Chambana Sun

Illinois soccer will wrap up its 2024 season with a home match against Northwestern at Demirjian Park in Champaign. The game is scheduled for Sunday, October 27, at 1 p.m. CT.

This year marks the 28th season of Illinois soccer and the 23rd under head coach Janet Rayfield. The team currently holds an overall record of 290-225-48 (.558).

In their last week of matches, Illinois split their games, winning 1-0 against Indiana on October 17 but losing to Rutgers 2-1 on October 20. Sarah Foley was instrumental in both games, scoring the decisive goal against Indiana and equalizing against Rutgers with a free kick.

Northwestern enters the match with a record of 6-9-3 overall and 1-7-2 in Big Ten play. In their previous outings, they secured a win over Michigan but fell to No. 21 Michigan State. The Wildcats are currently ranked 15th in the conference standings.

Illinois has seen notable performances from several players this season. Lia Howard scored her third goal of the season in a comeback win at Purdue on October 6. Sarah Foley leads the team with ten goals this season, marking the first time an Illinois player has reached double figures since Jannelle Flaws in 2015.

Goalkeeper Izzy Lee has recorded four clean sheets and made significant saves throughout the season, leading Big Ten keepers in saves per game.

The Illini have had contributions from various players across the squad, including newcomers like Lauren Seppi and Bella Zanoni who made impacts early in the season.

The team finished last season with a record of 6-8-3 and faced six teams ranked in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25 this year.