Fighting Illini Soccer Returns to Demirjian Park for Two B1G Matches

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois soccer returns to Demirjian Park to face No. 18 Penn State on Thursday (Sept. 25) and No. 23 Ohio State on Sunday (Sept. 28). Kick off is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday and 1 p.m. CT on Sunday, both matches will be streamed on B1G+.

The Orange and Blue split their west coast road trip last week earning their first conference win of the season in a 1-0 victory at Oregon on Sept. 18. Izzy Lee recorded her seventh clean sheet of the season which leads the nation for the 2025 season.

The Illini dropped their first match of the Katie Hultin era in a 2-1 defeat at Washington on Sept. 21. Cayla Jackson scored the lone goal in that match for her fourth of the season to tie her with Emma Yee for second most on the team.

Sarah Foley still leads the team goals with six on the year which is third most by any player in the Big Ten.

SCOUTING PENN STATE

No. 18 Penn State is currently 5-3-2 overall, with a 1-1-1 mark in Big Ten play. The Illini and Nittany Lions have met 35 times with Penn State holds a dominant edge in the series with 31 wins to Illinois' four, plus no ties in that count.

Outlook: Penn State will look to leverage its overall strong presence and push the ball down the field.  Expect them to try to control the midfield, limit turnovers, and capitalize on chances in transition or set pieces. Illinois will need to be sharp defensively, especially when Penn State pushes forward or applies pressure in the attacking third.

SCOUTING OHIO STATE

No. 23 Ohio State is 4-1-4 overall, and thus far in conference play they're 0-0-3. Illinois trails the all-time series to OSU with a 9-14-4 record in 27 meetings. . In the last 10 matchups, OSU has been especially dominant (6-1-3).

Outlook: The Buckeyes will lean on their recent success against Illinois, trying to impose their will and take advantage of momentum. Defensively, the Buckeyes will need to avoid lapses, especially early. Offensively, they aim to dictate the pace, win 50/50s in the midfield, and exploit mistakes. Illinois will have to stay compact, take advantage of opportunities, and focus on counterattacks.

NOTES

• Head coach Katie Hultin recorded the best start in program history at 8-0-1 through nine 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.
• Izzy Lee has posted seven clean sheets this season in nine appearances, making 42 saves across those nine games. She has 12 career shutouts and continues to build on her single-season shutouts career high.
  • She leads the Big Ten in three different categories: shutouts (seven), save percentage (0.933) and goals against average (0.316). In those stats nationally she ranks first, fifth and seventh, respectively.
• Sarah Foley leads the team in goals (six) and points (13). 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 most in the conference and her six goals on the year are the third most in the Big Ten.
• Emma Yee registered her first career brace against Valparaiso on Sept. 7; she now has four goals on the season for the second most on the team and 11th most in the Big Ten.
• Ashley Stellon's four assists lead the team and are the fourth most in the Big Ten. Her assists per game also ranks fifth in the conference (0.40).
• Cayla Jackson scored a goal and two assists in the match against Valparaiso on Sept. 7  to become the first Illini since Sydney Stephens in 2021 to have two assists in a match.
  • She has four goals on the year and has the second most points on the team with 10.
• A pair of freshmen (Ashlyn Adams and Kyra Berman) each have an assist on the season for their first collegiate points