by Eric Willuweit

Chicago, Ill. - Kelly Hitchcock headed in a corner kick with just over 10 minutes remaining to give the Illinois Tech women's soccer team a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Lake Forest College Saturday afternoon at Stuart Field. With the win, the Scarlet Hawks improved to 3-1-0 on the season. The Foresters dropped to 2-2-1 overall.

With the game tied at 1-1 late in the second half, the Hawks were forced to play down one player when goalkeeper Hailey Flannagan was given a red card for a handball outside of the penalty box. Five minutes later the Foresters took the lead, and it appeared a comeback while playing short one player was not in the cards. But the Scarlet Hawks were able to get the equalizer three minutes later, setting the stage for Hitchcock's dramatics.

How It Happened

• The Foresters opened the scoring just over 9 minutes into the first half. On a free kick just above the penalty box, the shot by Lake Forest's Alyssa Xanos was deflected by a Scarlet Hawks player into the air to the right of the net, where a waiting Anna Hoffman headed the ball into the net for a 1-0 lead. That lead would hold up throughout the half. Lake Forest's goalkeeper Maggie Kersting made four saves in the half to keep the Hawks at bay.
• At the 60:34 mark in the second half, Hitchcock scored her first goal of the match to even the score at 1-1. Jayla Anaya started the play inside the Illinois Tech defensive zone, bringing the ball up the left sideline and deep into Lake Forest territory. She pushed a through ball inside to Hitchcock, who broke free from her defender and beat the oncoming goalkeeper Maggie Kersting to her right and put the ball in the low right corner of the net.
• After an official's timeout due to a player injury, Lake Forest's Hiwa Brown received the ball in the far-side corner on the ensuing throw-in, cut inside along the back line and slipped the ball past a rushing Sarah Thomas, the Hawk's relief goalkeeper, to put the Foresters back out in front 2-1.
• The Hawks responded just over 3 minutes later, when Anaya once again made a rush down the far side of the field, cut to the inside to draw two defenders, and fed the cross to a waiting Clàudia Martí Fanlo in front of the net, and Fanlo made a left-footed chip shot to put the ball high in the back of the center of the net to even the score at 2-2.
• 6 minutes later, the Hawks were awarded a corner kick when Fanlo put pressure on Lake Forest's Alessandra Nepa, forcing her to push the ball over the back line. Kenzie Tokuchi took the corner kick from the near-side corner, lofting the ball towards center front net. Hitchcock was able to elevate for the header, knocking it off the inside of the far post, where the ball bounded into the net to complete the Illinois Tech comeback at 3-2.

Scarlet Hawks Standouts

• Hitchcock finished with 2 goals for the match, with 5 shots total.
• Anaya with a pair of assists on both Hawk equalizer goals. Her speed down the side drew defenders and opened up the passing lanes. She also finished with 2 shots on goal.
• Fanlo with a goal that tied the match at 2-2, as well as the offensive zone pressure to create the corner kick opportunity that led to the game-winning goal. She also had 4 shots total.
• First-year players Kayla Smith and Allison Murray eached finished with 3 shots and 1 shot on goal.

Inside The Box Score

• The Scarlet Hawks outshot the Foresters 24-8.
• Neither team finished with their starting goalkeepers, with Flannagan disqualified due to her red card, and Lake Forest's Kersting replaced with 30 minutes to play due to injury.
• The Foresters recorded 9 saves in the contest: 6 by starter Kersting and 3 by her replacement, Joanna Aslanides. The Hawks had 3 saves: 2 for Flannagan and 1 for her replacement, Thomas.
• Illinois Tech led with 10 fouls called against; Lake Forest was whistled for 7 fouls.
• The Hawks held a commanding 10-1 lead in corner kicks.

Up Next

• The Scarlet Hawks will be immediately back in action on Sunday, September 11th, when the Penn State-Behrend Lions come to Stuart Field for a non-conference matchup at noon, CT.