#18 Illinois Soccer Flies West for Weekend Matches

Rankings via Top Drawer Soccer
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 18 Illinois women's soccer team is set for their west coast trip to play Oregon on Thursday (Sept. 18) and Washington on Sunday (Sept. 21). Kickoff is schedule for 9 p.m. and 3 p.m. CT, respectively, with the match against Oregon airing on Big Ten Network.

First year head coach Katie Hultin has led the program to their best start ever with a record of 7-0-1. Coach Hultin is the only head coach in program history to win her first seven games at the helm as well and Illinois is one of four teams in the nation to have a won-lost-tied percentage of 93.8% (No. 3 Virginia, No. 8 Memphis and Arizona State).  

Izzy Lee continues her dominance this season keeping six clean sheets, extending her single season career high, with 31 saves across eight games. She currently leads the Big Ten in three statistics: shutouts (six) which is also the national lead, save percentage (0.969) which ranks third nationally and goals against average (0.133) which is also third nationally.

SCOUTING OREGON:

This will be the second-ever meeting between the Ducks and Illini where Illinois won the first meeting 5-0 in Baton Rouge, La. on Sept. 11, 2011. Oregon carries a 2-5-1 overall record and a 0-1-0 Big Ten record so far this season. They opened the season with a home win over Weber State (4-0) and beat Hawai'i 3-0 one week later. Their lone draw was a scoreless one to Portland.  They have conceded matches to Sacramento State (1-0), New Mexico (1-0), Grand Canyon (2-0), Seattle (2-1) and their Big Ten opener to No. 4 UCLA.

Oregon enters this matchup looking to rebound from mixed early results. Their nonconference slate has exposed both strengths (good defensive moments, scoring) and weaknesses (difficulty finishing matches). The Ducks will aim to control possession, make the most of set pieces, and lean on home field advantage. The key will be how well they limit turnovers and defend transitions.

SCOUTING WASHINGTON:

This will be the fifth meeting between the Huskies and Illini. Illinois won the first matchup, 3-0, on Sept. 21, 2008, in Champaign, but has since lost the previous three meetings. The last meeting was on Aug. 24, 2017, in Champaign where Washington won, 2-1. The Huskies boast a 4-1-3 overall record and a 1-0-0 record in the Big Ten this season. They began the season with a 1-1 draw to Oregon State before recording two more draws to UC Irvine (1-1) and Seattle (1-1). Their four wins on the season have come against Idaho (4-0), Long Beach State (3-0), Gonzaga (1-0) and their Big Ten opener to No. 15 USC (1-0). Their lone loss on the year was to Utah, 1-0.

The Huskies enter with more early consistency than Oregon. Their ability to stay unbeaten on the road shows their resilience. Washington will attempt to dictate tempo, minimize defensive lapses, and exploit spaces when Illinois pushes forward. The matchup will likely boil down to who can hold structure under pressure and capitalize on chances.

NOTES

• Illinois has not surrendered a match since Oct. 20, 2024, They are 8-0-1 since that 2-1 loss to Rutgers.
• Head coach Katie Hultin has led the team to its best start in program history at 7-0-1. She's now the only head coach in program history to win her first seven games in her debut season and not lose a match in her first eight games.
• Izzy Lee has posted six clean sheets this season in eight appearances, making 31 saves across those eight games. She now has 11 career shutouts and a new single-season shutouts career high.
  • She leads the Big Ten in three difference categories: shutouts (six), save percentage (0.969) and goals against average (0.133). In those stats nationally she ranks first, third and third, respectively.
• Sarah Foley leads the team in goals (five) and points (11) after recording 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 two game winners on the season which is the second most in the conference and her five goals on the year are the third most in the Big Ten.
• Emma Yee registered her first career brace against Valparaiso; she now has four goals on the season for the second most on the team and sixth most in the Big Ten.
• Ashley Stellon's four assists lead the team and are the third most in the Big Ten. Her assists per game also ranks third in the conference (0.50).
• Cayla Jackson scored a goal and two assists in the match against Valparaiso to become the first Illini since Sydney Stephens in 2021 to have two assists in a match.
  • She now has three goals on the year with eight points which both rank third on the team.
• A pair of freshmen (Ashlyn Adams and Kyra Berman) each have an assist on the season for their first collegiate points.