There were many lessons embedded in Penn State's double-overtime struggle against an inferior Illinois squad.
The message of those lessons registered with 42 seconds remaining in the second overtime period of an eventual 1-0 win over the Illini.
Illinois entered the match with a record of 3-7, fresh off a 7-0 loss at Ohio State and finishing a seven-game road trip.
The Nittany Lions, the eighth-ranked team in the country, were coming off a dominating 3-0 Big Ten opening win in which they steamrolled a Northwestern team that was projected to finish second in the conference.