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Saturday, 4:00 PM – Washington State vs Illinois

Illinois will come into their first round matchup with Washington State likely feeling they’ve been given a new lease on life after having appeared to blow it late in the season. The Illini endured a miserable run of two wins in seven that pushed them to the brink and likely went into the final few games knowing they needed to win and win often to go dancing. They’d win their final two Big Ten games but bowed out in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals to Indiana, looking like their goose was cooked after falling out of the traditional bubble zone. But come Selection Monday, there was a pleasant surprise for Illinois as they had indeed made the cut. Speaking subjectively, you have to wonder if the return of Vanessa DiBernardo from a sprained knee had any effect on the minds of the selection committee. The Illini are simply a different team with their senior midfield star in the lineup, and her return to the club makes Illinois a dangerous proposition in attack. Illinois was already a frightening foe to face, considering they have the deadly Jannelle Flaws at their disposal. Flaws has enjoyed a breakout season, with twenty-one goals to her name leading the line for the Illini. Flaws figures to have a talented dance partner on Saturday though, as Washington State’s Rachael Doyle has more than enough experience in dealing with top offensive threats over the course of her career. DiBernardo’s play thus becomes critical to open up the defense and ensure Illinois will be able to test the WSU defense. The offense better score. Illinois comes into this one as the team in this competition who’ve conceded the most goals this season, with the five they shipped to Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament hardly the best of omens. Rookie goalkeeper Claire Wheatley’s endured a constant stream of hiccups in net this season, and the backline in front of her hasn’t provided that much respite. Unlike seasons’ past, this Washington State team isn’t just a defensive juggernaut either. Given WSU’s well rounded game and home advantage, Illinois will be clear underdogs on Saturday, though anyone with an attack like theirs has a puncher’s chance.

Keidane McAlpine inherited a talented side when he took over before the 2012 season, but the Cougars’ head coach has spurred his side on to new heights since. WSU rose all the way to second place in the Pac-12 this season, and though they were well off league winners UCLA, the Cougars still proved themselves a program on the rise with a strong league campaign after a non-conference schedule that perhaps did not prove as testing as hoped. That probably cost the club a national seed, though WSU comes into this one in excellent form having won their last five games, scoring ten goals and conceding just one in that span. It was a far cry from their back-to-back losses to Utah and Oregon State that had some likely wondering if the club had run out of gas. The strong finish has led to many tipping WSU for a deep NCAA Tournament run, and it’s not hard to see why. The club is spearheaded by Pac-12 Player of the Year Micaela Castain, who was sensational this season in scoring eleven goals and assisting on eleven more for the Cougars. Castain’s the bread and butter of the offense, but she’s far from the only weapon, as the club also boasts breakout Canadian star Nicole Setterlund. Setterlund entered Pullman with a massive amount of hype, but it’s taken a while for the youngster to settle, with the club reaping the dividends this season, as she’s netted eight goals in an outstanding campaign. WSU has typically been known for their stifling defense, and this season really isn’t an exception, as they’ve given up just eleven goals overall, including just eight in the league, second only to champions UCLA. Australia’s Rachael Doyle is the name all the Pac-12 aficionados know, but the club may have a new star in the making in the form of redshirt freshman Susie White, who’s been a revelation in her rookie season. I’m bullish on WSU’s chances of slowing down Illinois’ attack in Pullman, though I figure they’ll be squeaked out by Portland next weekend. Make no mistake though, WSU’s a very dangerous club, and it’d hardly be a shock if they ended up in the Elite Eight…or beyond.

Prediction – Washington State 2 – 1 Illinois

Illinois Tournament Prediction – First Round
Washington State Tournament Prediction – Second Round

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