CHICAGO – The UIC men's soccer team (6-6-3, 4-2-1 HL) used a goal scored by Jose Fuentes in the 62nd minute to capture a 1-0 victory over Valparaiso (8-4-3, 3-2-2 HL) Saturday night at Flames Field. The shutout was the Flames fifth of the season and fourth against a conference opponent, while it mark the third-consecutive clean sheet against the Crusaders.
 
"It's a great win," said head coach Sean Phillips. "Ever since Valpo joined the League, we've always had great battles and tonight was no different.
 
UIC recorded its fourth 20-plus shot total of the season with 22 attempts as it had four reach on goal. Oscar Rivero and Oscar Gonzalez tabbed team-high five each, followed by Fuentes and Max Todd with four apiece as they made up the shots on goal total.
 
Andrew Putna held off the Crusaders with four saves and used the assistance of the defense with a team save, as he picked up his fifth shutout and improved his goals-against-average in Horizon League play to 0.48.
 
"Andrew Putna made a big play early on, which we expect from him. Jose Fuentes, who has been a very positive force for us this year, made a special play to get us the lead. The whole team defended and managed the rest of the game against a very talented Valparaiso team to get us these valuable three points with two Horizon League games remaining. Nestor Garcia stepped up big for (Gonzalo) Romo and the guys that came off the bench really did well for us. Even the reserves who didn't see the field tonight helped set the tone for the game and for training next week as they have in very important times throughout the year."
 
Despite Valpo taking the first two shots of the game, the Flames came out to take several quality chances in the first half. They had eight shots before the Crusaders were allotted another shot, but all of the attempts either went wide or were blocked.
 
In the 27th minute, Fuentes chipped the ball to Todd and he footed the ball but it was saved. Three minutes later, Valpo had its best scoring chance when a blocked shot allotted a header that was saved by a UIC defender before they were called with a foul to break up the play. The Crusaders then forced Putna to make his first save of the game one minute later.
 
Following another trio of blocked shot for the Flames, Gonzalez came up in the 39th minute with a shot that hit off the left post. He would then have the last attempt of the half for UIC on a shot sent wide.
 
The first shot of the second half did not come until 10 minutes in when Valpo had a shot blocked. However, the Flames followed it with a blocked shot for Abel Guzman and a point-blank save on a shot from Todd.
 
The scoring draught ended in the 62nd minute when Rivero took the ball down the right side and passed it off to Fuentes breaking into the box who shot it home for his fifth goal of the year.
 
The physicality picked up while Rivero, Gonzalez and Todd came up with the next attempts sent off goal and the Crusaders tried four shots of their own with one resulting in a save. The last shot of the match went to UIC, when Fuentes ripped off a shot that was saved in the 88th minute.
 
The Flames are back at home next Saturday (Oct. 29) when they welcome Belmont to Flames Field for a 7 p.m. CT kickoff. The team will additionally honor Yuri Domiciano, Kyle Hamann, Andrew Putna, Oscar Rivero and Gonzalo Romo for Senior Night.