CHICAGO – The UIC women's soccer team (3-6-2, 1-1-0 HL) took hold of Youngstown State (2-7-1, 0-2-0 HL) to post a 2-0 shutout victory Saturday night at Flames Field for its first Horizon League win of the season. Rebeca Pallo and Emily Wauer scored for the Flames, with Olivia Everin and Pallo picking up assists.
 
UIC racked up a total of 22 shots with eight on goal and held the Penguins to six attempts with two on goal. Wauer led the way with a career-high nine shots, followed by Pallo and Everin with three each. The trio made up six of the shots on goal, with additions from Jasmin Carrera and Naomi Rushe.
 
Kelly Fritz collected her first win and first complete-game shutout of the season as she made two saves.
 
The Flames were dominant from the start in creating chances and holding the Penguins to just two shots in the first half. Pallo had a chance blocked just 28 seconds into the game before the seventh minute presented Alexis Jakuszewski with a look that was blocked and Everin with a chance that was saved.
 
After Carrera and Pallo went back-to-back in shots that were saved, Everin sent in a corner kick that connected with Pallo, who headed it in for her fourth goal of the season and the 1-0 in the 17th minute.
 
It did not stop there as Wauer (2) and Tamae Douglas both had attempts that were sent wide. UIC continued to maintain possession from that but held it in the midfield as it went without a shot the remainder of the half. Youngstown State got off its second attempt that forced a save in the final minute.
 
The Penguins put up more of a fight into the second half and battled the Flames for possession. After Everin forced up a shot that was saved four minutes in, Fritz made her second save of the game 10 minutes later.
 
In the 65th minute, Pallo found Wauer breaking along the right side with Wauer firing the ball into the back of the net for her third goal of the season, giving UIC the 2-0 advantage. Wauer and Proctor followed five minutes later with a pair of attempts that came off target.
 
Another threat to score came in the 76th minute as Rushe had a shot blocked, setting up a corner kick that Wauer followed with an attempt off the post and Emily Valentine with a shot high. Two more shots came in the game with Wauer and Everin both being blocked.
 
The Flames are back in action at Flames Field on Wednesday as they host Green Bay at 7 p.m. CT.