Blue Demons Denied Despite 16 Shots at Home

Thursday, August 28

Chicago, Ill.

4 P.M. CT

DePaul University

2-3-0, 0-0-0

Illinois

4-0-0, 0-0-0

Illinois

DePaul

8/28/2025 7:50:00 PM | WOMEN'S SOCCER

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Illini stay unbeaten with penalty and late strike in 2-0 result

CHICAGO – DePaul women's soccer fell 2-0 to Illinois on Thursday evening at Wish Field, as the Illini used a second-half penalty and an 84th-minute goal to secure the result. Illinois (4-0-0) extended its perfect start to the year with a fourth consecutive shutout, while DePaul (2-3-0) came up empty despite generating 16 total shots.

"I think we created enough dangerous chances to get on the scoreboard, and that's a step in the right direction," said head coach Michele O'Brien. "Now it's about being more clinical and executing in those moments, converting chances into goals. We'll keep training that mindset and mentality around execution in and around the box. The goal is to put the players in situations where they feel confident to finish when their moment matters."

How It Happened
The match stayed level through the first half despite opportunities on both sides. In the 19th minute, Katelyn Jamie broke free on a counterattack but was cut off inside the box. Nahla Dominguez kept the pressure on with a shot from distance in the 38th minute, forcing Illinois goalkeeper Izzy Lee to make the stop.

DePaul came out strong after the break, nearly converting off a corner kick in the 45th minute. Illinois then swung momentum in the 58th minute when Emma Yee scored from the penalty spot to put the Illini on top. Just a minute later, Tessa Fagerson nearly equalized with a right-footed strike from the edge of the box, but Lee came up with one of her seven saves.

The Blue Demons kept pushing forward and created one of their best looks when Sienna Gonzales found space deep in the box, though her attempt was again denied. Illinois added insurance in the 84th minute, as Sarah Foley finished off a Kyra Berman assist to close out the 2-0 result.

Match Notes

DePaul outshot Illinois 16-11 and held a 7-5 advantage in shots on goal.
Sienna Gonzales led all players with five shots, while Katelyn Jamie added three.
Goalkeeper Izzy Lee recorded seven saves for her fourth consecutive clean sheet.
Blue Demons held slight edge with 5-4 corner kicks.

Up Next
DePaul takes on cross-town rival UIC on Thursday, Sept. 4 at home. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. CT with streaming coverage on Marquee Sports Network.

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