CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois soccer (7-0-0) defeated Valparaiso (2-4-1), 6-0, on Sunday (Sept. 7) at Demirjian Park to tie the program's best start, winning its first seven matches, last achieved in 2004.
"I'm excited with how the nonconference play went," said head coach Katie Hultin. "I'm impressed with our energy heading into today's game and the fact that we finished it out while playing as many bodies as we could. We're excited for Big Ten play to begin this week."
Sarah Foley led the team in scoring recording her first career hat trick on senior day. She's the first Illini to score a hat trick since Hope Breslin did against Illinois State on Aug. 22, 2021.
Foley opened the scoring in the very first minute of the game when Cayla Jackson found her in the box. She began the second half with her second goal in the 48th minute before completing the hat trick in the 56th minute. She now has a team-high five goals on the season and is tied for the lead in the Big Ten as well.
Emma Yee recorded her first-career brace today with goals in the 34th minute and 42nd minute. Ryleigh Wood assisted on the first goal to score her first collegiate point while Myra Schneider delivered on the second for her first point as an Illini.
In addition to her two assists, Jackson scored a goal in the 19th minute of the contest for her third on the season while Ashley Stellon registered her team-high fourth assist on Jackson's goal. Jackson is now the first Illini since teammate Sydney Stephens to record two assists in a game. Stephens last did so on Sept. 9, 2021, against Bowling Green where she had three. Today's attendance was 1,052.
Illini soccer is back in action on Friday (Sept. 12) for the Big Ten opener against Indiana in Demirjian Park at 7 p.m. CT.
