By: A Bianca Savarese hat trick gave the senior 27 goals for her career and made her IC’s all-time leading goal scorer in her final match.
Box Score RIPON, Wis. -
Bianca Savarese had three goals on the 2015 season entering her and the Illinois College women's soccer team's final match on Saturday against Ripon College. The senior began the year with 21 goals and those three gave her 24 for her career, two back of the all-time goal-scoring mark at IC which was shared by Abbey Suter and Terri Townslay. But after a 4-1 win for the Lady Blues over the Red Hawks, there's a new recordholder in IC history. Savarese netted a dramatic hat trick, scoring all three after halftime to end her time with the Lady Blues with 27 goals and as IC's all-time leader in that category as well as career points.
The first goal of the match belonged to
Elizabeth Wagnon. Savarese supplied the assist in the 12th minute for Wagnon's first of the year. The match would stay at 1-0 all the way to halftime with the Lady Blues outshooting Ripon, 5-2, in the first 45 minutes.
Savarese started her charge towards the record in the 52nd minute on a cross into the box from
Ashley Sholmire. Ripon responded with a goal in the 63rd minute to close the gap to 2-1 with nearly a full half-hour still to play.
The goal that tied the all-time Illinois College record came in the 71st minute as Savarese took on the Ripon defense by herself, weaving between defenders and beating Red Hawk keeper Jessica Bykowski to make it 3-1. With time ticking away, Savarese drew a penalty in the 86th minute, then took the spot kick herself and finished off the hat trick.
Savarese ends her time with 27 goals and 16 assists, finishing with 70 career points to set the new record in that category as well.
Sholmire led the Lady Blues with four shots in the match, two of which were on target.
Kaylen Sims had two shots and
Jessica Martinez added one.
Cat Solberg made six saves in her last match between the posts for IC. The back line -- led by the efforts of
Julie Weier and
Rebecca Morris -- allowed only half of Ripon's 14 shots to end on frame.
The Lady Blues wrap up their season at 6-10-2 (3-6-1 Midwest Conference). The senior class of Savarese, Solberg, Martinez and Weier leave as the winningest Senior class in the history of the program.
