CHICAGO – UIC (0-8-0) will get the Horizon League season started on Thursday night when it hosts Detroit Mercy (2-3-2) at Flames Field at 7 p.m. CT.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UIC played a pair in Michigan over the weekend (Spet. 7/9) but came back empty handed as it fell to Western Michigan, 3-0, and Eastern Michigan, 2-1. The Flames combined for 21 shots with nine on goal in the two games, with a five-shot effort coming from Emily Kavanaugh, and saw Keri Birkenhead score her first goal of the season. Haley Leanna played both complete games in goal and made a total of 13 saves.
 
NON-CONFERENCE PERFORMANCE
After eight games, UIC has produced 83 shots to average 10.38 per game and has put 34 of those looks on goal. Rebeca Pallo (14), Kavanaugh (11) and Birkenhead (11) stand at the top of the 15 players who have made up the total as the trio, along with Tamae Douglas, is responsible for 21 SOG.
 
Six different players (Kavanaugh, Birkenhead, Douglas, Kennedy Messina, Megan Bowman, Meaghan Smith) have scored the Flames' six goals on the year while Pallo and Alexis Jakuszewski have each garnered one assist.
 
Leanna has been the goalkeeper as of late, totaling 225 minutes while making 16 saves in three games. Tara Khayam played the first 498 minutes of the year and made 32 stops. Between the two, they have been challenged by 79 shots from the opposition, who have scored 31 times.
 
LAST SEASON IN THE LEAGUE
UIC had its best conference output in 2017, its fourth season of competition, as it posted a program-best 5-4-0 record for a fifth-place finish and a first-ever postseason berth. It picked up wins against Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Youngstown State, Green Bay and Oakland, while it fell to Wright State, 2-1, in the tournament quarterfinals.
 
The Flames put together 111 shots with 41 on goal and scored 12 goals, eight of which came from Emily Valentine (3), Douglas (2), Pallo, Birkenhead and Naomi Rushe. Khayam played 393 minutes in goal and made 16 saves while allowed eight goals for a 1.83 goals-against average.
 
In the 2018 preseason coaches poll, UIC was selected to finish in sixth place.
 
SCOUTING THE TITANS
Detroit Mercy went 2-3-2 against non-conference foes with a most recent 1-0-2 output. It collected wins over Central Michigan and Toledo, in addition to ties with Stetson and Purdue Fort Wayne. Last season, the Titans went 4-13-0 with a record of 1-8-0 in the Horizon League for a ninth-place finish. The squad was picked to land in eighth in this season's preseason coaches poll.
 
So far on the year, UDM has produced 60 shots and put 26 of those attempts on goal. Julie Ann Piechocki (16), Carly Fiorido (11) and Kelli Doyle (11) make up more than half of the shots and have a combined 17 SOG. Piecholcki has led the scoring effort, as well, with three of the Titans' five goals and has added one assist.
 
Marina Manzo has played every minute in goal and leads the Horizon League with 50 saves. With 11 goals allowed, she owns a 1.44 GAA as she has also tabbed two shutouts.
 
UIC picked up its first win in the all-time series with UDM last season as it posted a 3-0 victory on the road. The Titans have taken the three other matches, which have been decided by no more than two goals, for a 3-1-0 all-time record.