CINCINNATI – Fighting Illini soccer kicked off a season-long five-match road trip with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over No. 17 Xavier on Thursday night at Corcoran Field.
For the fourth-straight year, the Orange and Blue have started the season 2-0-0.
Illinois withstood some early pressure from the hosts, which required to Julia Cili make a pair of saves inside the first 15 minutes of the contest. Xavier would fire a total of six shots in the opening quarter of the match, but the Illini defense held the Musketeers to just two on target.
Makala Woods nearly put the Illini ahead in the 23rd minute on her own with a solo run that began in the defensive third, but the ball was just taken off of her as she approached the Xavier goal.
Illinois would find the breakthrough in the 42nd minute starting with a high press in the attacking third. Sydney Stephens forced a pass toward the middle of the box where Lia Howard was able to make a tackle and gain possession just outside of the area. Howard then rifled her right-footed shot into the top of the goal to put the Illini in front. It was Howard's first goal of her Illinois career. The Illini would take their 1-0 advantage into the break.
Xavier quickly tried to grab an equalizer to start the second half, but Cili was able to make her third save of the match and defense repelled a pair of early corner kicks.
Stephens nearly doubled the lead in the 60th minute after Sarah Foley did well to play her in on goal, but her shot was blocked. The ball then fell to Bel Rolley on the edge of the area but her shot was hit straight at the Xavier keeper.
In the 61st minute, the Musketeers looked like they found their equalizer, but Cili made an excellent diving save to her left to push the ball off the post and out to preserve the lead.
The Illini came close again to increasing their advantage in the 83rd minute when Woods found an open Ashley Stellon in the penalty box, but her shot was blocked at the last moment.
The Illinois defense did not allow a Xavier to get a shot away over the final 20 minutes of the match, as the unit kept its first clean sheet of the season.
The Fighting Illini will be back in action on Sunday, Aug. 27, as they continue their road trip with a match at Dayton. Kickoff is slated for 12 p.m. CT.
