EAST LANSING, Mich. – Fighting Illini soccer fell to No. 14 Michigan State, 2-1, on Thursday night at DeMartin Stadium.
The Orange and Blue now move to 6-7-3 on the season and 2-5-2 in Big Ten play. The Illini are also now 2-2-0 against ranked opponents this season.
Battling the rain and the cold, the Illinois defense did well to limit a potent Spartan attack, holding the hosts to just one shot on goal through the opening half an hour of the contest.
The Illini's first chance of the match of came in the 38th minute and they made no mistake converting it. Abby Lynch made a great driving run down the left wing and drove a low cross into the penalty area that fell to Zoey Kollhoff, who hit her effort first time, which deflected off of a defender and into the back of the net to put Illinois ahead, 1-0.
Kollhoff's goal was the first of her career and the senior became the ninth different goal-scorer for the Illini this season.
The lead would be short lived, as Michigan State earned, and scored, a penalty kick just 42 seconds later to level the match.
The score would remain 1-1 going into halftime, with the Spartans holding a 15-1 advantage in shots, with Illini keeper Julia Cili making three saves.
As Michigan State increased the pressure on the Illinois defense in the second half, Cili would keep the contest tied with a pair of incredible diving saves in the 48th and 58th minutes. The senior would finally be beaten in the 59th minute on a perfectly-placed shot into the top-right corner of the goal.
Cili would make a total of seven saves in the match, bringing her season total to 82, the most among Big Ten keepers.
Illinois pushed late in its hunt for an equalizer and had its best chance of the half in the 85th minute, but Lia Howard's shot from just inside the area was blocked.
The Fighting Illini will be back in action on Sunday to face No. 25 Nebraska at Demirjian Park to close out the regular season. Kickoff is slated for 12:00 p.m. CT.
