By: Some early conference results kept the Lady Blues from a MWC Championship berth, but the team was playing its best at the end of the season and picked up its 11th win of the season on Saturday.
Box Score JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – Coaches sometimes have mixed feelings about Senior Day ceremonies because the thought is that the emotion of playing a final game or match at home can negatively affect a team. It took less than two minutes for senior
Sarah Skaggs to dispel that notion.
A goal in the second minute from IC's all-time leader in points put Illinois College on the front foot immediately and the Lady Blues rode that wave to a 5-1 statement win over Cornell in the season finale for the team. IC ends the year at 11-5-2 (5-3-2 Midwest Conference).
The attacking players for Illinois College have shown a wonderful knack for intricate passing in the final third this season, but the first goal of the day was pure smash-and-grab. After senior goalkeeper
Corey Hanson made an early save and booted the ball to midfield,
Ashley Sholmire possessed it briefly in midfield before laying a through ball for Skaggs to run onto. Cornell keeper Kassi Todryk was slow off her line and Skaggs beat her to the ball, tapping it past her on the first touch to get the Lady Blues off to the best start imaginable.
The day got even worse for Todryk in the 16th minute when she appeared to lose her concentration on a long-range effort from
Amber Riley. Riley's effort from more than 30 yards away took a hop before reaching Todryk in front of goal, but should have been played easily. Instead, Todryk allowed it through and the ball settled into the right corner for a shocking 2-0 lead. The goal was
Amber Riley's second of the season and fourth of her career.
Before the end of the half,
Kaylen Sims would make it 3-0.
Ally Kjellander had the delivery on a corner kick that hopped in front of goal without a single Rams player able to make a clearance. Off the bounce, Sims immediately redirected the ball in from the right side of the penalty area to give the Lady Blues plenty of breathing room at the break.
The only momentary doubt came in the 54th minute when Cornell was able to draw one back on an unassisted goal from Emily Snider. Snider's shot from 25 yards away was perfectly placed, nicking the crossbar on the way through. It was the only blemish on an otherwise sterling day from Hanson in front of goal. The senior went out with 10 saves on the afternoon.
A well-worked bit of play just three minutes later all but sealed the match for Illinois College.
Elizabeth Wagnon started the action with a pass ahead to Sholmire, who hustled to the ball before it could reach the end line. Against a stretched Cornell defense, Sholmire delivered a pass into the box for an oncoming Skaggs to belt past Todryk, who was leaning the wrong way.
The exclamation point was delivered in the 61st minute on a Sholmire goal that made it 5-1. It was only fitting that the final assist of the season came from IC's all-time leader in the category. After beating a Cornell defender and then reversing field to open up a bit of daylight, Skaggs squared the ball into the middle of the penalty area for the freshman. Showing a striker's knack for goal, Sholmire settled the ball with her left foot before hitting it with the outside of her right to the lower right corner.
Skaggs led IC on the day with five shots in addition to her two goals and an assist. Sholmire, Sims and
Ellen Radcliffe all had two shots apiece.
On Senior Day for Hanson, Radcliffe, Skaggs, and Amber and
Ashley Riley, the Lady Blues set a new standard for victories in a season (11) and wins in a conference season (five).
