CHICAGO – Despite scoring the first goal of the game a mere 31 second in, the UIC men's soccer team (0-2-1) could not hold off Marquette (2-1-0) as it took a 4-1 loss Friday night at Flames Field. Jose Fuentes was the one to get the early tally with an assist from Max Todd.
 
The Flames put up 13 shots in the game but could not match the 16 taken by the Golden Eagles. Abel Guzman led the squad with four attempts, followed by Fuentes with three. Dimitris Silvestridis went 2-for-2 in having both of his attempts saved in 23 minutes of play.
 
Andrew Putna played his third complete game and was forced to make three saves throughout the match.
 
UIC looked to be off on a high note as a mere 31 seconds into the game, Todd dished the ball off from the right side and found Fuentes, who sent a rocket into the low right corner for the 1-0 lead.
 
However, following a pair of missed shots, Marquette knotted the score at 1-1 in the fourth minute as a shot from Luke Prpa was deflected, hit the post and made its way across the goal line.
 
After a pair of shots were put on goal by the Golden Eagles and saved by Putna, Oscar Gonzalez ripped off a shot that forced a save in the 17th minute. Fuentes put up another attempt four minutes later that curved just wide left, which Nestor Garcia followed up with a shot of his own sent wide.
 
With less than one minute remaining in the first half, Marquette's Prpa took the ball to the left side and sent it to Jan Maertins, who shot it into the goal from eight yards out.
 
After Yuri Domiciano sent a shot high off a corner in the 55th minute, the Golden Eagles scored two goals within four minutes as Toby Howell carried the ball into the box and put the ball in the back of the net, and Prpa scored his second of the game after a scramble in the box.
 
The Flames did not let up as they continued to plug away. Dimitris Strantzalis and Fuentes went back-to-back with blocked shots before Silvestridis had a chance saved in the 69th minute. Guzman had four of the remaining five attemtps for UIC, but sent all but one off target. Silvestridis' final attempt came off a header that was stopped.
 
The Flames are right back at Flames Field on Sunday when they face Denver at 7 p.m. CT.