[9] Illinois Takes on [8] Ohio State in Opening Spherical of Big Ten Tournament

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – [9] Illinois is ready to face [8] Ohio State within the opening spherical of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday (Oct. 30) at 3:30 p.m. CT at Folk Field in West Lafayette, Ind.

Illinois is again within the Big Ten Tournament for the primary time since 2020 below first 12 months head coach Katie Hultin. The Illini are looking for their first Big Ten Tournament win since 2018 once they defeated Wisconsin in PKs on Oct. 28.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

Ohio State leads the all-time collection with 15 wins to 9 losses, with 4 attracts. Their final assembly got here slightly over a month in the past on Sept. twenty eighth this season which resulted in a 3-0 win for Ohio State in Champaign.

Ohio State brings a well-established program basis below head coach Lori Walker-Hock, and they’re usually sturdy in postseason settings. Their roster contains veteran expertise in senior goalkeeper Molly Pritchard and senior ahead Ella Giannola, amongst others. They have demonstrated the power to generate offense and defend successfully in Big Ten play.

In a event setting, Ohio State will goal to lean on their expertise and depth. They will doubtless strain Illinois early, search to regulate possession in key moments, and capitalize on set-pieces or transitional alternatives. Their historic success on this collection offers a psychological edge. Ohio State has been environment friendly on the assault when given probabilities, and Illinois should keep compact defensively, handle transitions fastidiously, and goal to maintain Ohio State off the scoreboard early to construct momentum.

NOTES

• Illinois has two top-10 level scores within the Big Ten with Sarah Foley and Cayla Jackson tied for eighth (17 factors).
• Illinois scored 28 targets all through the season which was the fourth most within the Big Ten.
• The Illini have eclipsed 12 wins in a season for the primary time since 2011 (17 wins).
• Only two groups in high 100 RPI performed 11 highway video games being Illinois and Weber State.
• Illinois is 1-of-12 groups in all Division I soccer with 11 or extra away matches carrying a 7-3-1 document in these outings.

  • Out of these 12 groups solely Illinois (7-3-1), Weber State (6-4-1) and North Dakota (6-3-2) have profitable data.
  • The Illini’s seven highway wins are probably the most within the nation tied with Texas Tech, Saint Louis, Ball State, Dayton and TCU.

• Head coach Katie Hultin recorded the most effective begin in program historical past at 7-0-1 via eight matches and prolonged it to 9-1-1 via 11 matches.

  • She’s the one head coach in program historical past to win her first seven video games in her debut season and never concede a match in her first 9 video games.
  • She earned her first ranked win in opposition to No. 18 Penn State on Sept. 25.

• Izzy Lee has posted 9 clear sheets this season in 18 appearances, making 102 saves throughout these 18 video games. She has 14 profession shutouts and continues to construct on her single-season shutouts profession excessive.

  • Her 9 shutouts are actually tied for fourth most in program historical past for a single season.
  • Her 102 saves are a brand new single season profession excessive and the fourth most in program historical past.
  • She grew to become the primary Illinois keeper to make 100+ saves in a season in 12 years since Claire Wheatley had 101 in 2013.
  • She’s the fifth Illini keeper to make 100+ saves in a single season.
  • She leads the Big Ten with these 9 shutouts and set a brand new single recreation profession excessive with 10 saves in opposition to No. 18 Penn State on Sept. 25.
  • She’s three saves away from setting a brand new single season profession excessive in whole saves and 5 saves away from being the fifth Illini keeper in program historical past to make 100 saves in a season.

• Sarah Foley leads the group in targets (seven) and factors (17). She recorded her first profession hat trick in opposition to Valparaiso on Sept. 7. She’s the primary Illini to have a hat trick since Hope Breslin in 2021.

  • She has three recreation winners on the season which is the fifth most within the convention and her seven targets on the 12 months are the eighth most within the Big Ten.
  • Her two assists within the match in opposition to Maryland on Oct. 5 was a brand new single recreation profession excessive for her.

• Cayla Jackson has seven targets and three assists for 17 factors on the season to tie Foley for the group lead in factors and targets.

  • She additionally has three recreation winners on the 12 months as effectively additionally tying Foley for the group lead.

• Emma Yee registered her first profession brace in opposition to Valparaiso on Sept. 7 and has six targets on the season for the third most on the group  

  • Her 13 factors on the season are the third most on the group. She additionally has two recreation profitable targets, the second most on the squad.

• Lia Howard recorded her first profession brace in opposition to No. 18 Penn State on Sept. 25; she now has three targets and 7 assists on the season which is the fourth most on the group.
• Ashley Stellon’s 4 assists lead the group.
• Sydney Stephens has three targets and an help on the 12 months for seven factors which ranks fourth on the group.

  • She netted the sport winner in opposition to Rutgers on Oct. 9, her second on the season which is tied for the second most on the group.

• Freshman Ashlyn Adams dished out two assists within the win in opposition to No. 18 Penn State on Sept. 25, she now has three on the season which is the second most on the group.
• Freshman Kyra Berman recorded her first profession help in opposition to DePaul on Aug. 28.