Oct. 8, 2006
Box Score | 
Chicago, Ill.- Goals from senior strikers Eric Cervantes and Tonci Skroce sealed the 12th-ranked UIC men's soccer team's eighth shutout of the season on Sunday night, as the Flames defeated Horizon League foe Cleveland State by a 2-0 count at Flames Field.
UIC (9-1-2, 3-0-0 Horizon League) remained unbeaten in conference play while keeping its undefeated home record intact, improving to 4-0-1 at Flames Field in 2006.
Goalkeeper Jovan Bubonja tied a UIC single-season record with his sixth clean sheet of the season while also picking up his first career assist helping on Skroce's goal.
In the 30th minute Pawel Ligas took possession of a Pavle Dundjer corner kick and sent a cross into the box that was headed toward goal by Pat McMahon. The ball found Cervantes, who had his first shot blocked by Viking keeper Kasey Gray. But the rebound was recovered by Cervantes and struck over the fallen netminder for the game's first goal.
Just under 10 minutes into the second period Bubonja made an easy save on a George Kephart attempt. Bubonja sent a kick deep into the Viking half of the field and found a streaking Skroce, who made the most of a one-on-one opportunity against Casey and flipped a shot over the keeper's head and into the net for a 2-0 UIC advantage.
"Having given the guys a few days off, sometimes you're just naturally sluggish and that's what it felt like," said UIC head coach John Trask. "This is a game where you chalk up the "W" and move on.
"Bottom line is that this is the ninth win of the season for us," Trask said. "By looking at the records of both teams, you have to beat a team like Cleveland State. Good teams find a way to turn that match into a "W," and that's what our guys did."
UIC outshot the Vikings (4-8-1, 1-3-0 Horizon League) by a 16-3 margin.
With his sixth blanking of the season, Bubonja tied the school single-season shutout mark set by Chris Jamal in 1999 and matched by Ross Cain in 2002.
The Flames played without the services of Cesar Zambrano (hamstring) while also overcoming a one-man disadvantage after Adnan Ejupovic was sent off in the 57th minute.
UIC wraps up a three-match homestand this Wednesday, October 11th with a huge Great Lakes Region contest against local rival Northwestern. Kickoff at Flames Field for game between the Flames and the Wildcats is at 7:00 p.m. Central.
