An eight-minute burst that saw Milwaukee score three goals proved decisive in UIC's regular season finale Friday night.  The 3-2 win halted UIC's three-match winning streak and left the Flames at 12-5 on the year, 6-2 in Horizon League play.

"Congratulations to Milwaukee," Sean Phillips said on a cold night.  "They found a way to make enough plays tonight.  This time of the year, when the result dictates whether your season ends or continues, sometimes you have to do things that just make plays.  Milwaukee did that tonight, especially toward the end of the game.  They deserve the result tonight."

After a scoreless first half, Nkusuwila Zulu put the first goal on the board on action off a corner kick.  After just 32 seconds, the hosts drew level, and before the Flames knew what hit them, they faced a 3-1 deficit.

Zulu scored for the fourth straight game.  Christian Crespo added the team's last tally.

 "As a team we have to look at what we did do well tonight, and Zulu obviously has been playing well," Phillips said.  "There were some guys that stepped up in moments, but this time of year you have to have 90 minutes of them.  Zulu continues to make a mark.  Now we have to get a few guys healthy to add to the depth in the squad and go from there."

UIC had already clinched the Horizon League regular season title.  Milwaukee needed a win to qualify for the conference tournament.  Quarterfinal action will take place Monday.  The Flames have a bye to the semifinals, which they will host at Flames Field Thursday.

"Milwaukee's fight earned them another opportunity to play," Phillips concluded.  "They're a good team – much better than their record – and tonight they found a way to take us out of our game and get a result in tough conditions."

Moments That Mattered

• UIC grabbed momentum from the outset.  They headed a corner kick on goal, cleared off the line by a defender in the first two minutes.  Later, Bukola Abdulwahab built up a head of steam pressing forward, using his feet and head to play to himself through defenders, until the back line collapsed on him.
• Milwaukee started to organize some chances, but were unable to put anything on goal.  Meanwhile, Crespo played Abdulwanab into the box, and Cristian Sanchez served in a ball that forced a diving, two-handed punch by keeper Freddy Lorenzen, providing moments that briefly gave their fans hope.
• UIC's defense was called upon in the last 12 minutes of the first half.  Jacob Graiber headed a Panther corner kick away from the frame.  Sanchez went step for step down the sideline with a Milwaukee attacker and deftly kicked the ball off his foot for a goal kick.
• The second half started the same way the first did.  Roberto Alonzo set up Abdulwahab in the box, after which he spun and shot wide.  After Zulu took an encouraging shot from the semicircle that sailed high, UIC regrouped and earned a corner kick.  Crespo sent it in, and at the far post Zulu brought his foot up to waist level to redirect it into the net.
• Off the ensuing kickoff, Milwaukee earned a throw-in that initiated their first goal.  They played the ball into the box for a shot that Sokratis Vasilas saved, but the rebound rolled in front of the net and Henrik Fennefoss beat his man to the spot to tap it in.
• Josh Kaye outjumped the pack on a corner kick and whipped a header past Vasilas.  The Panthers' third goal was similar to their first.  They had a short-angle free kick just outside the box.  It curled right to Vasilas, who could not catch it cleanly.  Fennefoss was in the right place again, scoring his second rebound goal of the match.
• UIC set up an exciting final 20 minutes thanks to Crespo.  He made some nice moves in the box, holding possession and juking his man to the ground.  He calmly dribbled around the fallen Panther and shot to the open far post.
• Milwaukee was able to hold the Flames at bay for a while.  As the final whistle neared and desperation increased, UIC made things nervous.  Zulu was on the receiving end of a corner that he headed just high.  Later, he was open at the left corner of the box for a shot that got saved.

Facts and Figures

• Zulu made his second straight start.  Crespo and Andres Moreno each returned to the starting lineup.
• Elias McCloud was the only bench player to get in the game.  He played 23 minutes.  Nine starters went the full 90.
• Zulu scored his fifth goal of the season, all in Horizon League play.
• Crespo's goal was the first of his career.  He is the 13^th Flame to score.
• Vasilas made five saves.
• Milwaukee became only the second opponent to take more shots than UIC (16-12).  The Flames have lost both of those matches.
• Zulu's streak of four straight matches with a goal is the team's second longest this year.  Abdulwahab scored in five straight last month.

Up Next

• The Flames will host the Horizon League semifinals and finals on Thursday and Saturday.
• As the #1 seed, UIC will face the lowest remaining seed after quarterfinal action Monday.
• The Flames' semifinal match will start at 4 pm Thursday.