provided by Ali Schaefer in the 39th minute and were unable to find the equalizer as they had been able to recently against Louisville, Colorado and Iowa.
Illinois outshot its opponent yet again; however, by a much smaller margin, 13-12. Niki Read, Shayla Mutz and Jenna Carosio each had quality on-target attempts turned aside during the game.
Weekly Preview
The Fighting Illini return to Illinois Soccer Stadium for the first game since facing Colorado on Sept. 4, taking the field against Indiana on Friday, Sept. 30 and Purdue on Sunday, Oct. 2 to continue Big Ten action.
Indiana heads to Illinois with a 5-5-1 overall record and 0-1-2 conference mark with Orianica Velasquez leading the Hoosiers attack with 12 points on six goals. Lisa Nouanesengsy and Carly Samp follow Velasquez follow with four goals and two assists for 10 points each.
On defense, Lindsay Campbell has stared all 11 contests for Indiana, giving up 13 goals in 882 minutes of action (1.33 goals-against average). Campbell owns a 4-5-0 record with one shutout, stopping 46 shots for a .780 save percentage. Shannon Flower owns the remainer of the minutes on the season, playing 128 while earning a 1-0-1 record with a 1.40 goals-against average.
As a team, Indiana has outscored opponents, 19-15, and owns a slight shots advantage, 166-159. The Hooisers have earned 78 corner kicks while holding the opposition to 40 and opponents have been flagged for 123 penalties against Indiana’s 107.
Current-sophomore Megan Pawloski provided both goals during the last meeting between Illinois and Indiana, with the Illini earning a thrilling 2-1 victory in Champaign on Oct. 3, 2010 in front of 1,328 spectators. Pawloski broke the scorless tie in the 40th minute on a pass from classmate Vanessa DiBernardo before using an acrobatic header to secure the eventual game-winner on the 42nd minute. Indiana’s Carly Samp scored in the 55th minute to provide the Hoosiers with their lone tally.
Purdue heads to Champaign for the second consecutive season with Alex Hairston providing a team-high 12 points on five goals and two assists. Hairston has been the key offensive piece throughout the season for the Boilermakers, the only Purdue player with more than four points this season.
Clara Kridler and Yana Lyon have split Purdue’s 1,136 minutes of action, with Kridler earning the start in all 12 games. Kridler owns 1,099 minutes entering the upcoming weekend, allowing 18 total goals for a 1.47 goals per game average. Kridler has been tested by opponents considerably and has answered with 67 saves for a .788 saves percentage. Lyon has played 37 minutes on the season, spread over three contests, and allowed one goal while stopping four shots.
As a unit, Purdue has been outscored, 19-13, and outshot by a wide margin, 224-139. The Boilermakers own more corner kick opportunities than opponents, 64-51, while fouls are nearly even with 124 called against Purdue and 126 for its opponents.
Vanessa DiBernardo had a career game against Purdue when the Illini and Boilermakers last met, producing a program-record four goals during a 4-1 victory on Oct. 1, 2010. DiBernardo scored in the 25th minute to put the Illini in front, 1-0, while Kellie Phillips answered for Purdue in the 55th minute to even the contest at 1-1. The game remained tied into the 81st minute before DiBernardo broke down the Purdue defense three times in the final minutes to turn a close contest into a blowout. DiBernardo bent a shot into the right side of the netting from the left wing to earn the game-winner before providing insurance tallies in the 87th and 90th minutes - the final goal coming only 14 seconds before the end of regulation.
Nods of Approval
Through six weeks, the Illini have been recognized as a talented team among the nation’s and Great Lakes region leaders. After debuting at No. 24 in the official NSCAA poll, the Orange and Blue now sit among the teams receiving votes for the top-25, placing 34th overall. Illinois is also featured at No. 44 in Top Drawer Soccer’s Tournament 64, a breakdown of the squads that TDS believes will reach the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
While the Illini receive national recognition as a squad the Big Ten Conference, Top Drawer Soccer and Soccer America have singled out sophomore Vanessa DiBernardo. The conference named DiBernardo the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Aug. 22 as the Naperville, Ill., native leads the conference in goals and points while Chicagoland Soccer followed suit by naming DiBernardo as its player of the week. Top Drawer Soccer and Soccer America also added DiBernardo on their respective Team of the Week listings, the only Big Ten student-athlete to earn both awards. Chicagoland Soccer also recognized the Illini the following week, with Niki Read taking home player of the week honors on Aug. 29 following her hat trick at Ball State, while Megan Pawloski totaled the same award on Sept. 12. DiBernardo was also recognized as an all-tournament selection for the Illini/Boilermaker Challenge as well as the LSU Invitational, along with teammates Niki Read and Marissa Mykines (Illini/Boilermaker Challenge) and Megan Pawloski and Jackie Guerra (LSU Invitational).
