UIC finished in a draw for the second straight match after 110 scoreless minutes against Youngstown State Saturday afternoon.

David Nikolic's Summary
"Today was the first time we led all the stats – shots, corners, fouls - our aggressiveness showed through.  Our intensity to win balls, our intensity in attacking areas was better.  Lena didn't have a lot to do.  I told them we're getting there.  We shouldn't be satisfied with just a point.  We have to find the last piece of the puzzle to get us across the line."

Turning Points

• Late in regulation, UIC had a flurry of action toward the Penguin goal.  An 83^rd-minute corner kick did not yield a chance, but a shot by Grace Haines and one by Brielle Gomez off a corner both had designs on a game-winner.
• Jelena Zbiljic and Ryan Skall each put a shot on goal in succession in the first overtime period.  Both were saved as part of Brooklyn Kirkpatrick's eight-save afternoon.
• Kaitlyn Montague teed up a tantalizing chance to end the game late in the second overtime.  Her open shot from the top of the box seemed destined to sneak in under the crossbar until Kirkpatrick leaped to punch it over.

Match Summary
The Flames set the tone early for a match in which they would carry the majority of possession and chances.  Two corner kicks and three shots by Megan Bowman were racked up in the first 12 minutes.  Even though Youngstown State attained some balance with three shots of their own in the span of just over a minute, the Flames would outshoot them 3-1 the rest of the half, and unleash the match's only two shots on goal through the first 45 minutes.

Nikolic noted that Bowman's early shot was one of the team's best throughout the match, but said, "we were too passive in the first half in our decision making – not our effort – but it cost us opportunities at key moments."

Neither team managed much in the final third at the outset of the second half, though UIC did win two corner kicks.  After the hour mark, Nikolic tried to spark some offense by subbing midfielders for defenders, and forwards for midfielders.  Thereafter, they spent more time in the attacking end.  Jelena Zbiljic took two of her season high three shots, one of which was saved inside the right post.

The Flames organized a 90^th-minute corner kick, one of the eight they took on the game to set a season high.  Brielle Gomez picked the ball out of the mix, and her shot toward the middle of the net was saved as routinely as can be done with 25 seconds to play.  "Our set pieces were more dangerous than we've been," Nikolic stated.

UIC added four shots on goal in the overtime periods, without allowing any to challenge Lena Kurz.  Kurz made two saves in posting her second shutout of the season, and the third of her career in as many years against the Penguins.

Bowman, Gomez, and Zbiljic each had two shots on goal.  Gomez and Zbiljic were two of the five field players to play at least 100 minutes, and both of them went the distance.  For Gomez, the full shift was reward for being "much better with her positioning, serving, and clearing," according to Nikolic, who continued, "I would say the whole team did the work defensively.  There weren't breakdowns where we were scrambling to deal with a ball sent in.  We were good with pressure high up the field, winning battles in midfield, our service and play out of the back was much better."

The Flames will return to action October 7, hosting Robert Morris at Flames Field.  The game time has been changed from the original schedule, and will now start at 4:30 pm.