Tonight’s game might be the last time senior co-captains Tara Hurless and Leisha Alcia play at the Illinois Track and Soccer Stadium – but the legacy they leave with the program will remain.

When Hurless and Alcia came to Illinois, the program was under head coach Tricia Taliaferro. In their sophomore year, Taliaferro left the squad and current head coach Janet Rayfield took over.

Rayfield knew right away the key to the program’s success was going to be keeping these two standouts on the team.

“My first thought was that I have to get these two individuals to stick around,” Rayfield said. “It was important to get them to buy into the system. I knew that it was going to be challenging, because of the talent and expectations they had. Once they bought into the system, the rest of the freshman class was easier to get to buy into the system.”

Hurless and Alcia could not be happier with their decision to stay at Illinois.

Hurless, a Rockford, Ill., native, competed this summer with the U.S. Under-21 National team in Brazil and recorded a goal. Last season, she was selected as a second-team All-American by the NSCAA and was a first team All-Big Ten selection.

Alcia also spent her summer playing internationally. She played in the W-league in her native Canada. Last season, she was a first-team NSCAA All-American member, first team All-Big Ten and was named Illinois’ Dike Eddleman Female Athlete of the Year.

Those accomplishments were the leading force behind a Big Ten tournament championship last season and what are soon to be back-to-back berths in the NCAA Tournament.

“They were a big part of a young program that was up and coming, establishing itself as a winning program,” Rayfield said. “Their talent and their commitment to their teammates have allowed them to take this program to places that it hasn’t been before.”

In doing so, Alcia and Hurless have led the way in developing a winning tradition at Illinois.

“One of the ways you get recruits is to establish a tradition,” Rayfield said. “Finally, Illinois has some history and tradition. Leisha and Tara are two of three girls to be All-Americans at this program and have their pictures on the wall; they are a part of two classes that have established the tradition of winning, and when a recruit comes to visit Illinois, they will see those pictures and want to be the next on the wall. To be among the first on the wall at a young program is a tremendous challenge and huge accomplishment.”

Rayfield said with the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament still ahead of this year’s squad, the duo’s legacy is still in the making.

“I think, at this point in time, their legacy is still yet to be determined,” Rayfield said. “They still have the opportunity within the next month to take this team to places it hasn’t been. I hope that where they are can take the program is still a story untold.”

Hurless and Alcia have made it clear that they want to go out with a bang.

“This is it: This is our senior year,” Hurless said. “We want to leave a great impression on Illinois soccer and we want to say we left a legacy that helped build the program to what it will be in 10 years.”

What exactly would be going out with a bang to them?

“Winning another Big Ten tournament title, for sure,” Hurless said. “We also want to go as far as possible in the NCAA Tournament. In my freshman year, we lost in the first round; sophomore year we did not go and in my junior year, we lost in the first round, so it would be nice to go (further) into the tournament. Getting to the Final Four would be amazing; we definitely know we have the talent to do it.”

After winning the Big Ten tournament in their junior year, they realized anything was possible.

“I took that from last year’s team,” Alcia said. “That is probably my most memorable moment at Illinois. I think you can take anything you want if you work hard enough and put in enough dedication. That team is just an example.”

Both would like to continue playing soccer after they graduate. They both said they would like to play in the 2007 World Cup.

“I think Leisha for sure has a great opportunity playing for the Canadian national team,” Rayfield said. “Tara will have opportunities, but they will be more difficult. With the WSA (the women’s professional league) folding, it will be tough. If the WSA still existed, I would say that they would both have outstanding careers there. I feel like both of them have potential, but that it is more of a question of whether they will have the opportunities to reach it.”

Hurless knows she wants to continue doing something with soccer.

“I haven’t thought about playing overseas, since there is no women’s soccer league here anymore,” Hurless said. “I do know that I want to stay involved in soccer, though. I’ve even talked with (former Illini) Meghan Kolze and we talked about how it’d be fun to coach together and give back to the game.”