Minnesota Women’s Soccer Faces Illinois in Regular Season Finale
The University of Minnesota women’s soccer team will conclude its regular season schedule against Illinois on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, at Demirjian Park in Urbana-Champaign, Ill., with kickoff set for 6 p.m. Minnesota enters the matchup with an 8-6-3 overall record and a 4-5-2 mark in Big Ten play, while Illinois stands at 5-5-7 overall and 2-5-4 in conference action.
Minnesota Earns Four Points Before Illinois Finale
Heading into the finale, Minnesota picked up four points over the previous weekend with a 1-1 draw against No. 21 Washington and a 4-0 win over Oregon, according to gophersports.com. Four different players scored across those two fixtures: Ava Westlund, Caroline Birdsell, Keegan Schmeiser, and Ellen Neuharth. Goalkeeper Sarah Martin recorded 13 saves across both matches, securing her fourth shutout of the season against Oregon. Friday’s contest marks the 30th meeting between Minnesota and Illinois, with the all-time series tied at 12-12-5. The Gophers won the last meeting on the road on Sept. 12, 2024, and hold a two-game win streak in the series.
Coach Erin Chastain Reaches 50 Wins at Minnesota
Head coach Erin Chastain earned her 50th win at Minnesota earlier against Maryland, bringing her six-year record with the Maroon and Gold to 51-39-19 and her 20-year career mark to 170-152-53, gophersports.com reported. Minnesota finished its home slate with a 6-1-3 record at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium, yielding its only home loss to No. 3 Ohio State. Ava Westlund paces the offense with 14 points and eight goals, logging her third brace of the season against Oregon. Meanwhile, Sarah Martin has tallied 79 saves this season and 231 in her career, ranking second in the Big Ten and 38th in the NCAA in saves.