CHICAGO – The UIC women's soccer team (2-6-2) came together Sunday afternoon at Flames Field to post a record-setting six goals, 39 shots and 19 shots on goal as it upended Chicago State (1-7-0) in a 6-1 final, snapping a five-game losing streak.
 
The win marked the largest margin of victory for the Flames, previously set in a 4-1 win over New Mexico State back on Aug. 28, which had also been the most goals scored in a game until Sunday's victory.
 
Six different players scored for UIC with Emily Valentine, Rebeca Pallo, Alexis Jakuszewski, Tamae Douglas, Olivia Everin and Naomi Rushe getting the tallies, as Jakuszewski, Valentine and Jasmin Carrera (2) added the helpers.
 
"It has been a very tough stretch for us during the five-game losing streak," said head coach Brian Rigby. "We have been working hard to improve on our weaknesses each time we work with the players on and off the field.
 
"We are very happy that we had six different people score tonight and found a way to win. As a team, we are not happy with our overall performance, and there were still parts of our game that were not clean and we need to improve on. The entire team, including the coaching staff, all agreed that there is another level of play we need to get to, but we are committed to getting it right and taking the next step in getting our first Horizon League win next week."
 
The Flames' 39 shots broke the previous record of 29 set against Northern Iowa last season. A total of 12 players had at least one attempt in the game, led by Pallo (7), Douglas (5), Rushe (5), Valentine (4), Jakuszewski (4) and Everin (4).
 
The 19 shots on goal nearly doubled the record of 10 that was set against NMSU. Valentine and Douglas each had four attempts come on target, followed by Jakuszewski (3), Pallo (3), Rushe (3), Everin and Paige Proctor.
 
Tara Khayam received her first collegiate start in goal and played the complete game en route to victory, as she came up with three saves off the Cougars four shots in the game.
 
UIC had control of the game from the start. In the sixth minute of play, Valentine dribbled down the left side and tried a shot from 30 yards out that hooked into the opposite corner of the net for her first collegiate goal and the 1-0 lead.
 
After putting up seven more shots and Valentine having another chance saved, Pallo came up with her third goal of the season in the 23rd minute as Jakuszewski passed it off and Pallo shot it from the top left corner of the box.
 
The attack continued for the Flames with eight more attempts coming and Jakuszewski (2), Pallo, Douglas and Valentine having their chances stopped. In the 36th minute, Jakuszewski scored her first collegiate goal from the top left corner of the box after receiving a pass from Valentine off a corner kick, putting the Flames up 3-0.
 
It did not stop there as the offense continued to charge at the net the remainder of the half, with Rushe getting three shots off with two on goal and Proctor having her attempt saved.
 
Five minutes into the second half, Carrera passed the ball off to Douglas, who dodged the opposing keeper and put the ball in the back of the net for her second goal of the season. However, Chicago State responded 17 seconds later with its lone goal on a ball shot from 15 yards out.
 
After three near misses from Everin, Douglas and Pallo, Everin converted in the 60th minute with her first of the season as her and Carrera broke down the field before finishing from 10 yards out.
 
The Cougars fought back for possession the following 10 minutes before the Flames were able to return to their scoring chances, with three off target from Samantha Messina, Madison Smith and Proctor.
 
With Valentine having her fourth shot of the game saved, Rushe took the ball down the left side in the 85th minute before carrying it into the box and getting off a shot from 10 yards out that went into the back of the net.
 
While Chicago State had one final chance with less than three minutes remaining that forced Khayam to juggle for the save, UIC put up the final four attempts that just fell short.
 
The Flames will resume Horizon League play Saturday (Sept. 24) at Flames Field with a 7 p.m. CT kickoff against Youngstown State.