CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois fell 3-0 to Michigan State (6-1-2) at Demirjian Park on Sunday to open Big Ten Conference play.
The Orange and Blue move to 5-3-1 on the season and finish their season-long five-match homestand with a record of 2-2-1.
“It’s a different game [Big Ten matches],” said head coach Janet Rayfield. “Everything we’ve done all season long has to step up a level. We’re capable of much better than we showed today.”
The two teams went into the dressing rooms scoreless as neither side was able to find a breakthrough. Goalkeeper Julia Cili was called on to make five saves in the opening 45 minutes of the contest while the Illini offense forced Michigan State into making two saves, with Ashley Cathro and Julia Eichenbaum putting shots on frame.
Out of the break, the Spartans took the lead after just 2:39 came off the clock, when Lauren DeBeau rounded Cili following a through ball to slot the ball into the empty net. DeBeau doubled her tally less than five minutes later after glancing a cross past the junior keeper to give Michigan State a 2-0 lead in the 52nd minute. She would go on to complete her hat trick in the 59th minute after lifting her shot over the outstretched arms of Cili.
Makala Woods nearly pulled one back for Illinois in the 82nd minute, when her left-footed curling effort from outside of the area went just wide of the post.
The Illini had 12 total shots in the match, with four on target. Cili, the Palmetto Bay, Fla., native, made a total of seven saves in the match.
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