Here's this week's Big Ten soccer blog, full of scores, rankings and predictions sure to go wrong. I take Michigan State at home in tonight's battle with the Wolverines: http://www.illinihq.com/blogs/molines-musings/2011-10/big-home-weekend-illinois-soccer.html
Purdue pulling off the upset?? Other picks look right. Sunday result in Champaign will be important for points in the table. It's going ne tight for 5-7 th spots
Yeah, I struggled with the Michigan - Purdue pick. I just had a feeling that if Michigan lost to MSU (which they did) that they'd come back with a bit of renewed focus on Sunday. With those two teams, look for a very physical game in West Lafayette.
Standings after yesterday's MSU win: Code: Team Record Pct. Pts. Record Pct. Penn State 5-1-0 .833 15 12-3-0 .800 Michigan State 4-3-0 .571 12 11-4-0 .733 Wisconsin 3-1-2 .667 11 8-4-2 .643 Illinois 3-2-1 .583 10 9-4-1 .679 Ohio State 3-2-1 .583 10 8-5-1 .607 Michigan 3-3-1 .500 10 8-5-2 .600 Iowa 2-2-2 .500 8 10-2-2 .786 Minnesota 2-2-2 .500 8 5-7-2 .429 Purdue 2-3-1 .417 7 5-8-2 .400 Indiana 2-4-0 .333 6 6-7-1 .464 Nebraska 2-4-0 .333 6 5-7-1 .423 Northwestern 1-5-0 .167 3 2-11-0 .154
Wow...Purdue is putting a hurting on Indiana. 4-0 late first half. Four different players have scored. Shots are only 8-7 Purdue, but the Boilers have put seven shots on goal.
Updated Standings Code: Team Record Pct. Pts. Record Pct. Penn State 5-1-0 .833 15 12-3-0 .800 Michigan State 4-3-0 .571 12 11-4-0 .733 Wisconsin 3-1-2 .667 11 8-4-2 .643 Illinois 3-2-1 .583 10 9-4-1 .679 Ohio State 3-2-1 .583 10 8-5-1 .607 Michigan 3-3-1 .500 10 8-5-2 .600 Purdue 3-3-1 .500 10 6-8-2 .438 Iowa 2-2-2 .500 8 10-2-2 .786 Minnesota 2-2-2 .500 8 5-7-2 .429 Nebraska 2-4-0 .333 6 5-7-1 .423 Indiana 2-5-0 .286 6 6-8-1 .433 Northwestern 1-5-0 .167 3 2-11-0 .154
What a beautiful sight it was! Purdue got the first goal and the sky opened up and let down a pretty heavy rain. Apparently this energized the Boilers because they got 2 more in quick succession and then it was all history. Both PKs were pretty weak calls I thought.
Here's the recap with comments from Coach Klatte and players Kellie Phillips and Chinyelu Asher. Purdue 8 Indiana 2
Phillips is on her way to offensive player of the week honors with that hat trick. Eight goals?! There can't be any heart left in that team after that.
I know bmoline is busy at Illinois, here are the scores. Illinois 1, Minnesota 0 Penn State 5, Nebraska 4 Northwestern 1, Wisconsin 1 (OT) Iowa 1, Ohio State 0 Penn State atop the standings with 18 points, Illinois in second with 13.
Yes, a very wild night. I'll try to have a post on IlliniHQ.com later today that I'll link to on this thread.
Here's the updated blog with current standings, interviews and more: http://www.illinihq.com/blogs/molines-musings/2011-10/illinois-soccer-moving-standings.html
And updated standings here: Code: Team Record Pct. Pts. Record Pct. Penn State 6-1-0 .857 18 13-3-0 .813 Illinois 4-2-1 .643 13 10-4-1 .700 Michigan State 4-3-0 .571 12 11-4-0 .733 Wisconsin 3-1-3 .643 12 8-4-3 .633 Iowa 3-2-2 .500 11 11-2-2 .800 Michigan 3-3-1 .500 10 8-5-2 .600 Ohio State 3-3-1 .500 10 8-6-1 .567 Purdue 3-3-1 .500 10 6-8-2 .438 Minnesota 2-3-2 .500 8 5-8-2 .400 Nebraska 2-5-0 .286 6 5-8-1 .393 Indiana 2-5-0 .286 6 6-8-1 .423 Northwestern 1-5-1 .214 3 2-11-1 .179
Penn State 4, Iowa 0...4 goals on 11 shots, quality striking as Hayes tallies 2 for 21 goals this year. Michigan State 2, Indiana 1 (OT)...a goal with 2 seconds left in regulation might've saved MSU's NCAA chances Michigan 3, Purdue 1...Ezurike with the hat trick Minnesota 1, Northwestern 0...Phillips gets the game-winner Nebraska 3, Ohio State 2...Ohio State scores just twice on 26 shots as Marlborough's second half pair of goals snaps a 5-game losing streak.
Add to the above Illinois 1 Wisconsin 0. Megan Pawloski the lone goal, as the Illini maintain second place in the conference. Check out the blog today for updated standings, interviews, and exactly how Michigan State pulled out that win at Indiana: http://www.illinihq.com/blogs/molin...ther-day-another-1-0-win-illinois-soccer.html
It's nice to see Steph Panozzo get some playing time after all the time she's spent as a backup, on Illinois as well as other teams. She seems to be doing well, too.
Yeah, she's really done a nice job as the season has gone along. It was really a completely revamped defensive unit and system, so it took a while for everyone to get on the same page. But now they've got a four-game shutout streak going, and Steph has made some great saves during this stretch.
Schram is very deserving of Player of the Week honors. Realllly looking forward to Penn State v Michigan State on Friday, PSU can basically seal the Big Ten with a victory.
I think a PSU win and an Illinois loss sews up a share on Friday. Two wins by PSU clinches it solo no matter what in the third game.
Panozzo rewarded by the Big Ten as Defensive Player of the Week. Schram, Emily Hurd and Chinyelu Asher also honored by the league this week: http://www.bigten.org/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/101711aaa.html