Hailey Parungao Director of Soccer Operations | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Hailey Parungao Director of Soccer Operations | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Illinois soccer team secured a significant 2-1 victory against Purdue at Folk Field in West Lafayette, Indiana. The Illini were initially trailing 1-0 at halftime but managed to overturn the deficit with goals from Kennedy Berschel and Lia Howard in the second half.
The match was competitive from the start, with Illinois goalkeeper Izzy Lee making a crucial save early on. Illinois had their first chance in the 12th minute when Sarah Foley narrowly missed the target. Despite creating opportunities, Illinois found themselves behind after Purdue scored in the 39th minute.
In the second half, Illinois dominated possession and were awarded a penalty in the 49th minute. However, Emma Yee's attempt was saved by Purdue's goalkeeper. The persistence of Illinois paid off when Berschel equalized in the 57th minute after intercepting a pass and receiving an assist from Howard.
As both teams fought to avoid conceding another goal, Purdue nearly regained their lead in the 78th minute, but Illinois defended well. The decisive moment came in the 83rd minute when Howard scored following an assist from Lauren Seppi.
Illinois maintained their advantage until the final whistle, marking their third consecutive win over Purdue and extending their winning streak at Folk Field to two matches. The Illini will next face No. 21 USC at Demirjian Park on Thursday.
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