Illini Soccer Set for Braggin' Rights and Senior Day Matches

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini soccer concludes their season-long five-match road trip with a Braggin' Rights match at Missouri on Thursday before returning home to Demirjian Park on Sunday for Senior Day vs. Pepperdine. The matches are slated for 6:00 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 280-210-44 (.566), and the 22nd season under the leadership of head coach Janet Rayfield.

Admission is free to all home Illinois soccer matches, with spectator parking available in the Atkins Tennis Center parking lot and the grass lots just east of the soccer practice field.

Last Time Out

Illinois extended its unbeaten run to begin the season to four matches with a 2-1 victory at Louisville on Aug. 31 before falling in a narrow 1-0 contest to Kentucky on Sept. 3. 

The Illini got off to a quick start against the Cardinals with Sydney Stephens scoring her first goal of the season in the 11th minute before Lia Howard would eventually double the lead in the 59th minute. It was the first time since 2019 that Illinois had gone at least four matches without a loss and the first time since 2015 that the Orange and Blue started a season four matches unbeaten.

Illinois suffered their first defeat of the season against Kentucky on Sept. 3, 1-0. The Illini forced the Wildcats into making four saves in the first 15 minutes of the match, but the hosts found a breakthrough in the 20th minute and would not relinquish their lead.

Scouting Missouri

The Illini trail in the all-time series against the Tigers 5-6-2, coming away victorious in the last meeting between the two programs, 1-0, on Sept. 8, 2022, at Demirjian Park. In the last match in Columbia, Mo., Illinois came away with a 4-0 victory on Aug. 19, 2021. The Orange and Blue are 3-3-2 all-time on the road in series history, coming away victorious in two penalty shootouts in the NCAA Tournament.

Missouri has opened the 2023 season 2-1-2, going 0-1-1 this past matchweek, with a 5-0 loss at Nebraska and a 2-2 draw at Kansas. The Tigers were tabbed to finish 11th in the SEC this season, with defenders Rachel Kutella and Grace Pettet, midfielders Milena Fischer and Leah Selm, and forward Kylee Simmons being named to the SEC Soccer Preseason Watchlist.

Scouting Pepperdine

The Illini are tied 1-1-0 in the all-time series against the Waves, earning a 3-2 win over No. 22 Pepperdine in the last meeting between the programs on Aug. 30, 2019, in Malibu, Calif. Sunday's match will be the first meeting between the two sides in Champaign.

Pepperdine has opened the season at 2-0-4, going 1-1-0 this previous matchweek, with a 2-0 win at Fresno State and a 1-1 draw vs. Harvard. The Waves were picked to finish third in the WCC, with midfielders Tori Waldeck and Tatum Wynalda named to the All-WCC Women's Soccer Preseason Team.

Illini Notes

• With the Illini's 2-1 win over Louisville on Aug. 31, it marked the first time since 2019 that Illinois has had a four-match unbeaten streak and it was the first time since 2015 that the Illini started a season four matches unbeaten.
• Following the Illini's 0-0 draw at Dayton on Aug. 27, 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 on Aug. 24 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 on Aug. 17, 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 open Big Ten play on the road, taking on Iowa in Iowa City on Sunday, Sept. 17. The match is set for a 1:00 p.m. CT kickoff.