By: Ashley Sholmire’s 27th career goal was the only score of the night for the Lady Blues, who suffered a 3-1 defeat to Greenville University.
Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – Though senior forward
Ashley Sholmire scored her 27th career goal to tie Bianca Savarese for the all-time Illinois College program record, the Lady Blues were defeated by Greenville University on Wednesday night, 3-1. The win improved the Panthers to 3-4-0 while IC goes to 1-7-0.
The match opened competitively, with each team getting chances.
Mackenzie Bedgood had two good looks on goal, pushing a shot wide in the third minute and then buzzing the crossbar in the sixth minute. The Lady Blues kept looking for the perfect through ball against Greenville's back three, and used that plan of attack to force the match's first big break. A pass that sliced through the heart of the Panther defense left
Mychaela Bennett one-on-one with Greenville keeper Marjory Coates. Coates swiftly came out of her box and took Bennett out nearly 30 yards from goal. After consulting with the assistant referee, the center ref showed red and the Lady Blues would go a player up for the final hour.
Despite the advantage, Illinois College didn't have a shot on goal until the final 30 seconds of the first half.
Hali Hahn couldn't generate much power on her shot and backup keeper Sam Barnhart had no trouble collecting it, sending the match to halftime, 0-0.
Greenville used some defensive confusion to take the lead in the first minute of the second half. Looking to avoid a handball,
Jenny Montelongo had trouble clearing a ball out of the box and Suzi Conner was the lucky recipient of a clear look from close range, getting the ball low past
Charlotte Crofton for a 1-0 lead in the 46th minute. In the 52nd minute, a Greenville corner kick was headed down by Megan Taylor and the ball somehow found its way through a scrum in front of the goal to make it 2-0.
Sholmire pulled one back for Illinois College in the 65th minute. A foul gave the Lady Blues a free kick from about 30 yards out and Sholmire decided to test the new Greenville goalkeeper. Her shot was perfectly placed over the top of Barnhart and ripped the back of the net, cutting the IC deficit to 2-1 with her second goal of the season.
For the next several minutes, Illinois College pressed higher and higher up the field looking for the tying goal, but only managed one shot during that stretch. In the 83rd minute, the Panthers countered and Breanna Thomas scored her third goal of 2017 to make it 3-1 and essentially put the game out of reach. As the clock ticked down, Bennett had a shot saved by Barnhart. Later, Bennett placed a cross into the box towards Sholmire but the shot was pushed just wide.
Shots in the match ended on level terms at 14-14. Bedgood and Sholmire each had three apiece, while Bennett,
Olivia Dobbs and
Morgan Lallish had two each. Crofton made four saves on the night.
Midwest Conference play opens this weekend for Illinois College. The Lady Blues host St. Norbert College at 1 p.m. on Sept. 23 at England Stadium.
