CHICAGO – UIC's second-half comeback came up short Sunday afternoon at Flames Field as it was topped by Illinois State, 5-2. A pair of first time goals came for the Flames as Kennedy Messina and Emily Kavanaugh scored the first of their careers.
 
UIC recorded 10-plus shots for the third time this season and the second-straight game as it put up 11 attempts. Nine of those looks came in the second half alone. Kavanaugh and Rebeca Pallo led the way with three apiece as Messina contributed a pair. Four of the chances were on goal with Kavanaugh and Pallo adding to the goals.
 
Tara Khayam received her sixth start of the season and played the first half, in which she made six saves. Haley Leanna made her first appearance to play all of the second half and make three stops.
 
The Flames move to 0-6-0 after the result as the Redbirds go even at 2-2-2.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• UIC took the opening kickoff and broken into its zone before possession switched over to ISU for the remainder of the half. On its first shot of the match in the sixth minute, Kate Del Fava beat a Flames defender to create a breakaway that allowed her to convert on a one-on-one opportunity for the 1-0 lead. A mere 44 seconds later, Shaina Dudas sent in a cross that connected with Angel Krell to put the Redbirds up 2-0.
• Seven shots followed before ISU had a repeat of its first goal in the 17th minute with Mikayla Unger on the breakaway this time to make it 3-0.
• The first shot of the match for the Flames did not come until the 30th minute and it came as a great look from Jessica Christmas as she hooked the ball and had it hit off the crossbar.
• The momentum quickly switched back to the Redbirds as they found their fourth goal in the 35th minute with Unger passing it off to Natalie Vaughn-Low who then found Alix McArthur to convert.
• In the final 10 minutes of the first half, Khayam made four of her six saves while UIC took its second shot at the foot of Tamae Douglas and had it blocked.
• The first three shots of the second half went to the Flames with Kavanaugh's look coming as the only one on goal. ISU then made a run and forced Leanna to come up with three straight saves before adding to its total in the 65th minute as a cross from Kiley Czerwinski found Shaina Dudas.
• After Pallo had her shot from the top of the 18 saved, a foul was called on the right side of the box. With Messina on the free kick, she was able to get it through and into the opposite side of the goal to end the shutout.
• In the time the Redbirds were held without a shot, UIC took two before it was set up with a corner kick in the 83rd minute. Kavanaugh stepped up and hooked the ball into the back of the net to narrow the lead to 5-2. Pallo would get one more attempt in the match but sailed it high.

 
NOTABLES

• The Flames went with their fifth different starting combo of the season.
• ISU totaled 21 shots in the game. In the first half alone, it took an opponent season-high 17 shots while UIC attempted just two.
• The two goals scored marked the first multi-goal game of the season for the Flames. With Messina and Kavanaugh scoring, freshmen are now responsible for three of UIC's five goals this season.

 
NEXT UP

• The Flames will hit the road for a weekend set in Michigan. First up is Western Michigan on Friday night at 5 p.m. CT in Kalamazoo before UIC heads to Ypsilanti on Sunday to face Eastern Michigan at noon.