Paige Clawson Assistant Athletic Trainer (Soccer) | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Paige Clawson Assistant Athletic Trainer (Soccer) | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Illinois soccer is preparing for its final road trip of the season, facing Indiana and Rutgers in Big Ten play. The Illini, currently holding a record of 6-7-2 overall and 2-5-1 in the conference, will meet Indiana on Thursday at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana, before heading to Yurcak Field in Piscataway, New Jersey, to face Rutgers on Sunday.
The team recently experienced back-to-back losses against ranked opponents USC and UCLA. Against USC, Illinois rallied from a three-goal deficit with goals from Kennedy Berschel and Lauren Seppi but ultimately fell short. Similarly, Angie Galo's goal narrowed the gap against UCLA before they restored their lead.
The Illini have a history of competitive matches against both upcoming opponents. They hold a 14-9-4 all-time record against Indiana but lost their last encounter 2-1. Meanwhile, Illinois has struggled historically against Rutgers with a 1-4-1 record.
Illinois aims to build on its comeback win earlier this month at Purdue. Lia Howard scored her third goal of the season during that match. Sarah Foley leads the team with eight goals this season and has also made significant contributions with four game-winning goals.
Goalkeeper Izzy Lee has been pivotal for Illinois with three clean sheets and an impressive save percentage that ranks among the best in the conference.
Following these road games, Illinois will conclude its regular season by hosting Northwestern at Demirjian Park.
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