CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois (9-1-1, 2-1-1 B1G) knocked off No. 18 Penn State (5-4-2, 1-2-1 B1G), 4-3, on Thursday night in Demirjian Park. Katie Hultin earned her first ranked win at the helm and has improved the program's best start to 9-1-1 now through 11 matches.
The Nittany Lions opened the scoring in the ninth minute, but Sydney Stephens answered five minutes later with a great cut move to create space and rang the shot in off the post to tie the contest, 1-1.
Lia Howard recorded her first career brace tonight in the win with her first coming in the 31st minute to give the Illini their first lead of the night, 2-1. Penn State scored an equalizer five minutes before halftime which Howard went on to answer in the 55th minute to put the Orange and Blue back in front 3-2.
Penn State tied the match once again at 3-3 in the 65th minute before Emma Yee netted the game winner in the 84th minute. Ryleigh Wood found Yee in the neutral third and Yee's first touch created a ton of green grass in front of her on her attack. She sprinted to the top of the box getting the ball to her right foot where she buried it in the lower left corner to seal the game for Illinois, 4-3.
Izzy Lee notched a new career high in saves with 10 tonight making plenty at critical moments of the match. Lee is the first Illini keeper to make 10+ saves in a match since Julia Cili made 13 against Notre Dame on Aug. 28, 2022.
Ashlyn Adams dished out two assists tonight aiding Stephens on her goal and finding Howard in the box to complete her brace.
This win snaps Illinois' 10-match slide to Penn State marking their first victory in the series since Nov. 2, 2012. The nine wins on the season have already surpassed last year's win total of eight. Tonight's attendance was 808.
The Orange and Blue soccer club is back in action on Sunday (Sept. 28) for a home showdown with No. 23 Ohio State. Kick off is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
