CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois soccer (4-4-2, 0-2-1) suffered a 2-1 defeat to No. 18 Iowa (7-0-3, 2-0-1) today on a rainy afternoon at Demirjian Park.
The Hawkeyes scored twice in a span of 7:27 in the second half before Lia Howard pulled a goal back in the 88th minute, sparking a late Illini rally that would fall just short.
It was a cagey 45 minutes to begin the match, with each side proving tough to break down.
Illini goalkeeper Izzy Lee made two saves in the first half, both of which were comfortable and straight forward.
Iowa created the first chance in the second half in the 56th minute but Lee turned away the goal-bound shot with a diving stop. The visitors also forced a series of corner kicks, but Lee’s fifth save of the match off the second set piece relieved the pressure.
The Hawkeyes would eventually find the breakthrough in the 61st minute and later doubled their lead in the 69th minute off of a corner kick.
Sarah Foley would win a penalty for the Orange and Blue in the 88th minute, which Howard converted, but Illinois could not find a last-minute equalizer, ultimately falling 2-1.
The Fighting Illini will be back in action on Thursday, Sept. 26, when they head to Lincoln to take on Nebraska. Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m. CT.
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