University of Illinois
Louisville
Illini Soccer Continues Road Trip with Matches Against Louisville, Kentucky
August 30, 2023 | Soccer
Preview
| WEEK 3: Illinois (2-0-1) at Louisville (0-2-2) // at Kentucky (2-0-1) | |
|---|---|
| Match 4: Louisville | Thursday, Aug. 31 // 6:30 p.m. CT // Dr. Mark and Cindy Lynn Stadium // Louisville, Ky. |
| Match 5: Dayton | Sunday, Sept. 3 // 12 p.m. CT // Wendell and Vickie Bell Soccer Complex // Lexington, Ky. |
| Watch Live | Louisville // Kentucky |
| Live Stats | FightingIllini.com |
| Printable Notes | Illinois // Louisville // Kentucky |
| Shop | Online Store |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini soccer continues their season-long five-match road trip with a trip to the Bluegrass State to face Louisville on Thursday and Kentucky on Sunday. The matches are slated for 6:30 p.m. and 12:00 p.m. kickoffs respectively.
The 2023 season marks the 27th season of Illinois soccer, with the Illini holding an overall record of 279-209-44 (.566), and the 22nd season under the leadership of head coach Janet Rayfield.
Last Time Out
Illinois began this five-match road trip with a narrow 1-0 victory over No. 17 Xavier in Cincinnati on Aug. 24 before battling to a 0-0 draw at Dayton on Aug. 27.
Lia Howard's first-career goal in the 42nd minute against the Musketeers earned the Illini their first ranked win of the season and marked the second-straight year that the Orange and Blue have captured a win over a ranked opponent on the road. Julia Cili made five saves to help the defense keep the first clean sheet of the season.
Izzy Lee made her first-career start in goal and earned the first shutout of her career during the scoreless draw with Dayton. The Western Spring, Ill., native, made a total of three saves in the contest, with two coming in quick succession in the 84th minute. Illinois has now started a season three matches unbeaten for the second-straight year.
Scouting Louisville and Kentucky
The Illini lead in the all-time series against the Cardinals 6-0-0, coming away victorious in the last meeting between the two programs, 2-0, on Aug. 24, 2014, at Illinois Soccer and Track Stadium. Thursday's match will be the first meeting between the two programs in the River City since Aug. 25, 2013. Illinois is 3-0-0 all-time on the road at Louisville.
Louisville has opened the 2023 season 0-2-2, going 0-1-1 this past matchweek, with a 2-1 loss at Dayton and a 0-0 draw vs. Northern Kentucky. The Cardinals were tabbed to finish 11th in the ACC this season.
Kentucky leads in the all-time series against Illinois 1-0-0, defeating the Illini 1-0 in the only meeting between the programs on Sept. 1, 2002, in Columbia, Mo. Sunday's match will be the first meeting between the two sides in Lexington.
The Wildcats have opened the season also at 2-0-1, going 1-0-1 this previous matchweek, with a 2-1 win over Murray State and a 1-1 draw vs. Valparaiso. Kentucky was picked to finish 12th in the SEC, with goalkeeper Marz Josephson, defenders Maggy Henschler and Payton Robinson, and midfielder Anna Young named to the SEC Soccer Preseason Watchlist.
Illini Notes
- Following the Illini's 0-0 draw at Dayton, Illinois has now started the season with at least a three-match unbeaten streak in back-to-back seasons...Illinois has also not allowed a goal in two-straight games, which the team also accomplished last season during a three-match shutout streak from Aug. 18-25.
- The Illini's victory over No. 17 Xavier marked their first win over a ranked opponent this season...it's also the second-straight year that they have captured a win over a ranked opponent on the road...the Illini also became the first team to win at Corcoran Field since Saint Louis did so on Sept. 8, 2022, ending Xavier's nine-match unbeaten run at that facility.
- With the 3-2 victory over Loyola on Aug. 17 to open the season, the Illini have now started the season with a victory in four-straight seasons...the Illini have also won their home opener in four of the last five seasons.
