Tonight's game against Butler not only brings the regular season to a close for the Illini women's soccer team, but it also will be the last home game for the senior members of the 2003 squad.

Meghan Kolze, Jennifer Smith, Kelly Walker and Tiffani Walker will play their last regular season game at home on Senior Night in front of the Illini faithful and will be recognized for four successful years.

The four seniors will finish out their home careers after leading their team to its best conference record in history at 7-1-2 and its highest ranking ever in a national poll — 12th in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and Soccer Buzz Polls.

Illinois head coach Janet Rayfield said the seniors have made a huge impact on the team and the program.

"I think these seniors took it upon their shoulders to say it's up to us to make sure that our team is committed to our goals," Rayfield said. "All four of them were here this summer and trained together and they've really come together as a class and as a group and at the same time set an example of what it means to be on the same page and have brought the rest of the team on that page with them."

Junior midfielder Christine Sinak said the seniors have led the team to the position they are in today.

"The seniors this year mean so much to us and we're really going to miss them," Sinak said. "There's only four of them, but all four of them are leaders on and off the field."

Kolze admits it's going to be tough to finish her last regular season game at home tonight after her four year career.

"It's definitely an emotional time. Hopefully it's not the end and there's more home games to come," Kolze said referring to the possibility of having a home game during the NCAA Tournament. "It's exciting and sad at the same time."

Another positive factor for the Illini team this season has been the tremendous crowd support at each home game.

"We're comfortable at home and a big part of that is because of the crowd and the support that we get and the energy that they add to the environment," Rayfield said. "The fans have set a standard for themselves."

Butler will be the second consecutive nonconference opponent for the Illini after finishing the conference season, but Rayfield said these games are just as important and provide an opportunity to test whether the team can keep their playing level up for the rest of the season.

"One of the things we've talked about all year is our consistency," Rayfield said. "We're trying to see if we can play three consecutive, consistent games in a row and battle for three games because that's what it's going to take to win the Big Ten tournament."

Sinak agrees that tonight's game is important for the continued success of the team.

"We're approaching this game like any other game," Sinak said. "It's our last game of the season, but our out of conference games mean a lot."

The No. 2 seeded Illini will begin the Big Ten tournament against No. 7 seed Michigan State Thursday in Madison, Wisc.