By Gargoyle sports staff

Posted Thursday, April 26, 2007, The OG, girls soccer & sports

Wong battles a Mattoon defender.

(Gargoyle photo) (click to enlarge)

URBANA — The Illineks continue to demonstrate that stories of their improvement are no exaggeration.

Today the girls defeated Class AA Mattoon 1-0 in a home match at DCR Fields that was shortened because of lightning. The game was called with 3:33 left to play.

Athletic Director Sally Walker confirmed that the match will count as a win for Uni.

The nonconference victory raises Uni's record to 4-5-1 overall. The Illineks remain 2-0 in the East Central Illinois Conference.

Mattoon is now 2-10-1. This is the third time Uni has defeated the Green Wave. In the six years the schools have played each other, the home team has won every game.

Still, how big was today's win?

Last year Uni lost to Mattoon 8-0. The Green Wave scored 6 goals in the first half alone of that match. For the game, Uni goalkeeper Mandy Grill, then a junior, made 26 saves while her teammates only managed a single shot on goal.

This afternoon's contest was a different story.

“Things were pretty even,” said assistant coach Betsy Dorner shortly after play was stopped. “The girls were really playing hard.”

The only scoring happened with 17:25 left in the first half. Freshman Erika Belmont was credited with the goal, although the ball actually deflected off a Mattoon defender.

The Green Wave had 9 shots in the first half, but only 1 of them required Grill to make a save. Uni managed 5 shots before halftime, with 3 on goal.

In the second half the visitors launched 6 shots, with Grill making 2 saves. Uni only had a single shot, which wasn't on goal, but the Illineks didn't need any more offense at that point. They were doing a solid job of breaking up Mattoon's scoring opportunities and running down the clock.

Today's victory marks the second time this season that the Illineks have defeated a team that beat them 8-0 last year. Uni edged Macon Meridian 1-0 on April 12 to avenge the other 8-0 loss.

The shutout was Grill's third of the season, equaling the number she recorded last year.

The girls will travel to ECIC opponent Normal Calvary Baptist on Saturday for their next match. The action is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.

Uni defeated the Crusaders 3-2 when they played in a rain-soaked game April 14.

In other soccer news, the IHSA has announced the schedule for the Class A sectionals.

The Illineks will compete in the Williamsville sectional, where they are seeded No. 8 out of 10 teams, ahead of Monticello and ECIC foe Judah Christian.

The girls tied Monticello 2-2 on April 5 but have yet to play Judah.

In the first round of playoff action, the Illineks will host Monticello on May 11 at 4:30 p.m.

If they win that game, they would visit top-seeded Williamsville on May 14.

VARSITY RECORD: 4-5-1 overall, 2-0 East Central Illinois Conference

(Games at DCR Fields are in bold)

Season Preview: Illineks look for improvement as season begins today

March 28: St. Thomas More, L 2-1

— Illinek scoring recap: Michelle Wong (penalty kick, first half)

— story: Uni drops season opener

March 30: Centennial, L 3-0

— Illinek scoring recap: no goals

— story: History is repeated in 3-0 loss to Centennial

April 3: Urbana, game canceled because of wet field conditions (will not be rescheduled)

April 5: at Monticello, T 2-2

— Illinek scoring recap: Erika Belmont (first half); Joy Shapley (second half)

— story: Illineks come back to tie Monticello

April 10: at Charleston, L 7-1

— Illinek scoring recap: Erika Belmont (first half)

— story: Close game turns into lopsided loss to Charleston

April 12: Macon Meridian, W 1-0

— Illinek scoring recap: Sarah Pfander (second half)

— story: Pfander's goal lifts Uni over Meridian for first win

April 14: Normal Calvary Baptist, * W 3-2

— Illinek scoring recap: Suran Yoo (2 goals, both first half); Sarah Pfander (first half)

— story: Illineks ignore rain, mud to win second straight

April 17: St. Thomas More, L 4-1

— Illinek scoring recap: Suran Yoo (second half)

— story: Illineks fall again to St. Thomas More

April 19: Decatur Christian, * W 3-0

— Illinek scoring recap: Erika Belmont (second half); Joy Shapley (second half); Chelsea Freeland (second half)

— story: Uni shuts out Decatur Christian

April 24: at Mahomet-Seymour, L 2-0

— Illinek scoring recap: no goals

— story: Illineks fall to Mahomet-Seymour 2-0

April 26: Mattoon, W 1-0

— Illinek scoring recap: Erika Belmont (first half)

— story: see above

*East Central Illinois Conference opponent

Remaining games: see schedule