UIC will welcome Youngstown State to town for the Flames' home opener Thursday.

The Flames (1-0) used a second-half goal by Alexis Weeren, the first of her career, to defeat Oakland last week.  Dustin Downey challenged his team not to rest on those laurels.  "Practice this week has gone OK," he said.  "We could have practiced and trained better.  For a team that has a lot to prove, our mentality in practice could have been better."

Youngstown State (0-2) has a pair of 2-1 losses on their record.  Sophomore Marcella Sizer has scored both of the Penguins' goals on the season.

"They're a gritty team," Downey said of YSU.  "They will come out and fight and battle and compete.  They will try to play possession soccer, play out of the back, and build the attack.  We will have to be ready defensively to limit their ability to possess the ball.  Sizer will be a threat; we'll have to limit her touches.  [Coach] Brian [Shrum] is doing a good job and it should be a fun and exciting match.

"I think we'll be ready but we will see [Thursday] if the girls are up to the challenge.  Hopefully they take our messages and apply them and come out ready to play."

The match will be played indoors at Mercyhealth Sportscore Two in Rockford, as will all Flames home matches this season due to the natural grass surface at Flames Field being unavailable during the winter weather.  Kickoff will be at 1:00 pm.  Spectators are not allowed.

OPENING KICK

• UIC will play its first home match of 2020-21 against Youngstown State.
• The Flames defeated Oakland, 1-0, to open the season.  UIC ratcheted up the pressure on both ends of the pitch after they took the lead in the 67th minute.
• Every shot and corner kick in the final 23 minutes was taken by UIC, except for a desperation attempt that Oakland sent well high of the goal.

SCOUTING THE PENGUINS

• An 85th-minute goal pushed Detroit Mercy past Youngstown State, 2-1 on Feb. 10.
• Marcella Sizer scored against the Titans.  She also scored the team's only goal in their first match, another 2-1 loss to Oakland.
• Brooklyn Kirkpatrick and Kate McEachern have each played one game in goal.  Kirkpatrick made seven saves; McEachern made three.

KUR-TAILING THE SCORING

• Lena Kurz made six saves in leading UIC to an opening shutout of Oakland.
• She was named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week for the third time in her career.
• Kurz posted 10 shutouts, and shared in an 11th, in becoming Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year in 2019.

THE LAST MEETING

• UIC defeated Youngstown State 3-0 last season.
• The Flames outshot their hosts, 20-4, and had an 11-2 edge in tries on goal.
• The result tied UIC's largest margin of victory of the season.

PENGUIN PAIRINGS

• UIC has a 5-1 lead in the all-time series, tied for their most wins against any opponent.
• The Flames have won four straight meetings.  They are a perfect 3-0-0 at home against the Penguins.
• Last season's 3-0 UIC win was the largest margin in series history.