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Jackie Santibanez vs CMU
Steve Woltmann
1
UIC UIC (2-2-1, 0-0-0)
2
Winner Western Ill. WIU (2-1-1, 0-0-0)
UIC UIC
(2-2-1, 0-0-0)
1
Final
2
Western Ill. WIU
(2-1-1, 0-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UIC UIC 0 1 1
Western Ill. WIU 1 1 2

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

Flames Fall on Late Goal

Western Illinois Pulls Out 2-1 Win

In an evenly matched, physical battle, UIC dropped a 2-1 decision to Western Illinois on a late goal Thursday afternoon.

Amy Andrews put the Leathernecks on top in the first half.  Keri Birkenhead drew UIC level with 18 minutes to play, and though the Flames maintained momentum in the continuing stages, Andrews took advantage of an opportunity and struck again in the 84th minute to tally the game-winner.

The Flames scored exactly one goal for the third straight outing, but this time it wasn't enough to continue their two-match winning streak.  After a week off, they will return to action at Flames Field next Thursday.

Moments That Mattered
  • Western Illinois came out firing, getting off two early shots that Lena Kurz saved.  The Flames responded in kind, rifling off the next three shots before having one by Emily Kavanaugh going on goal.  Kavanaugh was responsible for four straight Flames attempts through the 17th minute.
  • The Leathernecks struck in the 38th minute.  Emily Bollman sent a nice ball to Amy Andrews at the top of the box, where she finished to the right corner for her second goal of the season.  Western continued to apply pressure with three more shots in the two minutes following the goal.
  • UIC tried to get organized toward the end of the half and managed to hold possession for stretches, but did not threaten the net until a 45th-minute shot by Emily Valentine.  After subbing in for the last 13 minutes of the half, Valentine earlier had one of the Flames' two first half shots on goal.
  • Kurz was tested at the beginning of the second half.  She made two saves in the first seven minutes to help the Flames build momentum.  They got it after Kurz initiated action with a goal kick.  On the play, Jackie Santibanez took a shot that got saved out of play.  Grace Haines was in position to take a shot on the ensuing corner kick, but it got blocked.
  • Haines was the target on another corner kick less than five minutes later.  This time her shot got through, only to be saved by Ines Palmiero Herrera.
  • Keri Birkenhead brought the Flames level in the 73rd minute.  Following a throw-in, Cassidy Privett sent the ball to Birkenhead's boot inside the box.  The latter slotted it to the bottom left corner past the keeper.  She was on the spot when the Flames earned another throw-in seconds later, sending a shot on goal that was saved.
  • Andrews scored again on a rocket to the upper right 90.  From open space on the left side, she dribbled toward the 6 but cut loose with a shot before she got there.  Kurz leapt to her left but couldn't get a hand on the ball.
  • Facing a deficit with less than seven minutes to play, the Flames had to play faster in search of their own late-game magic.  Autumn Rasmussen took a shot in the final minute.  Palmiero Herrera made her seventh and final save of the match to seal the outcome.
Facts and Figures
  • The Starting XI remained the same from the South Dakota match.
  • Birkenhead's goal was her first of the season and the fourth of her career.
  • Privett earned the first point of her career with the assist.
  • The teams played to a dead heat in shots (17 apiece) and shots on goal (8).  Those numbers by Western Illinois represented season highs for any Flames opponent.
  • Emily Kavanaugh paced the Flames with four shots.  Birkenhead and Santibanez each put two attempts on goal.
  • Kurz' shutout streak of 260:16 ended when Western scored in the first half.  She finished with six saves.
  • Sophia Olore came on in the 33rd minute, and set a career high by staying on the pitch for 31 minutes.  She also picked up one of the Flames' two yellow cards.
  • UIC had five corner kicks, including one after WIU's last goal.  The hosts had two.
  • Despite the loss, UIC's 2-2-1 record is still the best in program history after five matches.  The team went 2-3 to start 2015.
  • It was UIC's first game in which both teams scored.  It was also the first time any team scored more than one goal.
  • Andrews attempted six shots, marking a season high for a player on an opposing team.  Her three shots on goal matched the season high.
Up Next
  • UIC will begin a season-long four game homestand next Thursday.
  • After a week off, the Flames will host Sam Houston State at Flames Field.
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