Box Score DES MOINES, Iowa – For the second time this season, it took overtime for UIC (2-8-0) to have its match decided, while it was Drake (5-3-1) that secured the golden goal in the 2-1 final Sunday afternoon at Cownie Soccer Complex. Naomi Rushe scored the lone tally for the Flames to tie the game.
 
UIC was kept to 10 shots in the match but had seven of the attempts come on goal. Tamae Douglas had a team-high four shots and put two looks on goal as did Keri Birkenhead, while Rushe, Ashlin West and Emily Valentine made up the remaining chances on goal.
 
In her second-straight start, Tara Khayam was a key component in keeping the Flames in the match as she made a career-high 12 saves, the most for any UIC goalkeeper since Kelly Fritz's 12 against Wright State in 2014, while the Bulldogs produced an opponent season-high 24 shots.
 
Birkenhead put up the first shot in the opening minute of the match and had it come on goal. Drake followed with five attempts before UIC's next look, as Khayam made stops on two of the shots.
 
Douglas just barely missed the back of the net in the 21st minute as she headed the ball high. She took another look three minutes later but had it stopped by the Bulldogs keeper. Between both of her attempts, Drake executed three shots with Khayam making the save on each, including back-to-back efforts.
 
West entered the game and had a look at an empty net in the 29th minute but a Bulldog defender came in and sent the ball out.
 
After Khayam made her sixth save of the match, Drake took the 1-0 lead in the 40th minute when Rebecca Rodgers took the ball and found herself with an empty net.
 
The Flames came back from halftime and notched the equalizer in the 48th minute when Rushe jumped on a failed clearance and buried her second goal of the season.
 
UIC kept momentum in its favor as Douglas had a chance saved and Paige Proctor let a shot go high in the following 10 minutes. The Bulldogs then produced five shots and put two on net with Khayam making both saves over the next 20 minutes, as the Flames went without a look.
 
With 10 minutes left in regulation, Drake forced Khayam to make her ninth save of the game while Douglas ended UIC's shot drought with an attempt sent high then Birkenhead followed with a shot on goal. Khayam continued to impress, making three stops in a 19 second span, before Valentine got off the last shot that was saved.
 
Just over two minutes into overtime, the Bulldogs' Rachel Wanninger took a strike from distance that ended with the ball in the back of the net for the game-winning goal.
 
The Flames will now return home to resume Horizon League play Saturday when they host Milwaukee at Flames Field at 7 p.m. CT.