UIC (10-3-1) rallied for a 3-1 win over Northwestern on Senior Night at Flame Field Tuesday.  After spotting the Wildcats (4-7-4) a fifth-minute goal, the Flames' seniors figured in all three of their tallies.  Oscar Gonzalez scored the first and assisted on the second, less than six minutes apart.  Markell Saddler scored in the final seconds as the Flames completed a sweep of their three Chicagoland rivals. 

How it Happened

• Northwestern struck early on a heads-up play.  Following a turnover at midfield, Jose Del Valle played ahead to a streaking Ty Seager.  He had a clear run to the goal, Sawyer Jackman made an aggressive run but was sidestepped, and Seager easily chipped into the net.
• UIC took a free kick outside the box in minute 17.  Oscar Gonzalez sent it toward the goal but right into Wildcat keeper Miha Miskovic' mitts.  Miskovic would be challenged again three times in the next four minutes, but made every save.
• Northwestern's only other serious advance of the first half came in the 23^rd minute.  Matt Moderwell challenged Jackman from in close near the end line, where the Flames' keeper made the stop.
• The Flames continued to carry possession as the first half continued.  They took three corner kicks in a three minute span and took the lion's share of the shots.  A corner kick in the half's final minute tantalized the capacity crowd when senior Jaime Alonso headed it right on net for Miskovic to make a remarkable save.  Josiah Ash poked the rebound toward the net, but as they did all night, the Wildcats sacrificed their bodies to alter the shot.
• Senior Markell Saddler gave the Flames hope early in the second half.  He tore down the field on a breakaway, determined to score, but was greeted by the oncoming keeper who thwarted those plans.  Just a minute later Saddler was in a 1-on-4 situation but still had an opportunity to make a play, if only he had gotten the ball on his foot cleanly.
• Alonso started a rally by blocking a rare Northwestern shot in the box and passing upfield, where Saddler and senior Max Todd had such a run going that Mattias Tomasino had to take a yellow card to stop it.  Todd took the free kick, giving it a wicked bend on goal, but the keeper saw it all the way.
• The Flames drew level following a set piece in the 60^th minute.  Senior Oscar Gonzalez sent in a corner kick, which was parried out of the box toward Todd on the left side.  He sent it on to Gonzalez, who had come out of the corner but was still at a low angle.  Nonetheless, he curled a shot toward the frame and saw it go through the bodies gathered there for his third goal of the season.
• Todd initiated another restart, having a shot blocked out of play five minutes later.  Again it was Gonzalez at the corner, and this time his pass was true, finding Peter Becht in a magical spot for the go-ahead header. 
• As Northwestern pressed for a goal, the Flames were caught in a takedown just outside the penalty area.  The free kick from the right corner was headed just high.
• UIC countered the Wildcats' numbers forward in the final seconds of the match.  Jesus Perez received the ball near midfield and passed ahead to Saddler, who put on some individual moves dribbling toward the goal and ultimately shot to the right corner to put the game away.

Senior Night Ceremony


Facts and Figures

• The lone change in the Starting XI from Saturday's game was the insertion of senior Jaime Alonso into the lineup.
• With wins already this season over Loyola and DePaul, the Flames went a perfect 3-0-0 against all the Chicagoland Division I programs for the first time since 2000.
• Saddler's goal was his fifth of the season, and his first in non-conference play.
• Perez notched his 11^th assist, and is tied with Saddler for second on the team with 17 points.
• Perez has an assist in four of the last five games.
• Gonzalez had a goal and an assist in the same game for the second time this year.
• UIC's dominance in possession and chances was reflected in shots taken, which totaled a season high 26 for the Flames and only five for Northwestern.  Shots on goal favored UIC, 12-2.
• The Flames also controlled chances from the corner, 8-1.
• Saddler and Gonzalez had three shots on goal each.  Cristian Sanchez had two, both in a 45-second span in the first half.

Postgame Reaction

• Oscar Gonzalez
  
• Sean Phillips
  

Up Next

• The Flames will return to Horizon League play Saturday night.
• The team will travel to Green Bay for a rematch of last season's conference championship match.