CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois opened its 2023 regular-season campaign with a win, grinding out a 3-2 victory over Loyola at Demirjian Park on Thursday night.
Makena Silber marked her return to the Illini starting lineup with a goal less than nine minutes into the match, Maeve Jones scored her first goal of the season and Mya Archibald recorded her first college goal late in the match. Archibald's tally ultimately proved to be the difference between the two sides in the five-goal thriller.
Goalkeepers Julia Cili and Izzy Lee each recorded 45 minutes of action in the season opener, splitting time between the first and second halves, respectfully.
The Illini moved to 1-0-0 on the season ahead of the team's five-match stretch away from home.
Illinois did not need long to get on the scoreboard in the first half. After Makala Woods won the ball back on the left wing, a cross from Lia Howard found the foot of Ashley Stellon. The Illini redshirt freshman played a ball across the box, and Silber found the back of the net with a nifty right-footed back heel. Silber's goal was her first in nearly two years, bringing her career tally to 20.
After the Ramblers equalized seven minutes later, the Illini jumped back in front with 15 minutes to play in the opening frame. A through-ball from Joanna Verzosa-Dolezal found the foot of Sarah Foley, who slid the ball across to Jones in the center of the box. Jones' sliding left-footed finish into the bottom left corner of the net put the hosts ahead, a 2-1 score line that stood heading into halftime.
The Illini continued to push in the second half, with Kennedy Berschel forcing a save with a shot on frame from distance. Ellen Persson also came close from over 30 yards out, barely missing the top right corner.
A shot from Woods in the middle of the box missed the goal but kept the pressure on the Loyola half of the field with less than 10 minutes to play.
The Illini took advantage of their pressure and capped off its season-opening win with a debut goal from Archibald with just over five minutes to play. After a scramble in front of net off a Jones shot, Archibald found the back of the net from only a few feet out for the first goal of her collegiate career.
Loyola cut its deficit in half less than 60 seconds later, but the Illini held off a late push from the Ramblers to secure the home victory.
Illinois will return to action on Aug. 24 in Cincinnati, taking on [RV] Xavier in its first of five-straight games away from home. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. CT.
