CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A chilly fall evening at Demirjian Park saw the Fighting Illini soccer team drop a 1-3 decision to the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Illinois (5-10-1, 1-7-1 B1G) was led by freshman Maeve Jones' third goal of the year in the 17th minute and six combined saves from goalkeepers Julia Cili and Naomi Jackson. Nebraska (6-9-2, 2-5-2 B1G) were led by goals from Gwen Lane, Regan Raabe and Sarah Weber.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Nebraska grabbed the lead just 46 seconds into the match after a Gwen Lane shot deflected off of Cili and into the back of the net. The Huskers kept the offensive pressure early on, firing six shots in the following 15 minutes of action, but the Illini backline held strong pushing two shots away from the net and blocking two more, while Cili grabbed a pair of saves.
Illinois found the equalizer in the 17th minute of the match when Aleah Treiterer lofted a pass across midfield that went untouched by the Huskers, allowing Jones to grab the ball and put it past a sliding Husker keeper before knocking it into the back of the net for her third goal of the season.
The Illini pushed to find the go-ahead goal, earning a corner kick in the 20th minute that was defended away by the Huskers. Nebraska took back the lead in the 25th minute when Raabe grabbed the ball after an Illinois deflection and found the back of the net to make it 2-1 in favor of the Huskers.
Following the Huskers' go-ahead goal, Illinois earned two consecutive corner kicks but were unable to find another equalizer. The final 20 minutes of the half saw Cili grab three more saves to prevent the Huskers from adding on another score, and the teams went into the break with Nebraska leading 2-1.
The Huskers began the second half with two consecutive chances, both defended well by the Illini backline. The Illini found a chance from Jones in the 53rd minute that went wide left of the net, and Jackson, who entered into goal in the second half for Cili, grabbed her first and only save of the evening three minutes later.
Nebraska added another goal in the 57th minute after an initial corner kick attempt was saved by Kendra Pasquale, but Weber of Nebraska was able to grab the rebound and find the back of the net to put the Huskers up 3-1.
Illinois found a chance from Julia Eichenbaum in the 62nd minute that was saved by the Nebraska keeper, and sophomore Makala Woods pushed a shot to the right of the goal 70th minute with Illinois looking to mount a comeback down two goals.
The Illini defense continued to pressure the Husker offensive front, defending away four Nebraska shot attempts before the Illini earned a corner kick opportunity in the 81st minute. On the ensuing corner, freshman Sydney Stephens attempted a shot from outside the penalty box that sailed wide left of the goal. The Stephens chance proved to be Illinois' final of the match, and Nebraska came out with the victory by a score of 3-1.
ILLINOIS NOTES
- The Illini move to 5-10-1 (1-7-1 B1G) following Thursday's match vs. Nebraska.
- Freshman Maeve Jones scored the third goal of her Illini career on Thursday night, and her first against a Big Ten opponent. Jones also scored in the Illini's season-opening win over Missouri (8/19/21), and the team's 5-1 win at Bowling Green (9/9/21).Â
- Jones finished the game with two shots, her sixth game of the season with multiple shot attempts.
- Junior Aleah Treiterer recorded the assists on Jones' 17th-minute goal. It marks the fifth-career assist for Treiterer, and her second in as many games after recording her first of the season in the Illini's last outing at Iowa (10/17/21).
- Sophomore Julia Eichenbaum recorded the Illini's second shot on goal on Thursday. It marked the second shot on goal for Eichenbaum this season.
- Sophomore goalkeeper Julia Cili notched five saves, all in the first half, on Thursday, tying for the second-most saves of her career (8/26/21 vs. North Carolina). Cili's career-high for saves is eight vs. Xavier (9/2/21).
- Sophomore Makala Woods saw her first action of the season vs. Nebraska, playing 22 minutes and recording her first shot of the year.Â
- Redshirt junior Ashley Cathro recorded the 13th consecutive match in which she played the full time.
- Juniors Eileen Murphy, and Aleah Treiterer, and redshirt junior Kendra Pasquale also played the full 90 minutes.
- Freshman Ella Karolak played a career-high 45 minutes.
UP NEXT
Illinois will finish the season on Sunday afternoon hosting No. 9 ranked Rutgers at Demirjian Park. Kickoff for the match is set for 1 p.m. CT and will be streamed on B1G+.
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