TOLEDO, Ohio. - On a hot Sunday afternoon in northern Ohio, the Fighting Illini Soccer team battled out a physical 1-0 win over the Toledo Rockets. The Illini held the Rockets (4-1-2) to just three shots on goal in the match and just one in the second half, while the Illinois offense fired 15 shots (10 on goal) and broke through in the 79th minute courtesy of freshman Sydney Stephens. Illinois improves to 4-3-0 on the season and takes a two-match winning streak into Friday's Big Ten opener at No. 16 Michigan.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Illinois came out firing to start the game, with Kendra Pasquale and Hope Breslin narrowly missing two early chances to put a point on the board. Toledo recorded two of their three shots on goal in the first 10 minutes of the match, but freshman goalkeeper Naomi Jackson was there to save both of the Rockets' shot attempts.
Play on the field became physical after the early chances with each team trading fouls and possessions in their attacking halves. Illinois and Toledo traded chances near the 20-minute mark, with Breslin's chance resulting in a great save by the Rocker keeper Emma Boutorwick, and Toledo's Stephanie Currie firing a shot that went just outside the right post.
The Orange and Blue continued to fight through the defensive front of Toledo, trading fouls with the Rockets and defending the offensive attack well.
Breslin again had an opportunity to put the Illini up in the 28th minute but came up short as Boutorwick snagged a save to keep the game scoreless. Breslin's chance was the last of the half for Illinois, as the backline dug their feet in the turf and defended the Rocket's offensive attack, blocking a shot and snubbing out any opportunities for the opponent and the score stood at 0-0 heading into the intermission.
Toledo began the second half aggressively pushing for opportunities in their own offensive half but again were snubbed out by a strong Illini defense that forced multiple shot attempts by the Rockets wide.
The action picked up with less than 20 minutes to go in regular time after shot attempts by Stephens and Breslin were both denied by Toledo's Boutorwick.
After a high kick foul was called on Toledo, Illinois was set up with an indirect free-kick opportunity deep in the Toledo box. Pasquale touched the ball in play to Breslin who fired a shot on goal that was saved by Toledo, and Ashleigh Lefevre grabbed the rebound and fired another shot towards the goal that was again denied by Toledo. The third time was the charm for the Illini, as Stephens grabbed the third rebound and tapped the ball toward the bottom left of the goal that trickled by the diving Rockets keeper into the back of the net to put Illinois up 1-0 with less than 15 minutes to play.
In the final 10 minutes of play, the Illini backline held Toledo to just one shot opportunity and shut down any chance at momentum for the Rockets, sealing Illinois' fourth victory of the season.
QUOTING COACH RAYFIELD
"Today was a gritty win against a good, hard-working, well-organized Toledo team. We can play much better, much smarter, and much more collective, but we found a way to get another win on the road. Credit to Toledo, they battle, they compete with confidence, and they make it hard to get in a rhythm."
ILLINOIS NOTES
- Illinois finished the non-conference slate with a 4-3-0 record, with all four wins coming on the road.
- Illinois tied a season-high 10 shots on goal, matching their total from Thursday night's match at Bowling Green.
- Freshman Sydney Stephen's recorded her first collegiate goal at Toledo, which was also her first collegiate game-winning goal.
- Junior Eileen Murphy played a season-high 90 minutes at Toledo.
- Sophomore Mackenzie Schuler played a career-high 25 minutes at Toledo.
- Redshirt senior Hope Breslin fired season-highs in shots (seven) and shots on goal (five).
- Senior Ashleigh Lefevre fired a career-high two shots and one shot on goal.
UP NEXT
The Illini will open up Big Ten play on Friday, Sept. 17 with their second ranked opponent of the season, squaring up against No. 16 Michigan in Ann Arbor. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. CT and will be streamed on B1G+.