- In her first appearance since Oct. 21, 2021, Makena Silber scored the 20th goal of her Illini career against Loyola, moving her into a tie for ninth in goals in program history...Silber now trails Colleen Joyce (21, 2000-01) by one goal and Lisa Baldwin (23, 1998-00) by three goals as she looks to continue to move up the program's leaderboard.
- Freshman Mya Archibald scored what proved to be the match-winning goal in the 85th minute against Loyola on Aug. 17...this marks the third-straight season that an Illini true freshman has scored on their collegiate debut in the season opener, with Sarah Foley accomplishing the feat last season against Illinois State on Aug. 18, 2021, and Abby Lynch opening her account on Aug. 19, 2021, at Missouri.
- Mya Archibald, Bel Rolley, Izzy Lee and Ashley Stellon all made their Illini debuts against Loyola on Aug. 17...Archibald scored her first-career goal and Stellon also registered the first assist of her career in the match...Rolley logged 43 minutes of action and Lee played the entirety of the second half in goal.
Illini Trio Named to Big Ten Players to Watch List
The Big Ten announced its Women's Soccer Preseason Players to Watch List on Tuesday, with seniors Kennedy Berschel and Makala Woods along with junior Ella Karolak representing the Illini.
A midfielder from Bensenville, Ill., Berschel played in all 18 matches, starting 14, last season for the Illini and was one of nine outfield players to log over 1000 minutes during the campaign. Berschel is also coming off a season in which she scored the first goal and registered the first assist in her collegiate career.
Woods, a senior forward from Monroe, Ohio, also featured in all 18 matches last season, scoring a career-high three goals. Woods found the back of the net twice in the final four games of the 2022, including a spectacular solo effort in the season finale vs. Minnesota.
A mainstay in the Illinois backline, Karolak started all 18 matches for the Illini last season, the only outfield player to do so. The defender from Grosse Pointe, Mich., who was named the team's Defensive MVP in 2022, helped the Orange and Blue keep four clean sheets during the season.
Illini Roster Features Three Newcomers
The Fighting Illini soccer program and head coach Janet Rayfield will welcome three newcomers, including two freshmen to the 2023 roster. The freshmen include defender Mya Archibald and midfielder Sophia Wampler. Bel Rolley also joins the Orange and Blue as a graduate transfer from Oregon.
Archibald joins the Illini following a summer that featured her representing Canada at the U-17 level at two international competitions. She made seven appearances and five starts at the CONCACAF U-17 Women's Championship, helping Canada to a bronze medal finish, and two starts at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.
Not only is Archibald a budding star at the international level, she is a decorated track and field athlete. She was a 2022 provincial gold medalist in the 400m and long jump while capturing a silver medal in the 200m. Archibald was the 2019 U-16 Athlete of the Year for Athletics in Nova Scotia after becoming a national champion at high jump.
Wampler joins the Illini bringing a wealth of international experience to Demirjian Park. She was called up to train with Peru's U-17 in the winter of 2021 as it prepared for the 2022 South American Championships and has also previously trained with the federation's U-15 squad.
Wampler played her club soccer for both the Kings Hammer Academy and Cincinnati United Premier, helping her Kings Hammer Academy squad to a 2018 USYSA Region II title and national runners-up honors.
The Cincinnati native was simply dominant in her lone season at St. Ursula Academy, scoring 12 goals and adding nine assists in 19 games in the 2022 season. Wampler was named a Cincinnati Enquirer Division I First-Team All-Star, Division I First-Team All-Southwest Ohio, First-Team Greater Girls Catholic League All-Conference and was selected to play in the Cincinnati All-Star Game.
Next Up
The Illini conclude their season-long five-match road with a Braggin' Rights showdown at Missouri on Thursday, Aug. 31, and Kentucky on Thursday, Sept. 7, before returning home to face Pepperdine on Sunday, Sept. 10. The matches will kick off at 6 p.m. CT and 12 p.m. CT, respectively.
