Sports roundup: Uni teams enjoy success on busy Tuesday

By Danny Ge, Elaine Gu, Isaac Chambers, AND Rachel Skoza
Published: Wednesday, September 3, 2008 - 2:56pm

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URBANA — The boys soccer team earned its second win of the season on Tuesday with a 5-1 conference victory over Judah Christian, highlighted by junior Dan Lilly’s four goals, which brings his total for the season up to nine.

The victory represented a major turnaround from last year, when Judah blanked Uni 5-0.

This is Lilly's second game in a row in which he has scored four goals. He accounted for all of the team's goals in Uni's 4-2 victory Saturday over Oakwood in the final game of the Uni High Soccer Shoot Out.

His first goal against Judah came in the 20th minute off an assist from senior Carter Hutchens. Then in the 29th minute, Lilly headed in another goal, putting Uni up 2-0, which would remain the score for the remainder of the first half.

To start off the second half, Judah’s Jung Huan scored a breakaway goal down the left side to the near post of the goal in the 42nd minute. Uni quickly responded with another goal from Lilly in the 48th minute and a goal from senior Stephen Prochaska in the 49th minute.

Lilly finished off the day in the 70th minute with his fourth and final goal, the team’s fifth. Uni’s overall record is 2-2-0, which includes a 1-2 record in Saturday's Shoot Out. The team is 1-0 for the regular season, and 1-0 in the East Central Illinois Conference.

Also on Tuesday, the JV team lost its first game of the season, 4-0 against Judah.

The Illineks will travel Thursday to Mahomet-Seymour for their next game. Varsity action will begin at 4:30 p.m., with JV to follow.

Uni Scoring

20th minute: Dan Lilly (6th goal of season), Carter Hutchens assist (1st of season)
29th minute: Lilly (7th), Eric Fritzsche assist (2nd), Holden Bucher assist (1st)
48th minute: Lilly (8th), Brandon Lin assist (1st)
49th minute: Stephen Prochaska (1st goal), unassisted
70th minute: Lilly (9th), S. Prochaska assist (2nd)

Uni Saves and Shots on Goals

Saves: Nile Hamer 17 (11 first half, 6 second half)
Shots on Goal: 25 (11 first half, 14 second half)

KICKAPOO STATE PARK — After losing four varsity runners from last season, including all-stater Michelle Mehnert, the Uni High girls cross country team got off to a good start Tuesday with a second-place finish at the Kickapoo Kickoff Classic.

St. Joseph-Ogden, which finished fourth at the IHSA Class 1A state finals last year, won the meet. Junior Elizabeth Russell (fourth place) and senior Elaine Gu (fifth place) turned in top 10 performances for the Illineks.

Russell reduced her time from last season by about 40 seconds, running the three-mile course in 22 minutes, 26 seconds, compared to 23:06 last year.

The Illineks will compete Saturday at the annual Chrisman Cowchip Classic.

Team Results

St. Joseph-Ogden – 20 points
Uni High – 80 points
St. Thomas More – 101 points
Danville – 104 points
Unity – 112 points
Oakwood – 119 points
Bismarck-Henning – 148 points
Judah Christian – 205 points

Top Uni High Finishes

4. Elizabeth Russell (jr) – 22:26
5. Elaine Gu (sr) – 22:58
17. Maddy Levin (sr) – 24:55
24. Katherine Allen (jr) – 26:07
30. Brittany Scheid (jr) – 28:22

KICKAPOO STATE PARK — The Uni boys improved on their performance from a year ago, placing second at the three-mile Kickapoo Kickoff Classic on Tuesday.

Defending champ St. Joseph-Ogden won with 37 points. Uni finished with 50 points thanks to a third-place run by junior Nathan Smith (17 minutes, 40 seconds) and a fourth-place showing by senior Malcolm Taylor (17:51).

Smith cut 48 seconds off his time from last season, when he ran 18:28 for eighth place.

In 2007, the Illineks took third with 65 points. One sign of the team's improvement: Last year only two Uni runners finished under 19 minutes (Taylor and Smith), but this year five Illineks achieved that distinction.

Uni's next meet will be Saturday at the annual Chrisman Cowchip Classic.

Team Results

St. Joseph-Ogden – 37 points
Uni High – 50 points
Danville – 53 points
Unity – 108 points
St. Thomas More – 153 points
Oakwood – 166 points
Bismarck-Henning – 213 points
Judah Christian – 230 points

Top Uni High Finishes

3. Nathan Smith (jr) – 17:40
4. Malcolm Taylor (sr) – 17:51
10. Isaac Chambers (sr) – 18:25
16. Albert Anastasio (so) – 18:49
17. Buck Walsh (so) – 18:51
21. Langston Allston-Yeagle (jr) – 19:09
23. Andrew Lovdahl (sr) – 19:20

ATWOOD — The Illineks handily beat the Atwood-Hammond Rajenes in two games on Tuesday, winning the first contest 25-12 and the second 25-21.

Senior Annie Machesky led the team in digs and aces with five and three respectively. Junior Michelle Wong recorded seven assists, and senior Rachel Skoza had five kills.

The match was the first of the 2008 season for the Illineks, who last year set a school record for wins with 20.

Last season Uni required three games to defeat Atwood-Hammond in a much closer match.

In JV action, Uni fell in three games to the Rajenes. The Illineks won the first game 25-16, then lost 17-25, 8-15.

The Illineks will play their home opener on Thursday when Oakwood visits Kenney Gym. JV action will begin at 6 p.m., with the varsity match to follow.

Kills