Note: This is an updated version of an entry originally published on Thursday night, March 27. For a photo essay of this game, click here.

URBANA — After spotting St. Thomas More a two-goal lead, the Uni girls varsity soccer team came back to defeat the visiting Sabers 3-2 Thursday at the DCR Soccer Complex.

All of Uni's scoring came in the second half. Senior forward Aran Yoo scored the Illineks' first two goals, with an assist on each by her twin sister, Suran.

Michelle Wong scored the winning goal, with an assist by fellow sophomore Elizabeth Russell.

The nonconference victory — coming just two days after the Illineks upset Class AA Centennial 2-1 — raises Uni's record to 2-0 overall, 0-0 in the East Central Illinois Conference. (The team won't face an ECIC opponent until April 12.)

Thursday's game was played on a muddy field in the midst of a steady drizzle and cold winds.

"Much of the action consisted of who could best get the ball up field quickly and take advantage of the slippery conditions," said Uni head coach Philip Anders.

St. Thomas More benefited from the poor conditions on its first goal, which came on a routine shot by the Sabers' Hannah Radnitzer that slipped through senior goalkeeper Sarah Pfander's grasp in the 17th minute of the contest.

The Sabers maintained a 1-0 lead until three minutes into the second half, when Radnitzer scored from the top of the penalty area for her second goal of the contest.

But as Anders said after the game, this was a rare attack for the Sabers in the second half, as the Illinek defense limited the visitors to only three shots on goal in the final 40 minutes compared to Uni's 12.

About 8 minutes after falling behind 2-0, the Illineks finally got on the scoreboard as Suran Yoo set up her sister for the team's first goal, and the comeback was on.

After taking 51 minutes to score their first goal of the contest, the Illineks needed only 14 minutes to score their next two and clinch the win.

Aran Yoo made the most of another pass from Suran to tie the game in the 61st minute. Just four minutes later, Wong took a pass from sophomore Elizabeth Russell and converted it into the winning goal. Anders described it as "an extraordinary shot" from the edge of the penalty box.

According to Wong, the Illineks never got down on themselves when they trailed early in the game. Instead, just as they had done against Centennial two days earlier, they played their best soccer after halftime.

"The first goal [that STM] scored was a lucky shot," Wong said. "It went through the goalie's hands because the ball was wet. I think that kind of pumped us up a bit because we're like, 'OK, lucky shot, we have luck too.'

"And in the second half I guess we came back fired up. I think we also wanted to prove a point — that girls soccer can actually do good. This is the first year we've beaten two big schools in a row and started off the season with wins."

Aran Yoo now leads the Illineks in scoring with three goals in two games — an impressive feat considering this is the first season the Uni girls basketball MVP has played organized soccer.

"It's a lot of fun," she said. "This is a great team to play with — they're really supportive, and I'm really glad I joined. I'm just here to have fun."

Playing on the same team as her twin sister has made the experience even more enjoyable.

"It's great," Aran said. "I've never played any sport with her before. And it's really good because we can work really well together."

Last year, St. Thomas More defeated Uni twice: 2-1 on March 28 and 4-1 on April 17.

In JV action, sophomore Katie Buzard scored one goal and freshman Emma Coverdill scored two as Uni defeated the Sabers 3-0. Freshman Katayun Salehi assisted on Buzard's goal, while freshman Revathi Maturi set up both of Coverdill's.

Junior goalkeepers Lor Sligar and Sheri Grill recorded their second shutout in two games. Sligar was in the net during the first half; Grill took care of the second half. The JV record is 1-0-1.

Uni's next game will be Tuesday at Class AA Urbana.

2008 SEASON AT A GLANCE

GIRLS VARSITY SOCCER: 2-0 overall, 0-0 East Central Illinois Conference
(home matches listed in bold)

March 25: at Centennial, W 2-1

• Story: Believe it! Uni begins season with upset of Centennial varsity
• Halftime: Centennial 1, Uni 0
• Uni goals: Erika Belmont (53rd minute), Joy Shapley assist; Aran Yoo (75th minute), Isaure Hostetter assist
• Uni saves: Sarah Pfander 13 (4, 9)
• Shots on goal: Uni 14 (8, 6); Centennial 14 (5, 9)
• JV result: Uni 0, Centennial 0
• JV Uni goals: None
• JV Uni saves: Sheri Grill 2; Lor Sligar 4
• JV shots on goal: Uni 4 (1, 3); Centennial 6 (2, 4)
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

