By: Ahead just before the hour mark, Carroll pulled away with two scores in the final 10 minutes for a 3-0 win over Illinois College.
Box Score JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois College women's soccer team put in a valiant effort against another one of the top teams in the Midwest Conference, but Carroll University scored in the 59th minute and added two more in the final 10 minutes of the second half to earn a 3-0 win over the Lady Blues. Illinois College drops to 4-7-2 (1-3-1 MWC), while the Pioneers up their record to 8-4-1 (4-2-0 MWC).
Illinois College and Carroll began the match evenly, with goalkeepers
Cat Solberg and Sabrina Sieger each being tested.
Ally Kjellander and
Kaylen Sims each put a shot on target in the opening quarter of an hour that Sieger had to stop. As the half proceeded, the Pioneers mounted more and more of an attack on the IC goal however. By halftime, Carroll had a 10-3 edge in shots, with Solberg forced to make five saves to keep the match level.
That momentum carried over into the second half and the Pioneers finally pushed in front on a goal by Delaney Pruitt. Sara Mahoney played her through and Pruitt just reached the ball before an onrushing Solberg could reach it. Dribbling clear of the sliding keeper, there was no one left to stop Pruitt as she slid it into the net.
Illinois College's response back was immediate and the Lady Blues were very unlucky to not tie the match back up.
Bianca Savarese evaded a group of Carroll defenders to find space on the left-hand side of the 18-yard box and she shot high over the outstretched arms of Sieger, only to hit the crossbar. Just a few seconds later, Savarese had the ball at her feet again and a low effort went just a yard left of the frame.
Carroll left no doubt with two goals in a three-minute span as the clock ticked down. In the 82nd minute, Pruitt delivered a corner kick that was headed forcefully by Rachel Van Sluys at the back post to make it 2-0. In the 85th minute, Van Sluys outran the IC defense and scored on another Pruitt assist to push the margin to three.
Illinois College ended with nine shots in the match.
Ashley Sholmire led the Lady Blues with three, while Kjellander and Savarese had two apice. Solberg ended the match with nine saves.
The Lady Blues will be on the road next weekend for a pair of matches, starting on Oct. 17 against Beloit College at 11 a.m.