High Octane Offense
Eleven games through the 2011 season, Illinois posted 81 points on 31 goals and 19 assists - the second-most productive 11 game stretch to open a season in program history and best during the Janet Rayfield era. Previously, the Illini posted 93 points through the opening 11 contests during the 1998 season. Following the 2011 season’s 81-point outburst, the next closest show of offensive force during Rayfield’s tenure as head coach comes last season, when Illinois put up 66 points through 11 contests en route to its seventh NCAA Tournament appearance in Rayfield’s first nine seasons.
In the most recent NCAA statistical release, this output placed the Illini 13th in the nation for scoring offense, while sophomore Vanessa DiBernardo earned national standings in a number of categories. DiBernardo ranks tied for seventh in game-winning goals (4), tied-19th for total goals (9), 27th in goals per game (.818), tied-22nd in total points (21) and 30th in the nation in points per game (1.91).
To achieve the current feat, the Illini dropped Gonzaga and Toledo by identical scores, 5-1. The Orange and Blue then shut down Ball State, 5-0, before winning an overtime match, 2-1, at Louisville. Following a 3-1 defeat against UCS, the Illini returned to their high-scoring ways with a 3-2 win over Colorado. After suffering a loss to No. 13 Pepperdine, 4-2, to open LSU Invitational action, Illinois responded with a 5-0 drubbing of Oregon in its final non-conference match of the season before traveling to Iowa to earn a come-from-behind tie, 2-2, with the Hawkeyes. The Orange and Blue then concluded their longest regular season road stretch with losses to Ohio State, 2-1, and Penn State, 1-0, both of which were receiving votes in the top-25 at the time of each contest.
As a team, Illinois is among the conference leaders with 31 goals (second), 218 shots (third), 81 points (fifth), 19 assists (tied-fifth) and 64 corner kicks (tied-fifth). Individually, Vanessa DiBernardo paces the Orange and Blue among Big Ten student-athletes, owning a tie for second with 52 shots, a tie for third with four game-winning goals and sixth place in goals (9), goals per game (0.82), points (21) and points per game (1.91).
Where’s It Going To Come From?
While Vanessa DiBernardo has led the charge with an Illinois-best nine goals and three assist, the Orange and Blue offense opened the season with a team-wide outburst to record 81 points in only 11 games (7.36 points per game).
Niki Read began the season strong, producing a goal and assist against Gonzaga before tallying a seven-point contest at Ball State two games later. Against the Cardinals, Read produced a hat trick and an assist to become one of only five Illini to ever record seven or more points in a single game, matching her 2010 points total of 10 in the process. Read has since added an assist on DiBernardo’s first goal against Colorado and added another on a Megan Pawloski tally against Oregon for a career-high 12 points.
Marissa Mykines earned a goal and two assists against Gonzaga to match DiBernardo’s four-point output versus the Bulldogs. Mykines then followed with an insurance goal against Toledo, extending Illinois’ lead to 3-1 while matching her 2010 season points output of six. Mykines has since surpassed her previous year’s output by contributing a game-tying goal vs. Colorado to earn eight points on the year.
Megan Pawloski owns 10 points on four goals and two assists, including a multi-goal game against Oregon, already only two points shy of her 2010 Big Ten All-Freshman Team statistics. Julie Ewing, a defender in her first three years at Illinois, follows with a career-best three goals, recording one each against Gonzaga, Toledo and Oregon.
Shayla Mutz earned the game-winning goal in overtime at Louisville, while adding an assist on a Pawloski goal against No. 13 Pepperdine. Mutz also owns the game-tying strike at Iowa, a header shot in the 68th minute. Allie Osoba and Stephanie Pouse produced their first collegiate goals against Toledo and Ball State, respectively, with each securing it on their only shot to date, while Pouse has since added an assist to tally three points on the year despite only taking one shot.
