Penalty Kick The Difference Thursday Night

Thursday, September 18

Eugene, OR

7:00 PM

University of Oregon

2-6-1, 0-2-0

Illinois

8-0-1, 1-0-1

Illinois

Oregon

Photo by: Rob Moseley/GoDucks.com

09/18/25 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Illinois 1, Oregon 0 Photo Gallery

Oregon outshot Illinois and had 11 opportunities on corner kicks but lost 1-0 on a first-half penalty kick.

By: Rob Moseley

EUGENE, Ore. — It's been two weeks since Oregon allowed a goal in the run of play, but two weeks since the Ducks have been able to convert themselves, as well.

For the second straight game a penalty kick proved to be the difference maker, as the UO soccer team dropped a 1-0 decision to Illinois on Thursday in the Ducks' Big Ten home opener at Papé Field. After a loss at No. 4 UCLA this past Saturday in which the Bruins scored twice on penalties, the Illini scored Thursday's only goal on a first-half penalty kick in the 15th minute.

"I feel really, really good about how we're playing," first-year UO coach Tracy Joyner said. "… We're in every game. We're fighting for it and we're creating great chances, and we're being hard to beat defensively. And we just can't quite get it in the goal."

Oregon (2-6-1, 0-2-0 Big Ten) fell Thursday despite a 20-11 advantage in shots, and an 11-4 edge in corner kicks. The Ducks' 12 second-half shots included a number of solid chances in the final 15 minutes, but none that found the back of the net.

"It's hard, because tactically we're doing things very, very well," Joyner said. "We're playing organized and good soccer. Our possession is fantastic. We're, again, generating great chances. And it's just individual players finishing their chances."

How It Happened: Oregon pushed hard from the opening touch, requiring Illinois keeper Izzy Lee to make two saves in the opening five minutes. The Illini responded with a push of their own, and UO keeper Caeley Goldstein made her third of four saves on the night in the 12th minute of action.

But three minutes after that, a foul on the Ducks led to a penalty kick that the Illini converted, five days after the Bruins scored twice on penalties to beat the UO women.

"Those are things we talked about on film," Joyner said. "We broke it down after the UCLA game and couldn't have been clearer in terms of, do not foul, do not foul, do not foul. We didn't even give up any real free kicks, right? That was really one of the only chances that they had that was dangerous."

As they have in the early going this season, the Ducks continued to push until the final whistle. In the 79th minute, Addisen Boyer got free up the right side and had a clear look at the goal, with Lee reaching up to make a save. Two minutes later, Lauren Kenny took a shot from a tough angle on the left side that required another save.

Three of Oregon's 11 corner kicks came in the final four minutes, but the Ducks weren't able to create the equalizer.

"A lot of our decisions are reactionary rather than anticipatory, and we've got to make some adjustments there and look at film," Joyner said. "The details matter, and that's kind of what you look at going from good to great to elite. We're right around good, and we need to be great to elite to be impactful at this level."

Notable: The Ducks have outshot their opponents in seven of nine games this season. … Oregon's 11 corner kicks were a season high. … Abella Hunter had a season-high four shots, while Boyer, Kenny, Taylor Bryan and Sydney Chura had three each.

Up Next: The Ducks host Northwestern on Sunday (noon, B1G+).