CHICAGO – The UIC men's soccer team (2-5-1) used three second-half goals scored by Jose Fuentes, Max Todd and Abel Guzman to secure a 3-2 victory over Drake (3-5-0) Tuesday night at Flames Field.
 
"After two tough results last week, we had a good result against a 2015 NCAA Tournament team," said head coach Sean Phillips. "Through the first 75 minutes, we played well on both sides of the ball, earning the 3-0 scoreline. Unfortunately, we lost focus in a few key moments in the last 15 minutes and Drake made us pay. We are happy to take the result, learn and become a better team for our game at Green Bay this Saturday."
 
The Flames put up 13 shots in the game and held the Bulldogs to 10 attempts with not a shot taken in the first half. Todd led the team with three attempts and two on goal along with Fuentes (2), Guzman (2), Nestor Garcia and Oscar Rivero having their chances saved.
 
Andrew Putna earned his second win of the season while playing the complete game and making four saves, all in the second half.
 
UIC took hold of possession from the start and continuously threatened on offense. After putting a shot on goal in the 14th minute, Todd was positioned with a free kick outside the 18 that ricocheted off the crossbar in the 23rd minute.
 
The Flames kept going for the following minute as Fuentes and Garcia forced back-to-back saves. The final quality chance of the half came with less than 10 minutes remaining as Oscar Gonzalez had his shot blocked before Guzman picked up the rebound and put it on goal.
 
It did not take long into the second half for UIC to have its hard work pay off as Fuentes took a feed from Alex Cervantes following a pass from Dimitris Strantzalis and fired his shot into the back of the net for his second goal of the season. The Bulldogs turned up their attack and followed by putting consecutive shots on goal.
 
The Flames would use a Drake hand ball committed inside the box to set up for a penalty kick in the 53rd minute. Todd took the attempt and converted for his third goal of the year and to improve UIC to a perfect 2-for-2 on penalty kicks this season.
 
After Putna came up with his third save, the Flames continued their scoring streak in the 64th minute as Fuentes carried the ball in and it found Guzman, who ripped a shot while angled from the right side for his first goal of the season.
 
A foul by UIC in the 75th minute positioned the Bulldogs with a free kick outside the 18 that was passed to the right side and put in the back of the net by Mueng Sunday. Another Flames miscue one minute later set up Drake's Ben LeMay with a penalty kick that missed.
 
With a little over two minutes remaining, the Bulldogs quickly passed off a free kick that allowed Adam Weatherly to take the swipe from the top of the box for the goal. UIC would hang on the rest of the way despite a last-chance effort on a header by Drake.
 
The Flames resume Horizon League play Saturday when they head north to Green Bay, Wis., to take on the Phoenix at Aldo Santaga Stadium at 7 p.m. CT.