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UIC Athletics

thevalley
Markell Saddler vs CSU
Bill Calvert
1
Cleveland State CSU (7-10-2 (4-3-2 HL))
3
Winner UIC UIC (10-5-3 (6-2-1 HL))
Cleveland State CSU
(7-10-2 (4-3-2 HL))
1
Final
3
UIC UIC
(10-5-3 (6-2-1 HL))
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Cleveland State CSU 0 1 1
UIC UIC 2 1 3

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Flames Advance to Horizon League Championship

UIC Downs Cleveland State, 3-1, in Semifinal

UIC advance to the Horizon League championship match with a 3-1 win over Cleveland State at chilly Flames Field Thursday evening.

Jesus Perez opened the scoring.  Joel Leon added a penalty kick late in the first half, and Markell Saddler iced the game in the 89th minute.

The Flames will play Green Bay Saturday at 6:00 for their second straight Horizon League tournament championship.

Game Headlines
  • Flames Dictate Tempo: The Flames controlled possession early in the contest.  They earned two corner kicks and two free kicks from advantageous spots, but could not put a quality attempt on net in the first 21 minutes.  Later, Max Todd hit the crossbar and Jesus Perez forced Sebastian Kalk to make a save.
  • Barrage of Shots Pays Off: UIC's offensive onslaught continued, and paid off in the 37th minute.  Oscar Gonzalez took a shot that Kalk saved but kept in play.  The Flames immediately worked the ball to Jose Fuentes, whose close range shot was also deflected by Kalk.  Perez was on the spot to corral the rebound and send it to the back of the net for the icebreaking goal.
  • Penalty Strike Doubles UIC's Lead: Cleveland State was called for a hand ball in the penalty box late in the first half.  Joel Leon stepped up and sent a sure strike into the net to give the Flames a 2-0 lead with less than three minutes remaining.
  • Vikings Get PK of their Own: Desperately needing a goal, the Vikings controlled possession early in the second half.  The Flames were able to clear their advances early on, but got too aggressive in the 74th minute.  A takedown inside the box gave Cleveland State a penalty kick of their own.  Hesham Hammouda's kick hit the crossbar and bounced straight down into the goal.
  • Both Keepers Step Up: Minutes later, CSU earned a free kick from a dangerous spot in front of the UIC goal.  Sawyer Jackman leapt to make the save and keep the Flames in front.  On the counter attack, Todd took a wicked shot from the flank only to see it spectacularly saved.
  • Saddler Gets Rewarded: Markell Saddler removed all doubt from the outcome in the final three minutes.  When Todd created a turnover, he and Saddler raced up the field with great timing.  Saddler received Todd's pass on the run, made a nice move, and scooted his shot past Kalk.
Facts and Figures
  • The First XI remained intact from the last three games of the regular season.
  • The Flames took 28 shots, one shy of their season high, to Cleveland State's 10.  Half of the Flames' attempts went on goal, while the Vikings made the most of their opportunities with eight shots on net.
  • Jackman's scoreless streak ended after 454:18.
  • Saddler and Leon each scored their first goal of the season.  Perez' goal was his fifth, breaking a tie for second on the team.
  • The three goal output was the team's highest in Horizon League tournament play since 2012.
  • The Flames won 10 games in a season for the second time under Sean Phillips, and the first since 2013.
  • UIC's unbeaten streak extended to 11 games (9-0-2), the longest streak since the 1999 squad won 12 in a row.
Up Next
  • The Flames will face #1 Green Bay for the Horizon League championship Saturday.
  • The championship match will start at 6:00 at Flames Field.
Postgame Reaction
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