Nov. 4, 2014
Illinois...
...will play #11 Wisconsin for the second straight game
...is making its 15th appearance in the Big Ten Tournament and owns a 15-11-4 all-time record in the event
...is 10-0-1 when allowing fewer than two goals and 9-0-0 when scoring at least two goals
...senior Jannelle Flaws was the unanimous Big Ten Forward of the Year and is tied for fourth in the nation with 17 goals
Big Ten Tournament Opener
Rematch with Wisconsin: Following a 0-0 tie in the regular season finale, Illinois will play 11th-ranked Wisconsin for the second time in six days, as the Illini open the Big Ten Tournament against the Badgers. No. 7 seed Illinois will square off against No. 2 seed Wisconsin on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 3:30 p.m. CT at the Boilermaker Soccer Complex in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Series History with Wisconsin: Illinois leads the all-time series over Wisconsin, 11-7-2. The Illini are 1-1-0 all-time in Big Ten Tournament games against the Badgers. Illinois was the No. 2 seed in 2006 when it defeated No. 7 Wisconsin, 3-0, in the opening round in University Park, Pennsylvania. In a semifinal showdown in 2002, No. 8 Wisconsin topped No. 5 Illinois, 1-0, in East Lansing, Michigan.
Scouting the Badgers: No. 11 Wisconsin (15-2-2) placed second in the Big Ten with 29 points at 9-2-2. The Badgers were on a four-game winning streak until they tied the Illini on Halloween in Champaign. UW's only losses this year came at Michigan and against Penn State. Wisconsin leads the Big Ten with seven goals allowed by goalkeeper Genevieve Richard and ranks second with 36 goals, paced by Cara Walls with 11 tallies.
Big Ten Tournament History
Illinois will make its 15th appearance in the Big Ten Tournament this week and play as the No. 7 seed for the first time in school history. The Illini boast a 15-11-4 all-time record, which ranks as the fourth-best mark among Big Ten teams. Illinois has reached the Big Ten Tournament final in two of the past three years, winning its second-ever title in 2011 over Penn State. The Illini's first conference championship came in 2003 over Michigan. Head coach Janet Rayfield, who is in her 13th season at the helm, has never missed the Big Ten Tournament and led the Illini to a berth for the 11th time. The tournament was not held during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. The Illini are 11-7-4 all-time in the event under Rayfield.
Last Time Out
On a blustery night with the wind chill below freezing, Illinois and No. 11 Wisconsin played to a 0-0 draw in a double-overtime Big Ten battle. Sophomore goalkeeper Claire Wheatley totaled a season-high 10 saves to give UI its eighth shutout of the season. The Illini back line of junior Amy Feher, sophomore Hope D'Addario and freshmen Abby Elinsky and Sarah Warren played strong throughout the game to maintain the 0-0 draw, as Wisconsin finished with a 26-11 edge in shots and 6-3 mark in corner kicks. Prior to the game, Illinois recognized Megan Green and Noelle Leary as part of Senior Night.
In the Big Ten Rankings
Illinois leads the Big Ten with 285 shots and ranks in the top five in six other categories: 32 goals (T-4th), 1.68 goals per game (T-4th), 90 points (5th), 26 assists (T-5th), 1.37 assists per game (T-5th) and eight shutouts (T-5th).
Flaws Picked as Big Ten Forward of the Year Again
Senior Jannelle Flaws was named Big Ten Forward of the Year for the second straight year. Flaws, who was a unanimous pick and a first-team All-Big Ten selection, led the Big Ten with 17 goals, which was five more than any other conference player. Flaws is the fifth player in Big Ten history to win the conference's Player of the Year honor in consecutive seasons, joining Minnesota's Jennifer McElmury (1996-97) and Penn State's Christie Welsh (1999-01), Tiffany Weimer (2004-05) and Maya Hayes (2011-12). The Big Ten honored a singular Player of the Year from 1994-2003 before expanding it to a Big Ten Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year from 2004-10. The conference began recognizing the top player at each position (Forward, Midfielder, Defender, Goalkeeper) in 2011.
Elinsky on Freshman All-B1G Team
Freshman Abby Elinsky was picked to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team as a defender. Elinsky started all 19 games during her debut season, primarily playing on the back line. She scored two goals and tallied an assist while taking 26 shots. The Rocky River, Ohio, native has played nearly 1,600 minutes and owns one game-winning goal.
Wheatley's Weekly Honors
Sophomore Claire Wheatley garnered Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career on Nov. 3. Wheatley made a season-high 10 saves in Illinois' 0-0 draw with No. 11 Wisconsin (Oct. 31) to give the Illini to their eighth shutout of the season. She also was named the College Sports Madness National Defensive Player of the Week and selected to Top Drawer Soccer's Team of the Week on Nov. 4.
Flaws' 17 Goals Sit T-4th in NCAA
Senior Jannelle Flaws leads the Big Ten and is tied for fourth in the NCAA with 17 goals, trailing East Tennessee State's Hannah Short (26 goals), Seattle's Stephanie Verdoia (19 goals) and La Salle's Kelsey Haycook (18 goals). Flaws led the nation in scoring last season with 23 goals in 23 games (1.00 goal per game) and is just off her pace from a year ago, as she boasted 20 goals through 19 games in 2013. Flaws also ranks seventh in the country in goals per game (0.895) and tied for 10th in total points (37).
