UIC will return home Saturday afternoon for a battle with Horizon League rival Milwaukee.  In the midst of a 14-day stretch in which they will play the teams ranked second through fourth in the preseason Horizon League poll, as well as local rival Northwestern, the Flames (8-3-1, 3-1-1 HL) will seek to remain perfect at home.  With four wins in as many home matches, and seven wins in their last eight at home against Milwaukee (6-4-2, 2-1-1 HL), UIC will kick off at 1:00 pm in search of three important points in the conference standings.

"It's our second week in a row without a mid-week game," head coach Sean Phillips observed.  "We've used this time to rest, regenerate, heal up some injuries, and continue to work on what makes us who we are.  Milwaukee didn't have a mid-week game this week either, so I expect a hard-fought, high quality game between two long standing Horizon League rivals.

"We have a lot of respect for their current staff and their history as a program.  Milwaukee has been one of our longest standing and most consistent rivals over the 40 year history of the Horizon League," Phillips continued.  "It seems like there's always something more involved when these two teams get together.  Saturday will be no different.  Both teams will be doing everything they can to get the three points, because this result will drive the rest of the season."
 
Last Time Out

• The Flames put the first blemish on then-#11 Wright State's Horizon League record, playing the Raiders to a 1-1 draw last Saturday.
• Max Todd drew first blood on a turnaround strike in the 13th minute.
• Sawyer Jackman made six saves. Pau Mateo was at the goal line to prevent a sure goal after a rebound shot.
• The Raiders had a 20-14 advantage in shots, and 8-4 in shots on goal.

Flames to Watch

• Jesus Perez scored two goals in a 1:39 span in last year's match with Milwaukee. He leads the conference in points per game, and is fourth in the nation in assists.
• Saddler leads the Horizon League in goals within conference play.
• Cristian Sanchez has an assist in each of the last two games.
• Max Todd, Saddler, Perez, and Josiah Ash are all in the top 10 in Horizon League goals. Six of the league's top 10 assist men are Flames.
• Sawyer Jackman's five overall shutouts lead the conference. His season .807 save percentage ranks second.

Scouting Milwaukee

• Milwaukee suffered a 1-0 loss to IUPUI Saturday, despite outshooting the Jaguars 23-10 and putting eight shots on goal.
• Evan Conway is the team's leader in goals (4) and points (11).
• Three additional players have multiple goals on the season.
• Freddy Lorenzen has an .839 save percentage and 0.8 goals against average.
• The Panthers lead the Horizon League in goals allowed, with UIC right behind in second.

Panther Tracks

• UIC has won three straight against Milwaukee, including in the Horizon League semifinals in 2016.
• The Flames won a series-high seven straight between 2006 and 2011.
• Fifteen of the last 18 matches between the teams have been draws or one-goal affairs.
• Seven of the last eight meetings at Flames Field have been UIC wins.

Statistically Speaking

• UIC is third in Divison I in total assists (33), and fourth in assists per game, with 2.75. 
• UIC has the most difficult schedule in the Horizon League, based on the NCAA rankings of opponents' records.
• After averaging 16.4 shots per game over the first seven (going 6-1), UIC has managed just 10.8 shots per contest over their last four (with a 2-2-1 record).
• The team averaged nearly 8 shots on goal in that season-opening seven game stretch. They have been held to half that number in four of the last five outings.
• UIC's defense allowed 7.7 shots (3 on goal) over the first seven matches, but 14.6 shots (7.6 on goal) over the last five.