Illinois (11-2-1, 4-2-1) and Purdue (5-7-3, 2-4-1) have played each other yearly since 1998. The Illini hold a dominant 16-10-3 record over the Boilermakers and have won five of the last six meetings.
“We’re pretty familiar with how they play,” said head coach Katie Hultin. “We’ve watched a lot of their games. They’re in a different formation, so we will manage through that.”
Purdue has struggled to consistently handle the conference pressure. However, the Boilermakers have won every game in which they scored multiple times. Containing Purdue’s scoring opportunities will be necessary if Illinois wants to end on a good note before hitting the road to close its season.
Resting up
Illinois had one of its best outings of the season against Rutgers Thursday. Coming off of that, the best way to prepare for the next game is for the players to properly prepare their bodies.
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“Recovering as much as possible is our biggest focus,” said senior defender Ellen Persson.
The Scarlet Knights played a gritty game and left the Illini banged up. As the final seconds of the game wound down, Persson went down hard on her ankle trying to win the ball in the midfield, and took a few moments to get back up.
Persson has logged the most minutes of any of her teammates. Her conditioning and resilience have allowed her to keep teams at bay in close games. Against Rutgers, Persson was not only critical on the defensive end, but she also converted a penalty to keep the team ahead.
Looking at the forwards and midfielders, the Illini have a lot of depth. Hultin has been able to sub in her freshmen for her experienced members and hold down games for victories on multiple occasions.
Another player who will benefit from proper rehab is sophomore forward Cayla Jackson. She played a run-heavy game, applying pressure to the Rutgers backline. Making sure she has proper rest and recovery before the next matchup will be helpful as the end of the season nears.
Players to watch
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Izzy Lee will play a huge role in the upcoming games. Lee has built up her single-season shutout record with eight clean sheets. She matched her career-best in saves Thursday, making 10 stops against Rutgers. She has her work cut out for her against Purdue. The Boilermakers have the second-most shots in the Big Ten this season.
On the Purdue side, senior forward Chiara Singarella is the team’s most efficient scorer. She matches Illinois’ leading scorer, senior forward Sarah Foley, with six goals. Both Foley and Singarella have one hat trick this season. Singarella is someone that the Boilermakers look to to bring the energy late in the game. She could prove to be the difference in the game if the Illini allow her to get hot, especially in the second half.
When, where to watch
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CST Sunday. The Illinois-Purdue matchup will be available to watch on B1G+.
