CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini soccer fell in a narrow 2-1 match to Indiana at Demirjian Park on Thursday night.
The Orange and Blue now move to 4-3-2 on the season following the loss, including a 2-1-0 record at home.
After a tight opening 15 minutes to the game, Indiana broke the deadlock in the 18th minute with a counterattack to take the 1-0 lead.
Illinois began pushing for an equalizer, forcing a pair of saves from the Hoosier keeper, with Lia Howard going the closest in the 21st minute with a headed effort from close range.
The pressure paid off in the in 34th minute, when Sarah Foley played Sydney Stephens into space down the right wing and the Waterloo, Ill., native beat her defender and looped a right-footed effort over the keeper from the edge of the penalty area and into the net to make it 1-1. It was Stephens' team-leading fourth goal of the season, building on her new career-best mark.
Indiana, however, grabbed the lead right back in the 39th minute following a scramble for a loose ball in the Illinois penalty area. The visitors would take the 2-1 advantage into the break.
The Illini came out of halftime on the front foot, forcing a pair of saves in the 54th and 61st minutes, and appeared to be destined to score their second equalizing goal of the match.
The Hoosiers nearly doubled their lead against the run of play in the 61st minute, but Julia Cili tipped the shot from distance over the bar, one of six saves the Palmetto Bay, Fla., native, made in the match.
Illinois' best chance of the second half came in the 67th minute, when Stephens made a driving run down the left wing and played the ball into Howard in the area. Howard then laid off a pass to an on-rushing Foley for a shot. The Belleville, Ill., native struck her left-footed effort well, but the Indiana keeper was able to make a save.
The Illini continued to build pressure on the Indiana goal, amassing four corner kicks in the final 15 minutes of the contest, but were ultimately unable to capitalize on their opportunities.
Illinois soccer will be back in action on Sunday, Sept. 24, to take on No. 19 Michigan at Demirjian Park. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. CT.
