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Champaign, Ill. - Redshirt senior Jannelle Flaws became the all-time career goals leader at Illinois on Sunday night, Aug. 30, as she used a hat trick to overcome the Saint Louis Billikens, 3-1. Flaws currently has 50 career goals, which passes the previous record of 47 career goals set by Tara Hurless. With the win, Illinois improves to 4-0-0 on the season.
Flaws knocked in her three goals in a span of nine minutes, which is the second-fastest hat trick in Illinois history, just behind Vanessa DiBernardo's eight minute and 49 second record. Flaws now owns the second and third fastest hat tricks in school history as she scored three goals in 9:27 against Purdue last season.
"She did it in style, didn't she," head coach Janet Rayfield said of Flaws' performance. "I'm so happy for her, it has been a long road. She went through two ACL surgeries and had to sit out and watch for two years. You could tell tonight, however, that for her, it wasn't just about the record; she didn't stop with one. It was about the game and the team winning. She wants this to be a great season, not just for her but for this team."
Flaws had an exciting attempt with a header toward the net in the first 15 minutes of play, but shortly after, she found the back of the net with the assist from Reagan Robishaw. Although she had broken the school record, Flaws made sure the Illini would stay on top against the Billikens. Just three minutes later, Flaws put Illinois up 2-0 over Saint Louis.
"It's nice to finally get the record, but it's also nice to put it behind me and focus on the team," Flaws said of her first goal. "It's great to have it, but it was also a great team effort."
Flaws found the net for the final time just six minutes later. It's the second time in her career that Flaws has scored three goals in a half (last vs. Purdue, 9/21/14), and the fourth hat trick of her career.
"I just wanted to put the game away tonight," Flaws said of the three goals. "I wanted to finish every chance I got. When the balls come I really try to take my opportunities seriously and put them away when I have to."
The Illini fired 19 shots to Saint Louis' nine on the game. The Billikens notched five shots on goal, four saved by junior Claire Wheatley. The Illini put the pressure on, tallying 13 shots on goal in the game. Wheatley remains undefeated on the season, improving to 4-0-0.
Flaws led the team with seven shots on the night, but both Robishaw and Nicole Breece fired two shots each for Illinois. The Orange and Blue saw 11 players take a shot in the game, with nine tallying shots on goal.
"In earlier games we have gotten off to a slow start, I think tonight we flip-flopped that," Rayfield said of tonight's game. "We started really strong tonight and I liked that. The first 30-minutes tonight we put together some great soccer and put some great balls into the back of the net. Now, we just need to sustain that play for the rest of the game."
The Illini head to Seattle, Wash. next weekend, for the Husky Invitational hosted by Washington. UI faces Washington at 9:30 p.m. CT on Friday followed by a matchup against Portland on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT.
