Box Score Oct. 3, 2015 Box Score
CHICAGO - It took until the second half for three goals to be scored with the UIC men's soccer team (5-3-2, 2-0-1 HL) coming out on the winning side of the Saturday afternoon battle against Wright State (6-3-1, 1-2-1 HL) in a 2-1 final at Flames Field. Thomas Villamil and Manny Chavez each put the Flames on the board with the go-ahead goal and the game-winner, respectively.
"Today was a tough test and took a very good effort from the entire team," said head coach Sean Phillips. "Wright State is very talented and deserving of their regional ranking. They are solid in the back with a good goalkeeper and several attacking options who can pose challenges in a number of ways."
UIC had the best handle on possession throughout the game as it was able to attempt 17 shots and keep Wright State to 10. The Flames had several quality looks and tied for a season high after they had nine of their chances reach on goal. Jorge Alvarez led all players with four shots, followed by Joel Leon, Jose Fuentes and Max Todd with three each. Alvarez, Leon and Fuentes additionally all had two shots on target.
On UIC's second shot of the game, Alvarez had his attempt stopped on a point-blank save in the 17th minute. A pair of blocked shots came for Todd and Nestor Garcia before Garcia had his second shot of the half saved as the Flames put on the pressure in the 36th minute. Three minutes later, the final stop of the half came as Fuentes was blanked.
It was an aggressive second half as the two teams combined for 24 fouls. UIC led the shot battle for the second time as they hit double digits with 10 attempts and held the Raiders to five.
A mere seven minutes after coming back from halftime, a sequence of a corner kick and two headers put the Flames up 1-0. Chavez sent in the kick and connected with Hamann before Villamil headed in his second goal of the year. Following a shot from Leon that was saved in the 64th minute, Wright State responded a minute later as Jackson Dietrich found AJ Paterson at the top of the box and finished for the game-tying goal.
"After an even first half, we got out front on a great attacking set piece. Over the course of the season, the guys have shown a commitment in training to improve in this area and it has been starting to show lately."
"Unfortunately, Wright State pulled one back 13 minutes later on a great strike from distance. Credit to our guys, they shook it off and got a second goal only eight minutes later in a bit of transition and guys sacrificing to get into the box - something else we worked on in training this week. At that point, it came down to finding a way to win which we did."
In the 73rd minute, Fuentes dribbled down the left side of the field and worked his way into the box as he fired off an attempt that forced the Raiders' goalkeeper Tyler Blackmer to make a diving save. But Chavez was on the rebound as he buried home the eventual game-winning goal and his third of the season.
Wright State's biggest threat came with five minutes remaining off a set piece as the ball was sent in and found the back of the net, but offsides was called. Alvarez and Leon had UIC's final shots of the game as both resulted in saves.
Goalkeeper Andrew Putna came up with three saves in the game after stopping two shots in the first half. With one goal allowed, his 0.94 goals-against-average this season remains intact.
"Now, we have to continue to look to get better each day before we head down to play at Northern Kentucky, who recently won at Wright State."
The Flames will have a week away from competition before they resume action next Saturday (Oct. 10) in Highland Heights, Ky., to face new Horizon League member Northern Kentucky at 2 p.m. CT at the NKU Soccer Stadium.
