UIC turned in a complete effort on both ends of the field in a 3-0 win over Western Illinois Sunday night.

Bar Hazut scored two goals, giving him five over the last two matches.  Sokratis Vasilas turned in the first shutout of his career.  After making a great save early in the match, he was rarely challenged the rest of the way thanks to a stifling defense that allowed season lows of six shots and two on goal.

The Flames improved to 3-1-0 and will continue their homestand by beginning Horizon League play on Saturday against Green Bay.

Moments That Mattered

• Western Illinois got off on the front foot and earned a free kick from a dangerous, close-in spot in the second minute.  The action off of that kick required Vasilas to leap to punch the ball away, but in doing so it hit the bar and stayed in play.  Another Leatherneck was on the doorstep but Vasilas maintained good positioning and his defense helped usher the ball away for a corner.
• That corner kick got played by UIC, which immediately advanced it on a counter-attack.  Bukie Abdulwahab took the ball toward midfield before seeing Bar Hazut on a determined run up the middle.  Bukie's pass led Hazut perfectly, and when a Leatherneck defender slipped, Hazut finished high from 16 yards.
• UIC clustered several chances at the quarter hour.  Abdulwahab started things with a shot that turned into a fairly routine save.  Later, Eduardo Garcia launched a shot that resulted in a corner kick.  The Flames got two opportunities when Jose Perez Flores and Christian Crespo each took a shot from close range.
• The Flames cashed in on a corner kick at the 36^th minute.  Jesus Perez sent a tight ball toward the near post.  Eduardo Garcia met it with a quick flick of his head and sent it past Timothy Trilk.
• Western Illinois threatened to halve their deficit three minutes later when Jonah Dancer got off a dangerous looking shot that ended up just wide of the post.  After UIC put the ball back in play, Nkusuwila Zulu showed off some masterful footwork, weaving between defenders and finding his way into the box to put a quality shot on goal.
• Less than five minutes into the second half, Garcia and Hazut each had an off-target shot.  The Flames dialed things in a few minutes later when Perez, Crespo, Hazut, and Crespo again all took shots that excited the crowd, only for Trilk to save each and every one.
• Jesus Perez sent a ball into the box where it found the head of a Leatherneck.  That carom went to Jose Perez Flores, who sent it toward the net.  Hazut was inside the six and needed just to use the edge of his foot to redirect it past Trilk.

Postgame Reaction

• Sokratis Vasilas
  
• Sean Phillips
  

Facts and Figures

• The First XI remained intact from Friday's match.
• Vasilas needed to make only two saves to post the shutout.
• Hazut followed up his hat trick Friday with two more goals, giving him five in a span of 50 hours.
• Perez had his second assist of the season.  Abdulwahab logged his third.  Perez Flores' helper was the first point of his career.
• Garcia's goal was the first of his career.  He became the sixth Flame to score this season.
• It was UIC's 15^th straight home win.  That makes for the best 15-game stretch at Flames Field since the team went 11-0-4 in 2006-07.  The program record is a 19-match home winning streak from 1997 to 2000.
• UIC's 30 shots, and 16 on goal, were both season highs.  The total shots were the most since UIC launched 32 against Belmont October 29, 2016.  The Flames last had 16 go on target November 7, 2014, also against Belmont.
• The Flames took eight corner kicks.  After Western Illinois' opportunity in the second minute, they went to the corner just once more.
• Garcia led the team with five shots.  Perez, Hazut, and Zulu each had four.  All four of Zulu's tries were on target.

Up Next

• The Flames will open Horizon League play against Green Bay on Saturday.
• The Phoenix, ranked third in the conference's preseason poll, will visit Flames Field for a 7 pm kickoff.