[10] Illinois Soccer Set to Face [7] Memphis in First Round of NCAA Tournament

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – [10] Illinois is prepared for its first NCAA Tournament game in 12 years against [7] Memphis on Saturday (Nov. 15) Memphis, Tenn. at 7 p.m. CT. The last time Illinois made the NCAA Tournament was in 2013 where they made it all the way to the Sweet Sixteen.

The Tigers enter the contest as the No. 3 ranked team in the nation boasting a 16-0-3 overall record and have won the American Conference regular-season title for the third consecutive season. This is only the second meeting between the Tigers and Illini as the first happened 17 years ago nearly to the date on Nov. 14, 2008, in Columbia, Mo. where Illinois won in double overtime, 1-0, to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

SCOUTING MEMPHIS

Memphis has strong defensive structure and the ability to finish chances. They'll look to maintain their high-tempo attack and control the match from start to finish. Illinois will need to stay sharp and disciplined to disrupt their rhythm. Illinois enters this matchup knowing Memphis has had a successful season as only team left in the nation with zero losses. However, the NCAA Tournament is a fresh start, and everyone is even in the single elimination format

Illinois must limit Memphis's attacking transitions, stay compact defensively, and make the most of any attacking opportunities. After Lia Howard earned Big Ten All-Tournament Team honors, the Illini will look to ride that momentum and capitalize on her attacks. The match can hinge on whether the Illini can convert on their chances and maintain composure against a team that has closed out games all season. Discipline, ball-possession, and seizing key moments will be critical to the Orange and Blue's success.

NOTES

• Illinois soccer is back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 12 years (2013) and the 13th time in program history carrying a 11-12-3 record in the previous 12 appearances.
• This is only the second meeting between the Tigers and Illini as the first happened 17 years ago nearly to the date on Nov. 14, 2008, in Columbia, Mo. where Illinois won in double overtime, 1-0, to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
• Illinois has two top-10 point scores in the Big Ten with Sarah Foley and Cayla Jackson tied for 10th (17 points).
• Illinois scored 28 goals throughout the regular season which was the fourth most in the Big Ten.
• The Illini have eclipsed 13 wins in a season for the first time since 2011 (17 wins).
• Head coach Katie Hultin has made the NCAA Tournament in her first season at the helm becoming the first Illinois coach in program history to do so in her first campaign.
  • She recorded the best start in program history at 7-0-1 through eight matches and extended it to 9-1-1 through 11 matches.
  • She's the only head coach in program history to win her first seven games in her debut season and not concede a match in her first nine games.
  • She earned her first ranked win against No. 18 Penn State on Sept. 25.
  • She became the third head coach in program history to win a Big Ten Tournament game in her debut season with her win against [8] Ohio State, Oct. 30.
• Second Team All-Big Ten goalkeeper Izzy Lee has kept 10 clean sheets this season in 20 appearances, making 118 saves across those 20 matches.
  • She has 15 career shutouts and continues to build on her single-season shutouts career high.
  • Her 118 saves are a new single season career high, lead the Big Ten and the new program record dethroning Steph Panozzo's 111 saves back in 2012.
  • She became the first Illinois keeper to make 100+ saves in a season in 12 years since Claire Wheatley had 101 in 2013. 
  • She's the fifth Illini keeper to make 100+ saves in a single season. 
  • Her 10 shutouts are now the third most in program history for a single season.
  • She leads the Big Ten with those 10 shutouts and set a new single game career high with 11 saves against [8] Ohio State on Oct. 30.
  • Her 0.861 save percentage is the second highest in the conference.
• Second Team All-Big Ten forward Sarah Foley leads the team in goals (seven) and points (17).
  • She also leads the conference in shot accuracy (0.638) and has the second most shots on goal per game in the Big Ten (1.50).
  • She recorded her first career hat trick against Valparaiso on Sept. 7. She's the first Illini to have a hat trick since Hope Breslin in 2021.
  • She has three game winners on the season which is the fifth most in the conference and her seven goals on the year are the eighth most in the Big Ten.
  • Her two assists in the match against Maryland on Oct. 5 was a new single game career high for her.
• Third Team All-Big Ten forward Cayla Jackson has seven goals and three assists for 17 points on the season to tie Foley for the team lead in points and goals.
  • She also has three game winners on the year as well also tying Foley for the team lead and the sixth most in the conference.
  • In Big Ten play, Jackson was the team leader in goals with four and points with nine.
• Emma Yee registered her first career brace against Valparaiso on Sept. 7 and has six goals on the season for the third most on the team.
  • Her 13 points on the season are the third most on the team. She also has two game winning goals, the second most on the squad.
• Lia Howard recorded her first career brace against No. 18 Penn State on Sept. 25; she has four goals and nine points on the season which is the fourth most on the team.
  • She netted the game winner against Ohio State on Oct. 30.
• Ellen Persson recorded two goals this season for a new single season career high. This included her first career game winning goal against Kentucky on Aug. 31.
  • She leads the team in minutes played, playing 1,773 minutes out of a possible 1,800.
• Ashley Stellon's four assists lead the team.
• Sydney Stephens has three goals and an assist on the year for seven points which ranks fourth on the team.
  • She netted the game winner against Rutgers on Oct. 9, her second on the season which is tied for the second most on the team.
• Freshman Ashlyn Adams dished out two assists in the win against No. 18 Penn State on Sept. 25, she has three on the season which is the second most on the team.
• Freshman Kyra Berman recorded her first career assist against DePaul on Aug. 28.