Chambana Sun

Illinois soccer concluded their 2024 season with a decisive 4-1 victory over Northwestern at Demirjian Park. This win marked Illinois' first triumph against the Wildcats since April 3, 2021, ending a three-match winless streak.

Northwestern opened the scoring in the eighth minute when an attempted clearance by Illinois fell to a Wildcat attacker who scored into an empty net. Illinois goalkeeper Izzy Lee made crucial saves in the 12th and 20th minutes to keep the deficit at one.

Illinois began to gain momentum after introducing five players at the half-hour mark. In the 36th minute, they equalized through Alyssa Weede, who capitalized on a rebound from Emma Yee's free kick that hit the post.

The second half saw Illinois take control. In the 51st minute, Sarah Foley scored her 11th goal of the season following a well-executed play involving Lia Howard's back-heel pass. Foley's performance this season has been notable, with her goals tally being the highest for an Illini player since Jannelle Flaws in 2015.

Izzy Lee made another key save in the 64th minute before Emma Yee extended Illinois' lead with her first career goal just moments later. Abby Lynch was involved in forcing an own goal by Northwestern in the 77th minute, sealing Illinois' victory.

This result allowed Illinois to finish their campaign on a high note against their state rivals.