Illinois soccer completed its season with an 8-8-2 overall record and 4-6-1 conference record. This left the team unable to qualify for postseason play.
Illinois only managed to snag No. 11 out of the newly expanded 18-team Big Ten conference. This marks the sixth consecutive year the Illini have ranked outside the top five and the fourth time the team has finished 10th or higher.
Talent
Despite the disappointing stats, the team was extremely well-balanced this season. Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Izzy Lee set personal and school records. Junior forward Sarah Foley set herself up as a valuable weapon next season. Freshmen, such as midfielder/forward Lauren Seppi, forward Claire Murray and forward Emma Yee, had successful rookie seasons as Illini.
Lee and Foley made especially big splashes this season. Lee led the conference in saves (97) and saves per game (5.39), with second-place finishers falling far behind. Maryland’s Liz Beardsley had 74 saves, and Nebraska’s Cece Villa had a 4.89 save-per-game average.
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The coaching staff worked hard in the off-season to develop Lee into an intimidating starting keeper. She went from playing only two games in 2023 to all 18 matches in 2024. The keeper had four shutouts and ended with an 80.2% save percentage.
Lee was an essential part of the Illini performing so well in close matches. There were times when Lee’s prowess saved the day, preventing the opponent from running up the score or shifting the game from a draw to a loss. She was athletic in the net, making dives and leaps whenever necessary.
Lee allowed 24 goals this season. This placed her at the bottom of Big Ten keeper rankings for that statistic. Despite that, Lee has already shown incredible talent this season, and Illinois’ net will stay in good hands in the upcoming seasons.
Foley was another standout for the Illini. In Illinois’ final match, she scored her 11th season goal. She finished No. 4 in the conference in goals.
Foley was an aggressive player with good field positioning. Her dribbling talent and speed allowed her to beat out defenders to get clear and take shots. She could sit at the line, staying just onside and receive a clear from her defense and take it into the attacking third alone. Foley improved every game and will likely continue to cement herself as a vital leader in 2025.
Adaptability
Despite the talent, the Illini had a rough season in finishing and defending. They finally found their footing near the end of the season, but postseason contention was already ruled out. Illinois never let the future sway them from going into the next game prepared.
Finishing was a struggle all season for Illinois and something that the team will need to develop before 2025. Foley and other forwards, such as fellow junior Lia Howard, were routinely well-positioned up top and were quick enough to get into scoring positions. However, inaccurate passing, over-dribbling and no-off ball movement meant that a little pressure from the defense would almost assure off-target shots from Illinois if a shot could be attempted.
Most of Illinois’ season was low-scoring games. From the Minnesota game in September until the Rutgers game in October, Illinois never scored more than two goals in a match. Illinois knew that something needed to change.
Because of that, the team worked to become more aggressive offensively and control the midfield better. This strategy did not win them games, but it improved their scoring. September’s Nebraska match was the last time Illinois was shut out. All following games saw the Illini score at least once.
The Illini’s most electric games this season were against Big Ten newcomers: the USC Trojans and the UCLA Bruins. Illinois held its own against the California powerhouses despite losing both games.
The team controlled the midfield and defended well. Sneaking past the keeper to net a goal against the No. 1 team fired up the crowd and the players. From then on, Illinois’ midfield had never looked so put together.
Looking ahead
Head coach Janet Rayfield brought in a young squad this year. Twelve freshmen or redshirt freshmen joined the Illini.
Seppi was among the few who got lots of playing time and used those minutes to showcase her abilities. The freshman scored twice this season in addition to three assists. Seppi had speed and good ball-handling skills. Her assists demonstrate awareness of teammates’ positioning and accurate passing.
Redshirt freshman midfielder Regan Moody was another standout freshman in scoring. Despite never playing a full game, Moody scored in two of the Illini’s non-conference games.
Leaving the team is senior defender Angie Galo. She was a notable defender who shut down sideline runs and played all over the field.
While it is hard to track defensive statistics, Galo has many offensive statistics that showcase her dual-role abilities. Playing in all 18 games this season, the defender scored two goals and had three assists. In games, she had the quick steps to attack the net and return to her defensive position to prevent quick turnovers.
With good talent leaving, there are lots of new and fresh players ready to fill their shoes. Rayfield’s retirement will leave room for new development styles of players.
However, the fact that the Illini are a younger squad means that the dynamic will stick between this season and the next for these players. This could mean moving up the rankings again for Illinois.
