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WEEK 2: Illinois (2-0-0, 0-0-0) vs. Boston College (2-0-1, 0-0-0) // at DePaul (2-1-0, 0-0-0) // at Kentucky (3-0-0, 0-0-0)


Match 3: Boston College
Monday, Aug. 25 // 6 p.m. CT // Demirjian Park // Champaign, Ill.


Match 4: DePaul
Thursday, Aug. 28 // 4 p.m. CT // Wish Field // Chicago, Ill.


Match 5: Kentucky
Sunday, Aug. 31 // 12 p.m. CT // Bell Soccer Complex // Lexington, Ky.


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Boston College // DePaul // Kentucky


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Boston College // DePaul // Kentucky


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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois soccer is set for its home opener against Boston College on Monday (Aug. 25) at 6 p.m. CT. It will be Monday Night Fùtbol at Demirjian Park where fans can enter for their chance to win four tickets to the Illinois football game vs. Western Illinois and a reserved tailgating spot in Grange Grove on Aug. 29.

The Orange and Blue then travel to Chicago to face DePaul on Thursday (Aug. 28) at 4 p.m. before heading to Lexington, Ky. to battle Kentucky on Sunday (Aug. 31) at noon CT.

SCOUTING BOSTON COLLEGE

This will be the second meeting between the Eagles and Fighting Illini where the Illini trail the series 0-1-0. Their first meeting came on Nov. 24, 2013, in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament in Lincoln, Neb. where BC emerged victorious, 4-1. The Eagles are currently 2-0-1 this season with wins over Stonehill (4-1) and FDU (4-0) and a 0-0 draw against Cornell; they went 12-5-2 overall last season with a 4-4-2 mark in ACC play.

SCOUTING DEPAUL

This is the fourth meeting between DePaul and Illinois where the Orange and Blue hold a 2-1-0 advantage in the series. Their last meeting was on Aug. 18, 2024, where Illinois won 2-1 in Demirjian Park and the first meeting was on Aug. 20, 2017, where the Illini also won 2-1 in Champaign. DePaul’s lone win in the series came on Aug. 23, 2018, by a score of 3-1 in Chicago.

The Blue Demons are currently 2-1-0 with their wins against Chicago State (6-2) and Purdue (2-0) with their loss against Northern Illinois (1-0); they went 5-8-7 overall last season and 3-3-4 in Big East play. In the Big East Tournament, they knocked off No. 3 seed Butler in the first round via penalty kicks before falling to No. 2 seed Xavier (2-0) in the next round.

SCOUTING KENTUCKY

This will be the fourth meeting between Kentucky and Illinois where the Illini trail the all-time series 0-3-0. The first meeting was back on Sept. 1, 2002, in Columbia, Mo. with the Wildcats on top (1-0) and the last meeting was on Aug. 31, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. ending in a 2-1 Kentucky win. The Wildcats are currently 3-0-0 this season with shut out wins over Jackson State (4-0) and West Georgia (7-0) and a 2-1 win over East Tennessee State. The Wildcats went 11-5-5 overall last season with a 3-3-4 record in SEC games. They earned a win in the NCAA Tournament over West Virginia on penalty kicks before they were eliminated by Notre Dame in the second round (3-1).

ILLINOIS NOTES


Head coach Katie Hultin earned her first victory as head coach of the Fighting Illini on Aug. 14 over UIC (1-0), it was also her first Division I win as head coach.
Cayla Jackson scored the opening goal of the 2025 season and Hultin era in the third minute against UIC.
It’s the second goal of Jackson’s career and her second game winner as well. She’s now scored a game winning goal for and against Illinois as the only goal she scored last season for Georgia was in their win over the Illini.
Izzy Lee has posted two clean sheets this season in two appearances, making seven saves across those two games. She now has seven career shutouts.
Sydney Stephens scored the game winner against Bowling Green on Aug. 17 to improve the Illini to 2-0-0. It’s the ninth goal of her career and her third game winner.
Freshman Ashlyn Adams recorded her first collegiate point assisting on Stephen’s game-winning goal.
Sarah Foley leads the Orange and Blue in shots on goal with six across two games.