NORMAL, Illinois - Fighting Illini soccer topped the Illinois State Redbirds, 3-2, on Sunday evening. The Orange and Blue got off to a fast start in the contest as sophomore Makena Silber netted the first goal of the game in the second minute of play. Junior Hope Breslin and senior Arianna Veland converted penalty kicks in the match, helping the Illini to their fourth victory of the year. Illinois is now 4-1-0 on the season and will travel to Butler to face the Bulldogs on Thursday.
"It was an up-and-down, end to end game," head coach Janet Rayfield said. "We talk about the important moments of the game, the first five minutes and last five minutes of the half, and three of our goals came in those moments. I think that shows a little bit of our determined mentality, and we want to continue have that piece."
The Illini were on the attack from the start on Sunday night, as Silber gave Illinois a one-goal lead with one minute and nine seconds on the clock. After a long pass up the middle of the field, Illini senior Kelly Maday beat the Redbird defender to the ball, and sent it through to Silber for the score. The goal marks the second for Silber this season, while Maday earns her first assist of the year on the play.
Illini junior Maggie Hillman added a shot for Illinois early in the first half, as UI continued its attack throughout the match. The Redbirds, however, netted their first goal of the game in the eighth minute of the match. Tied up at one, the Orange and Blue continued to battle on both sides of the ball. Silber added two more shots to her tally early in the half, while freshman Eileen Murphy and Veland also put shots on frame.
The Redbirds, however, responded with their second goal of the match in the 26th minute of play. Trailing by one, Illinois fought back, holding ISU to just one shot in the final 19 minutes of the half. In that span, the Orange and Blue fired five shots of their own. An Illinois State handball gave UI the opportunity to tie the game in the 42nd minute of play, and Breslin was up to the challenge. She sent the ball deep into the lower left corner of the goal for the 2-2 tie.
The Illini held ISU to just five shots in the first half, while firing 12 of their own. Senior Goalkeeper Jaelyn Cunningham grabbed one save in the opening period, and finished with three on the night.
Both teams were tough out of the break, trading shots throughout the second half. In the 60th minute of play, Illinois State was awarded a penalty kick and the chance to take the lead in the match. Cunningham, however, did not let that happen. She grabbed a big save for the Orange and Blue to keep things tied early in the second half.
"A save like that can change the momentum of the game," Rayfield said. "That was another huge moment in tonight's game. Tonight was a game where there were individual moments and collective moments, and that was one of them."
The Illini kept the pressure on the Redbirds as the two teams traded possessions throughout the second half. The Illini fired nine second-half shots and finished with 21 total on the night, allowing 14 from Illinois State.
Illinois was awarded a penalty kick with just almost a minute left in the match. Cool under pressure, Veland converted the penalty kick, sending it low and down the middle of the net. The goal marks Veland's third of the season, and her second penalty kick.
NEXT UP
Illinois will prepare to take on the Butler Bulldogs in Indianapolis Thursday at 4 p.m. The Orange and Blue then return to Champaign to host Colorado College on Sunday at 1 p.m.
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