Most Goals Since Start of 2013
Since the beginning of the 2013 season, Jannelle Flaws owns 40 goals in 42 games, which is five more goals than any other player in the nation. Cal Poly's Elise Krieghoff is the next closest with 35 goals in 38 games. Among active players in Division I women's soccer, Flaws is tied for 12th with 43 career goals. Currently, Flaws has been held scoreless for three consecutive games, marking the first time that has happened since the start of 2013.
Impressive Defensive Improvement
An improved defense and experienced goalkeeper have proven to be key factors in Illinois' 10-7-2 record. The Illini have allowed 19 goals through 19 games, which is half as many than at this point last year. Last season, with then-freshman Claire Wheatley between the pipes, Illinois had the most goals allowed in school history through 19 games with 38.
Wheatley Steps Up in Year Two
Sophomore Claire Wheatley has started the last 17 games in goal and played in all 19 contests this season, posting an 8-6-2 record with six solo shutouts along with being part of two other shutouts with sophomore Michelle Denley. Wheatley has made 62 saves and allowed 17 goals in 1,625 minutes for a 0.94 goals against average (GAA). The Plano, Texas, native has allowed 21 fewer goals in the first 19 games this year compared to 2013 when she allowed 38 goals in the first 19 contests. Denley started the first two games this year and has played in three games, notching a 2-1-0 record. The transfer from Bowling Green owns 10 saves and a 1.26 GAA.
Eight Clean Sheets By the Illini
Illinois boasts eight shutouts through 19 games, which is tied for fifth in the Big Ten and five more than the Illini posted last season (3). The Illini blanked Louisville (2-0), Oakland (1-0) and College of Charleston (3-0) during non-conference action and five Big Ten foes - Nebraska (3-0), Indiana (2-0), Purdue (3-0), Michigan State (2-0) and No. 11 Wisconsin (0-0). The school record for shutouts in a season is 13 in 2003. For the season, the Orange and Blue are giving up a goal per game, which ranks seventh in the Big Ten.
School Record by the Defense
Illinois' stingy defense set a school record by holding eight consecutive opponents to single-digit shots from Aug. 31 to Sept. 26 and only allowing 39 shots, the fewest ever by an Illini team during an eight-game span. Over those eight games, Illinois outshot its opponents 135-36: Oakland (29-4), College of Charleston (17-2), UAB (14-2), Iowa (11-9), Nebraska (13-6), Indiana (20-4), Purdue (17-6) and Ohio State (14-6). The two shots allowed against the Cougars and Blazers equaled the fewest since Sept. 12, 2003, when UI did not allow a shot to Evansville. Illinois has only given up two shots four times since 2003. It also was done on Oct. 27, 2006 at Iowa and Oct. 2, 2011 vs. Purdue.
Flaws Scored in 5 Straight Games
From Sept. 14-28, senior Jannelle Flaws scored in five consecutive games, equaling the school record set by Emily Brown in 2000. She scored 10 goals during that stretch, the most ever by an Illini in that span. The Glenview, Illinois, native became the first Illini to tally multiple goals in four straight games to start her streak: 2 at Nebraska; 2 vs. Indiana; 3 vs. Purdue; and 2 at Ohio State. Her fifth straight game with a goal came at Penn State, while the streak ended when she was held scoreless at Northwestern. For the season, she has scored in 11 of 19 games.
Flaws Tied for Third in School History with 43 Career Goals
With her team-high 17 goals this season, senior Jannelle Flaws has 43 career goals, which is tied with Vanessa DiBernardo for third on the school's all-time list. Flaws is chasing the top two goal scorers in program history: Tara Hurless (47 goals) and Emily Brown (46 goals). Flaws reached 40 career goals in 57 career games, which ranks as the second-fastest in program history behind Brown, who did it in 54 games. It took DiBernardo 64 games and Hurless 74 games.
Tracking Flaws' Career Stats
Senior Jannelle Flaws sits in the top 10 in several career categories in the Illinois soccer record book. She ranks second in shots on goal (127), tied for third in goals (43) and fourth in points (94) and shots (255). In Big Ten games only, she owns the most goals (27) and points (57) in school history.
Breece's 3 Assists Ties Illini Record
Junior Nicole Breece equaled the school record with three assists against UAB, becoming the fifth Illini to accomplish the feat and first since 2003. Breece added her name to an exclusive list of Illini who have tallied three assists in a game, joining Eva Strickland (2003), Tara Hurless (2002), Kelly Buszkiewicz (1998) and Rachel Smith (1997). The St. Louis, Missouri, native is tied for sixth in the Big Ten with a career-high seven assists.
Feher Nets Two Game-Winners
Despite playing on the back line, junior Amy Feher boasts two game-winning goals. She connected on the golden goal in overtime at Oakland and delivered a header goal to put the Illini in front of UAB for good.
Goals by Eight Different Illini
Eight different Illini have found the net in 2014, giving Illinois 32 goals, which is tied for fourth in the Big Ten. Senior Jannelle Flaws has accounted for 53 percent of the scoring with her Big Ten-leading 17 goals. She is followed by sophomore Allison Stucky with three goals and five players - juniors Amy Feher and Reagan Robishaw and freshmen Abby Elinsky, Kara Marbury and Emily Osoba - each with two goals. Sophomore Casey Conine rounds out the scoring with one goal.