March 27: St. Thomas More, W 3-2

• Story: Uni makes up two-goal deficit to beat St. Thomas More
• Halftime: STM 1, Uni 0
• Uni goals: Aran Yoo (51st minute), Suran Yoo assist; A. Yoo (61st minute), S. Yoo assist; Michelle Wong (65th minute), Elizabeth Russell assist
• Uni saves: Sarah Pfander 9 (7, 2)
• Shots on goal: Uni 19 (7, 12); STM 11 (8, 3)
• JV result: Uni 3, STM 0
• JV Uni goals: Katie Buzard (18th minute), Katayun Salehi assist; Emma Coverdill (26th minute), Revathi Maturi assist; Coverdill (27th minute), Maturi assist
• JV Uni saves: Lor Sligar 2; Sheri Grill 1
• JV shots on goal: Uni 9 (4, 5); STM 3 (2, 1)
• Game stats: Gargoyle scoreboard

April 1: at Urbana

April 3: Monticello

April 8: Charleston

April 10: at Macon Meridian

April 12: at Normal Calvary Baptist *

April 15: Decatur St. Teresa

April 17: at Decatur Christian *

April 22: Mahomet-Seymour

April 24: at Mattoon

April 26: St. Thomas More

April 29: Danville

May 1: at Warrensburg-Latham

May 3: Judah Christian *

May 5: Decatur Lutheran *

May 7: Champaign Central

May 9: IHSA Class A Sectionals TBA

* East Central Illinois Conference opponent

SEASON STATISTICS

VARSITY SCORING

• Aran Yoo: 3 goals, 0 assists, 2 games
• Erika Belmont: 1 goal, 0 assists, 2 games
• Michelle Wong: 1 goal, 0 assists, 2 games
• Suran Yoo: 0 goals, 2 assists, 2 games
• Joy Shapley: 0 goals, 1 assist, 2 games
• Isaure Hostetter: 0 goals, 1 assist, 2 games
• Elizabeth Russell: 0 goals, 1 assist, 2 games

VARSITY GOALKEEPING

• Sarah Pfander: 3 goals allowed, 22 saves, 2 games

JV SCORING

• Emma Coverdill: 2 goals, 0 assists, 2 games
• Katie Buzard: 1 goal, 0 assists, 2 games
• Revathi Maturi: 0 goals, 2 assists, 2 games
• Katayun Salehi: 0 goals, 1 assist, 2 games

JV GOALKEEPING

• Lor Sligar: 0 goals allowed, 6 saves, 2 games
• Sheri Grill: 0 goals allowed, 3 saves, 2 games

TEAM ROSTER

VARSITY PLAYERS

• 2 Yoo, Suran 12th
• 3 Wong, Michelle 10th
• 4 Pfander, Sarah 12th
• 5 Machesky, Annie 11th
• 6 Freeland, Chelsea 12th
• 8 Chu, Emily 12th
• 9 Esbenshade, Shara 12th
• 10 Yoo, Aran 12th
• 11 Grill, Sheri 11th
• 12 Belmont, Erika 10th
• 13 Stark, Jessica 12th
• 14 Sullivan, Jessica 11th
• 15 Buzard, Katherine 10th
• 17 Levin, Maddy 11th
• 19 Schein, Zoë 12th
• 20 Hostetter, Isaure 10th
• 21 Shapley, Joy 11th
• 22 Hwu, Amanda 9th
• 23 Best, Sian 10th
• 27 Russell, Elizabeth 10th

JUNIOR VARSITY PLAYERS

• 1 Sligar, Lor 11th
• 7 Iyer, Marika 12th
• 11 Gratton, Cristina 9th
• 12 Smith, Lily 9th
• 13 Salehi, Katayun 9th
• 14 Engles, Alexx 10th
• 15 Maturi, Revathi 9th
• 16 Cooke, Jenny 9th
• 16 Nakamura, Natsuki 11th
• 17 Yannelis, Eleni 9th
• 24 Peregrine, Beth 12th
• 25 Pittenger, Larissa 12th
• 28 Coverdill, Emma 9th
• 29 Vazquez, Isabel 10th