NASHVILLE, Tenn. – UIC (2-5-0) and goalkeeper Annie DiCanio held off Belmont (4-2-0) through a majority of Friday night's match, but the Bruins would convert three times in the final 23 minutes of play to take the 3-0 win at E.S. Rose Park.
 
Belmont took 15 shots in the game and put nine on goal while the Flames were held to less than 10 attempts for the first time this season with a total of eight. Olivia Everin owned three of those shots and had two on goal, as Keri Birkenhead, Ashlin West and Haley Kittle also had attempts on the mark. More opportunities could have been presented, but UIC was called for offsides six times.
 
DiCanio came up big for the Flames while positioned in goal for the third-straight game. In addition to making six saves, she came up big by stopping a penalty kick for the first time in her career.
 
The offensive production was limited on both sides during the first half of play as UIC took five shots and Belmont tabbed six. In the opening 20 minutes, Everin had the Flames' first two looks and had the best chance of the half on her second shot that was saved, while DiCanio was forced to make three saves over the course of five minutes in that span.
 
It continued to be a possession game as the teams went without a shot for nearly 15 minutes before Emily Valentine sent an attempt wide right. Belmont tabbed three more shots, off target, before the final five minutes, when Rebeca Pallo sailed the ball high and Birkenhead forced a shot that was stopped.
 
Returning from halftime, the Bruins were awarded with a penalty kick in the 53rd minute of play. With Belicia Mendiola up to the mark, DiCanio made the save of the game then came up with another save shortly after when a shot was taken off a corner kick. However, in the 67th minute, the Flames committed a rare turnover on the back line that allowed Megan Michela to take the ball in and give Belmont the 1-0 lead.
 
The Bruins tried to add to their total over the next 10 minutes, but DiCanio made her sixth save of the game then had the assistance of the crossbar on another look. But in the 79th minute, they converted as Halle Krebs notched the second goal of the game.
 
UIC went 26 minutes without a shot before West put one up in the 80th minute that was saved. Kittle then got her foot on the ball coming off a corner kick and directed it at the goal, forcing a save, with under 90 seconds to play.
 
With the clock counting down, Belmont's Mendiola let a shot go from just past midfield and had it bend into the net for the final goal of the game with one second to play.
 
The Flames will look to bounce back Sunday when they close out their stay in Tennessee with a 2 p.m. CT matchup against Middle Tennessee at Hayes Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tenn.