UIC put on a defensive clinic in Detroit Saturday, shutting down and shutting out Detroit Mercy, 1-0.  The Flames held their Horizon League foes to just three shots, and one on goal.  Emily Valentine scored on a penalty kick in the 11^th minute.  Though the Flames did not score again, their defense made sure that they would not need to.

"It's always good to win, especially tough on the road," Tom Anagnost said.  "It wasn't the prettiest and most clinical game but we did enough to earn the result.  We still made too many mistakes, whether it was decisions on the ball, tactically defensively, or technically in front of the goal.  Hence we have a lot of work to do."

It was UIC's league-leading eighth shutout of the season.  Every result the team has earned has come via shutout.  The Flames halted a two-match losing streak and got their second road win in conference action.

UIC moves to 3-2 in Horizon League play, 7-5-1 overall, and is tied for third in the conference standings.

Moments That Mattered

• UIC got off on the front foot with the match's first two scoring chances.  In just the third minute, Jackie Santibanez put a shot on goal that was saved.  Later in the sequence, Tamae Douglas got her head squarely on a corner kick but the redirection went just outside the far post.
• The Flames struck first in the 11^th minute.  Douglas was fouled as she chased after a ball in the box.  Emily Valentine confidently stepped to the spot and converted the penalty.
• More favorable opportunities materialized halfway through the first half.  Nice interplay worked the ball into the area where the Flames had a shot blocked.  They turned defense into offense after the back line collapsed on a Titan to win possession; a through ball just went beyond Douglas, who was open running toward the net.
• Late in the first half, the Titans' keeper came out to make a play but whiffed on the ball.  The lone Flame back could not get to the bounding ball before it went over the line next to an empty net.
• UIC's defense was clinical in the first half.  They did not allow Detroit Mercy to build up in the final third and allowed only two shots, neither of which went on goal.
• The Flames tried to extend their lead in the beginning of the second half.  At the hour mark, they earned a free kick from 25 yards which was sent in low.  It got all the way through to the keeper, who went to her knees to make the save.
• Minutes later, several one-touch passes played the ball forward to the foot of Emily Kavanaugh.  Her shot was well-placed but saved.  After that, Valentine's shot from the left resulted in the nicest of the Titans' five stops.  As play continued, a pass went across the vacated goal but just too strongly for anyone to tap it into the net.
• The closest Detroit Mercy came to scoring was when the Flames made an error.  A back pass to Kurz had enough pace on it that the keeper had to stick her foot out and kick it out of bounds to prevent disaster.  The home team's first and only shot on goal came in the 81^st minute.  Kurz made a routine save and the Titans would not seriously threaten again.

  Facts and Figures

• Valentine returned to the starting lineup for the second time this season, and the first since Sept. 23.
• Valentine's goal was her first of the season.  It was the fourth penalty of her career.  She went 3-for-3 from the spot in 2017.
• It was UIC's third win on the road, matching the program record.
• The team's seventh overall win tied the program record.
• The Flames went back over .500 in conference play by moving to 3-2 in the Horizon League.  They have matched last year's league win total.
• The Flames' defense allowed a season low three shots.  Only one went on goal.
• Valentine set a season high with 74 minutes.  She led the team with three shots on goal.
• Kurz needed to make just one save to post her seventh shutout.
• The Titans had just one shot, and no corner kicks, in the second half.

Up Next

• UIC's road trip will continue next Saturday.
• A 12 noon match at Youngstown State is on deck.