Aggie Soccer is on the road this weekend. They begin with a match in Champaign, Illinois against the Illinois Fighting Illini on Thursday. Kickoff is set for 7PM and admission for the game is free if you happen to be in the Urbana-Champaign area. The game will be broadcast on Big Ten+ and, as always, you can listen to the sweet stylings of David Ellis on the live audio feed.
The Aggies have a bit of history with Illinois. They are 2-1 against the Illini all-time, with the most recent match occurring in 2016. The Ags won that one 2-0.
Illinois had a rough 2021 season. They did register a 4-0 win against rival Missouri in the opener, but then faltered to a 5-11-1 regular season record and a dismal 1-8-1 Big Ten record.
This season is looking a little better as they've begun the season 3-1, with wins over Illinois State (1-0), Toledo (4-1), and #17 Butler (1-0). They then got pounded in South Bend on Sunday with a 0-4 loss to Notre Dame. That game was an absolute beating as Illini goalkeeper Julia Cili registered a silly 13 total saves in the match.
Illinois put three players on the Big Ten's players to watch list, all seniors. This includes defender Ashley Cathro, defender Kendra Pasquale, and midfielder Eileen Murphy. You should see those three on the field nearly the entire match. Lia Howard is a notable freshman. The midfielder was named the Gatorade New York Player of the Year.
As far as stats go, no one player jumps off the sheet. Illinois six goals on the season have come from six different players.
Illinois has been coached by Janet Rayfield since 2002 and she's kind of become a lifer for the squad. Illinois was a top team in the Big Ten in the early 2000s, but by the 2010s they had fallen to the middle of the pack. They've been even worse than that in recent years and haven't made the NCAA Tournament since 2013.
I'm not too sure what to expect from Illinois. They registered a confidence building victory over highly ranked Butler, only to be humbled by an always stout Notre Dame just a few days later. This will be another increase in difficulty as Illinois should be a step up from New Mexico state, especially on the road. I contended that we were looking for a multi-goal win last game. In this one, a simple win will be enough to celebrate (by popping bottles in Champaign).
The Aggies have a bit of history with Illinois. They are 2-1 against the Illini all-time, with the most recent match occurring in 2016. The Ags won that one 2-0.
Illinois had a rough 2021 season. They did register a 4-0 win against rival Missouri in the opener, but then faltered to a 5-11-1 regular season record and a dismal 1-8-1 Big Ten record.
This season is looking a little better as they've begun the season 3-1, with wins over Illinois State (1-0), Toledo (4-1), and #17 Butler (1-0). They then got pounded in South Bend on Sunday with a 0-4 loss to Notre Dame. That game was an absolute beating as Illini goalkeeper Julia Cili registered a silly 13 total saves in the match.
Illinois put three players on the Big Ten's players to watch list, all seniors. This includes defender Ashley Cathro, defender Kendra Pasquale, and midfielder Eileen Murphy. You should see those three on the field nearly the entire match. Lia Howard is a notable freshman. The midfielder was named the Gatorade New York Player of the Year.
As far as stats go, no one player jumps off the sheet. Illinois six goals on the season have come from six different players.
Illinois has been coached by Janet Rayfield since 2002 and she's kind of become a lifer for the squad. Illinois was a top team in the Big Ten in the early 2000s, but by the 2010s they had fallen to the middle of the pack. They've been even worse than that in recent years and haven't made the NCAA Tournament since 2013.
I'm not too sure what to expect from Illinois. They registered a confidence building victory over highly ranked Butler, only to be humbled by an always stout Notre Dame just a few days later. This will be another increase in difficulty as Illinois should be a step up from New Mexico state, especially on the road. I contended that we were looking for a multi-goal win last game. In this one, a simple win will be enough to celebrate (by popping bottles in Champaign).
