JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois College women's soccer team survived a challenge on Wednesday night from MacMurray College, fighting off the Highlanders by a score of 2-1 in double overtime. The Lady Blues now stand at 2-0-0 on the year and earn IC's first Mayor's Cup point of the 2019-20 competition.
Annie Burns scored Illinois College's opening goal of the night and later drew the penalty that resulted in the game-winning score.
The first half was largely in Illinois College's favor, though the Lady Blues had nothing to show for it. The match went to halftime at 0-0 in spite of a 10-4 edge in total shots for IC. MacMurray showed a knack for short, intricate passes and slow build-up play, but it often saw those attacks come to an end at the edge of the IC penalty area as the Lady Blues were able to close down some of those passing angles in close quarters.
It didn't take long for the match to spring to life in the second half. Burns latched onto an error in the MacMurray defense and slotted home past Kayla Enochs in the 51st minute to make it 1-0. Unfortunately, Illinois College returned the favor less than five minutes later. On a failed clearance attempt, Maggie Doss was able to head the ball past an advancing
Charlotte Crofton to tie the score at 1-1 in the 55th minute.
From that point on, most of IC's shots seemed to be long-range efforts that troubled Enochs to varying degrees. On the other side of the field, the Lady Blues held on despite the speed and footwork of MacMurray's Krystal Kohensky presenting all kinds of scoring chances for the Highlanders.
The match moved into extra time and then into a second overtime after a scoreless opening 10 minutes. With less than five minutes remaining in the match, Burns took a throw-in and dribbled into the 18-yard box where she was taken down and a penalty called.
Olivia Dobbs calmly stood over the ball and placed it into a corner for the game-winner.
Katie Elmore ended with a match-high nine shots on the night.
Mychaela Bennett and
Morgan Lallish each added four and Dobbs ended with three. Crofton made seven saves on the night.
Illinois College heads to Richmond, Ind. on Saturday for a 1 p.m. (EST) start against Earlham College.
