April 15, 2012

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois soccer secured a 3-1 victory over Wisconsin at Illinois Soccer and Track Stadium on Sunday afternoon, propelled by a two-goal second half. Freshman midfielder Katie Reed and junior forwards Shayla Mutz and Niki Read each notched a goal during competition.

In the first half, Reed put the Illini on the board. Reed used a well-timed run behind the Badgers defense to secure the 1-0 advantage, dribbling around the Wisconsin goalkeeper before placing the ball in the back of the net.

After the Badgers responded in the second half to tie the contest at 1-1, Illinois notched two unanswered tallies to secure victory. Freshman goalkeeper Lizzi Sanscrainte recorded an assist on the game-winner, clearing a ball up-field that went past the Badgers defensive line. Mutz ran onto the long pass and fired a shot by the goalie to secure a 2-1 lead. Read added an insurance mark with about eight minutes left in the contest, dribbling by a pair of Wisconsin defenders before converting on a one-vs.-one situation with the goalie.

Junior Lauren Parkin and Sancrainte split time in net during the contest, with Parkin playing the first half before Sanscrainte subbed into the game to close action in the final stanza.

Illinois head coach Janet Rayfield and sophomore midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo were absent from the game, as they are both currently with the U.S. U-20 National Team in California training for the upcoming U-20 World Cup. Rayfield is an assistant with the squad there and DiBernardo is one of seven midfielder chosen from across the country to play for the team.

Illinois concludes spring action with a contest at Loyola-Chicago on Saturday, April 21.