In Illinois’ (13-5-2, 5-4-2) opening-round win Thursday, one of its biggest struggles was keeping Ohio State (8-4-6, 4-2-5) out of its defensive half. It faced the same issue in its 2-0 loss to Washington (12-2-5, 8-1-2) Sunday from kickoff until the final whistle.
Both teams made it clear early on that this would be a fast-moving game. While both kept the energy up the whole match, Washington did more with its possessions.
A major contributor was the Huskies’ tighter defense. They were far better at keeping the Illini away from the goal and clogging the box to prevent clean looks.
By the end of the first half, Illinois had taken two shots to Washington’s nine. Both of the Illini’s shots were on target but lacked any real power, so sophomore goalkeeper Tanner Ijams easily stopped them.
Of the Huskies’ nine shots, seven were on target and two went in. To her credit, redshirt junior goalkeeper Izzy Lee had five saves by halftime, but the constant shots made her job tiring.
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Slipping through
Washington’s attack was sharper than Illinois’. Not only could the Huskies time their runs to stay onside, but their through balls consistently found their targets.
The Huskies used their precise passing to work through any space left by the Illini defense. Their efficiency allowed them to comfortably set up plays and find clear shots without having to force anything.
Washington’s first goal came only seven minutes in. Freshman midfielder Maylen Montoya settled a fight for possession in Illinois’ half when she blocked a clearance. Three Illini collapsed onto her, leaving senior forward Kalea Eichenberger open to make a run down the sideline.
Montoya connected a pass to Eichenberger, which Eichenberger carried undefended to the top corner of the box, then crossed to junior midfielder Samiah Shell for the lob over Lee.
On plays like this, Illinois defenders looked confused on their assignments. The ballhandler often pulled in too many defenders, leaving efficient playmakers like Eichenberger open to make dangerous runs or take a shot.
Washington continually took advantage of these lapses and finished the game with 12 shots.
Too many defensive mistakes
Illinois has had a strong defensive presence all season, but miscommunication, poor coverage and poor touches were rampant Sunday.
Washington players repeatedly pulled the Illinois backline out of position, and Illinois struggled to recover. Even with Lee’s strong play in the goal, the Huskies’ ball control and speed were hard to contain.
Eichenberger stood out as a strong playmaker. She often found herself in a one-on-one with similarly talented senior forward Sarah Foley, whom Eichenberger consistently beat. Washington’s offensive depth meant that multiple players were capable of stretching Illinois’ defense thin.
Head coach Katie Hultin tried to combat this by bringing in sophomore defender Bella Zanoni to bridge the gap between strong defense and a midfield presence, but even she got caught out of position at times.
Strong finish by seniors
Hultin led Illinois to one of its best seasons in program history, but was unable to cap it with a tournament win. Despite this, the team exceeded all expectations by even making it to the postseason.
While Hultin certainly deserves credit, the senior leaders helped the team’s goals come alive on the field. Foley had a strong game as always, working hard to give Illinois scoring chances.
She tirelessly worked the sidelines, trying to break through for the shot or get a cross in, but too often, no Illini were around to capitalize.
On the other end, senior defender Ellen Persson anchored Illinois’ defense. She made some key tackles to prevent Washington from furthering its lead and even kick-started some counterattacks.
Finally, Lee ended her season with another solid performance in goal, making five saves. Her command in the box did a lot to keep the defense composed under the Huskies’ constant attacks.
The other seniors also got to cap their careers with a postseason appearance and tournament win, rarities at Illinois in recent seasons. This group can take pride in the program’s bright direction, despite the tough loss.
