McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University women's soccer team concluded their 2024 season with a match against Millikin University on Wednesday night. Despite scoring the first goal, IWU was defeated 2-1 by MU.

The Titans had a closely contested game, trailing slightly in shots (23-22) and corner kicks (4-3), but they led in saves with seven compared to Millikin's six. Freshman Grace Kiewiet played the entire match as goalkeeper, achieving seven saves and bringing her season total to 89.

IWU's offense was able to challenge the Big Blue's defense effectively, creating several opportunities. In the 11th minute, freshman Ellen Dahlquist maneuvered past Millikin's keeper but saw her shot blocked by a defender. The Titans managed to score in the 18th minute when senior captain Tegan Timerman assisted Dahlquist for her second goal of the season.

Millikin equalized in the 36th minute, leading to a halftime score of 1-1. The Titans' defense restricted Millikin to nine shots in the second half while freshmen Keira Robinson and Bree Cordray came close to scoring again with shots hitting the crossbar.

In the 74th minute, Adrianna Gudaitis scored for Millikin, securing their lead until the final whistle. This match marked the end of Illinois Wesleyan's season; however, they will return with 21 players for next year.