The Wake Forest Invitational was unforgiving for the Illinois soccer team this weekend.

The Illini went to Winston-Salem, N.C., looking for a couple of statement wins against No. 11 Virginia Tech and No. 17 Wake Forest, but offensive results were hard to come by, leaving Illinois with a pair of 1-0 losses.

Against Virginia Tech on Friday, Illinois garnered three shots on goal compared to just two by the Hokies, but an eighth minute goal, which was allowed by senior goalkeeper Steph Panozzo, ended up being the only tally for either squad.

“A lackluster start on a hot day doomed us early,” interim head coach Jeff Freeman said in a press release Friday. “While we responded well, we have to be better from the first whistle to the last.”

Sunday’s matchup against Wake Forest proved to be a defensive battle for the Illini that ultimately resulted in a loss after Demon Deacons midfielder Ally Berry headed one in off a corner kick in the 72nd minute.

Wake Forest registered 14 shots, four on goal, while Illinois could only muster four shots with none being on target. In addition, the Demon Deacons were awarded seven corner kicks while the Illini only recorded one.

Freeman and members of the team could not be reached for comment following the loss.

The Illini look to improve on their offensive woes from this weekend when they begin their Big Ten slate next Sunday against Iowa. Junior midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo and head coach Janet Rayfield will return to the team next week from Japan after contributing to the United States’ win in the Under-20 Women’s World Cup on Saturday.

_Charlie can be reached at [email protected]._