Illinois soccer opened its 2025 season with a 1-0 victory over UIC at Flames Field in Chicago. This match marked the beginning of Katie Hultin’s tenure as head coach and her first win at the Division I level.
“I’m incredibly proud of the team and the progress we’ve made over the past two weeks,” said Hultin. “We’ve seen growth every single day and it’s nice to start the season off with a W. It was nice to see a goal from Cayla Jackson who’s probably had 15 shots in the last two exhibitions, it’s starting to fall and things are starting to click. I think we still have a lot of work to do but I’m proud of the start and it’s a great way to set the tone for the season.”
The only goal came early, as Sydney Stephens assisted Cayla Jackson, who scored from just outside the penalty area in the third minute. This proved decisive as neither team added to the scoreline for the remainder of the match.
Goalkeeper Izzy Lee contributed four saves and recorded her first clean sheet of 2025. Lee made key stops throughout, including denying a left-footed shot in the 25th minute and intercepting a dangerous header late in the first half. In the second half, she blocked an attempt by UIC during their most intense period of pressure.
Defender Lauren Seppi preserved Illinois’ lead when she cleared a shot off the line after Lee was beaten, keeping Illinois ahead.
On offense, Emma Yee generated opportunities for Illinois later in the game but was unable to convert on two occasions due to saves by UIC’s goalkeeper.
Illinois will continue its road trip on Sunday, August 17, facing Bowling Green at Cochrane Field with kickoff scheduled for noon Central Time.
