BLOOMINGTON, IL - The Benedictine University women's soccer team opened the year by falling 4-1 at Illinois Wesleyan University, a 20-win team last year.

FINAL SCORE
Illinois Wesleyan 4, Benedictine 1

THE DETAILS
• Stout defense helped Benedictine keep the match close early
• Benedictine managed just two shots in the opening 45 minutes, but both were on target
• The contest reached the half scoreless
• A corner kick set up the first goal for Illinois Wesleyan just minutes into the second half
• The hosts went on to build a 4-0 edge, scoring the second and third goals on consecutive possessions just second apart
• The lone Benedictine tally came in the 82nd minute when Taylor Pokorny drove home a feed from Sabie Ramirez

FROM THE COACH
"It was certainly not the result we were looking for, but there were some things to take away," said third year head coach Mike Boland. "To be scoreless at the half with one of the best teams in the country and to score a goal is nice. However, we had some lapses in areas. We will work on shoring up those areas as we prepare for another NCAA Tournament team in Carroll."

STAT LEADERS
• Illinois Wesleyan, who reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament in 2015, held a 21-4 advantage in shots, blasting 14 in the second half
• Pokorny tallied a pair of shots while Courtney McCurdy and Daniela Nieto each put one on target
• Cassidy Henson played the entire game in net, stopping eight shots including six in the second half

UP NEXT
Benedictine continues the first week of the season with a road contest against Carroll, a 2015 NCAA Tournament team, in Wisconsin on Saturday