USC
Illinois
USC Upsets No. 17 Illinois With 3-1 Win
September 02, 2011 | Women's Soccer
Sept. 2, 2011
CHAMPAIGN, ILL. - The USC women's soccer team snagged an important road win in putting together an offensive onslaught that tacked up a 3-1 victory over No. 17 host Illinois. The win over a ranked team provided a big lift for the Trojans, who now hold a 2-3 overall record in the early goings of 2011. Illinois takes its first loss of the year to go to 4-1 overall on the year.
Even on shots in the first half, the Women of Troy would get on the board in the 17th minute when Kristina Noriega gathered in a turnover by the Illinois defense and fed senior Ashley Freyer on a break. Freyer sent the ball low to the left corner from about 12 yards out, putting USC up 1-0. That lead held through halftime, but the Trojans had more offense in the tank for round two.
In the 57th minute of play, a yellow card to Illinois goalkeeper Steph Panozzo outside the box set up Brittany Kerridge with a free kick. She launched the ball into the box, where Haley Boysen went airborne and tucked in a header into the top right corner to pad USC's advantage to 2-0. Ten minutes later, the Trojans got set up with a penalty kick, and Kerridge took to the line for the strike. Her second PK of the year was solid, sneaking through Panozzo, who had guessed correctly but was late on the stretch as Kerridge tacked up her third goal of the year to go along with her third assist to date.
The Fighting Illini averted a shutout in the 74th minute when Vanessa DiBerardo finished off a pass into the box to make it a 3-1 score. Illinois peppered the USC goal with 15 shots in the second half, but that was the only one to make it through, as USC goalkeeper Shelby Church made four saves to finish with six on the day.
USC now heads to Purdue for a Sunday (Sept. 4) matchup against the Boilermakers at 1 p.m. ET.
Sept. 2, 2011 - Champaign, Ill.
USC 3, #17 Illinois 1
USC 1 - 2 = 3
ILL 0 - 1 = 1
SCORING:
16:06 - USC: Ashley Freyer (Kristina Noriega)
56:23 - USC: Haley Boysen (Brittany Kerridge)
65:22 - USC: Kerridge (penalty kick)
73:52 -ILL: Vanessa DiBernardo (Marissa Holden)
SAVES: Shelby Church (USC) 6, Steph Panozzo (ILL) 5.
SHOTS: USC 13, Illinois 24
CORNER KICKS: USC 4, Illinois 2
FOULS: USC 16, Illinois 6
