The Eastern Michigan University soccer team saw a postseason victory with a 1-0 win on Senior Day over the Northern Illinois University Huskies Sunday Oct. 22 at Scicluna Field.
Junior goalkeeper Kaylin Williams made two saves in the match for her tenth career clean sheet. She joined former Eagle standouts such as Megan McCabe, Nikki Allen and Monique Budani as the only Eagle keepers to post back-to-back shutouts three or more times in a career.
“It was really easy being back there. The defense did a really good job and the forwards really helped a lot by having the pressure up top, it makes it easier on all of us in the back,” Williams said.
The Eagles earned a free kick from just outside the 18 yard-line halfway through the first period. Freshman Madeline Olson bent a cross to the far post, and working through traffic, senior and Ypsilanti native, Alex Wilbanks got enough of a boot on it for her first goal of the season in the 28th minute.
“I think I knew that our main thing that we had to do today is to play and to win to keep going and then I had my moment, and then it was like, alright it’s game time,” Wilbanks said. “It was a good team win.”
In the first half, the Eagles held NIU without a shot on goal for the entire period. Northern Illinois stepped things up a notch on attack in the second half, tallying five shots, two of which were on goal in the last 45 minutes of the match.
Eastern Michigan continues its fight for the postseason Thursday, Oct. 26, in Mount Pleasant, Mich. against in-state rival Central Michigan University. Kickoff of the regular season finale is scheduled for 3 p.m.
