Like a fine wine, former Urbana star getting better with age

CHAMPAIGN – During a chance meeting last summer with her former high school soccer coach, Ella Masar heard this supremely confident prediction:

"This is your year – junior year," Randy Blackman told the Illinois forward. "Just like high school."

As always, Coach knows best.

Just as Masar did during her junior season at Urbana High – when she scored an astonishing 40 goals – the former Tiger has taken a sizable leap in Year 3 of her collegiate career.

Entering this week's Big Ten tournament, only four league players have scored more points than Masar's 19 (two for a goal, one for an assist). With six goals, the 5-foot-5 junior has matched the net-finding output of her first two Illini seasons combined. She's also fed teammates for goals seven times, an assist figure that ties for the second highest in the Big Ten.

"If you look at the numbers, it's pretty evident that she's made a significant step in her impact on the college game at this level," Illinois coach Janet Rayfield said.

Just as Blackman had predicted.

In fact, the Tiger coach couldn't resist reminding his former star pupil of his months-ago prescient statements after Masar starred in one of the biggest victories in Illini history Oct. 1.

With Illinois trailing then-No. 9 Penn State 2-0, Masar fueled a remarkable comeback with two goals – including the game-winner – in a 3-2 Illinois victory.

Among the well-wishers ringing up Masar's cell phone was Blackman.

"After Penn State, he called me and he's like, 'I told you. You're doing amazing,' " Masar said.

The fact it took Masar two seasons to emerge as a high-impact college player doesn't necessarily surprise Rayfield. With 14 years of collegiate coaching experience, the UI coach has seen individuals progress at a variety of rates. Generally, however, Rayfield says the first two seasons are more about laying groundwork than soaring with the stars.

"Freshman year, they're sort of overwhelmed," she said. "Sophomore year, they're trying to work hard at things, but it's still an effort. They still have to think about it."

What Rayfield now sees in Masar is a player who reacts more instinctively and is able to more fully exploit her talents – particularly her great speed.

"I think what she's done is really taken herself from being dangerous just athletically to also being dangerous with the timing of a run (at goal), when she gets in, how she does things," the UI coach said. "So her decisions now have made her take advantage of her athleticism, and I think that's been a huge step forward for her this year."

Huge steps rarely are easy, to which Masar can attest. After dominating play at the high school and club levels, the 2004 News-Gazette Player of the Year experienced a sobering transition to collegiate soccer.

In 46 matches during her first two seasons at Illinois, Masar started 12 times. Long the prolific scorer, she entered her junior year with six career goals and eight assists.

Not that Masar didn't have her moments. As a freshman, she assisted on game-winning goals against two Top 10 opponents. During last year's NCAA tournament, she assisted on a game-winner and scored Illinois' lone goal in the second round.

Still, this was a far cry from her high-octane pre-Illini days.

"It was frustrating," Masar said. "I was working hard, it just wasn't coming through. I'd have a good game every once in a while and then I'd fall off."

Last summer, Masar tackled her training program with her usual vigor, but with a twist. Virtually everything she did included a soccer ball – even sprint work.

"The only time I think I ran on the track this summer was when we did a (team) fitness test," Masar said. "One day it would be dribbling, the next day shooting, the next day dribbling. I came in (to training camp) probably in the best shape I've come in so far."

Ten matches into the season, Masar was giving opponents fits with her passing ability. By then she had five assists, though merely one goal. Rayfield never doubted those would come, too. As opponents realized how dangerous Masar was becoming at setting up teammates, Rayfield figured it eventually would free up space around the well-covered forward.

She was right. Starting with the twin scores against Penn State, Masar notched five goals in a seven-match stretch. Three of those were game-winners.

Whether scoring or assisting, Masar has displayed a special knack for being involved in goals that mean the most.

"I think Ella's probably made every scouting report on us," Rayfield said. "They have to because she's assisted or scored eight of our 12 game-winning goals. You don't do something like that and not get noticed."

Masar has credited the tutelage of assistant coach Marcia McDermott for elevating her offensive game, but the UI staff newcomer insists it's Masar who deserves the credit.

"Ella is an extraordinarily hard worker, and I think it's that preparation that's paying off for her," McDermott said. "She's got great talent, but she puts the time in."

Judging by the results, it's time well spent by the versatile Illini.

"She can score so many different ways now," McDermott said. "She can score on her own, and she also is starting to finish balls that are created within the system. And I think that's a tremendous achievement."

IN IT TO WIN IT

Staff writer Jeff Huth offers three keys for the No. 17 Illini women's soccer team in the Big Ten tournament:

Don't overlook any foe

The temptation for second-seeded Illinois might be to look ahead to a possible title showdown with top-seeded Penn State. History tells us that would be a foolish mistake. Since the tournament began in 1994, the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds have squared off in the title match merely three times. No tournament was more topsy turvy than last year's, when the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds met in the final. One of them, No. 8 Michigan, knocked off Illinois in the semifinals.

Stay on the defensive

Hit by several significant graduation losses, Illinois' revamped defense got off to a shaky start. But since early September, the Illini have made major strides on defense and will enter the Big Ten tournament as one of the toughest in the league to score against. In its last seven conference matches, Illinois pitched five shutouts. And for the entire Big Ten regular season schedule, only two teams allowed fewer goals than the Illini, who permitted eight.

Don't fear overtime

Underdogs, in particular, often view their best chance of pulling an upset as putting emphasis on protecting the net and hoping for a defensive slipup by the opponent. Such teams are willing to take their chances in overtime or via penalty-kick shootouts. Since 2000, the tournament has produced 12 matches decided in overtime or by penalty kicks. Illinois has little experience this season in such matches, having played one (a double-overtime loss). If it arises in this tournament, the Illini will need to react with poise.

BIG TEN TOURNAMENT

At State College, Pa.

THURSDAY'S MATCHES

Match 1 – Purdue (3) vs. Ohio State (6), 9:30 a.m.

Match 2 – Illinois (2) vs. Wisconsin (7), 12:30 p.m.

Match 3 – Penn State (1) vs. Northwestern (8), 3:30 p.m.

Match 4 – Indiana (4) vs. Michigan (5), 6:30 p.m.

FRIDAY'S MATCHES

Match 5 – Match 1 winner vs. Match 2 winner, 3:30 p.m.

Match 6 – Match 3 winner vs. Match 4 winner, 6:30 p.m.

SUNDAY'S MATCH

Match 7 – Championship, 12:30 p.m.

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