UIC and Green Bay battled to a 1-1 draw on Monday at Flames Field in the final game of the regular season.  The Flames clinched a spot in the Horizon League tournament, as their 5-2-1 record and 2.0 points per game is guaranteed to be one of the top four finishes.

"We didn't win, but we didn't lose," Dustin Downey summed up.  "To not give any goals away in the extra 20 minutes is impressive, with tired bodies at the end of the season.  We knew Green Bay was going to give us a game and credit to them, they answered our goal quickly."

Louise Trapp got the Flames on the board in the 21^st minute, but the Phoenix found an equalizer just three minutes later.  UIC peppered the Green Bay goal with 12 shots on target, but did not find the back of the net in the last 90 minutes.

"This week in training before the postseason, we're going to work in the final third.  There are things we need to tidy up and be cleaner with," Downey said.  "Their goalie was outstanding.  She played great and definitely kept them in the game.  There are things we want to work on in the attacking third before our next match."

Ava Gotchy, making her first collegiate start, stopped 10 shots.  Lena Kurz made three stops.

UIC will be the #4 seed in the Horizon League tournament, and will play at Northern Kentucky Sunday.

Match Highlights

• Louise Trapp struck in the 21^st minute after Grace Setter played her into the box.  She snuck a shot past the keeper and inside the left post.
• Green Bay wasted no time in responding.  A long service was sent to the top of the box from near midfield.  Emily Murphy ran under the ball and scooted it past Kurz, also to the left post.
• The Flames had a couple of corner kicks late in the first half.  They unleashed two shots on one of them, with Grace Haines collecting the rebound of a Leah Senese shot and forcing Gotchy to stand tall for the save.
• The Phoenix had just one shot on goal in the second half, and it came right after the break.  A corner kick was headed toward Kurz, who reacted in time to make the stop.
• Trapp took a free kick from the top of the circle in the 61^st minute.  She tried to shoot straight on the net, but lofted it too high.  Shortly thereafter, UIC had two more corner kicks but could not manufacture a shot.
• Two chances before the 80^th minute both threatened to give the Flames the lead.  Brielle Gomez took a shot from high in the box, but Gotchy saw it cleanly.  Trapp put some serious pace on her shot, which Gotchy had to leap just to tip it off the crossbar.
• Keri Birkenhead had a shot saved by a Phoenix defender, with Gotchy out of the picture.  The Flames had to defend well in the closing minutes to break up passes in the box and keep the Phoenix from taking a clean shot.
• Each team made one save in the first overtime, but neither side could so much as muster a shot in the second.

Facts and Figures

• The starting lineup remained intact from last week's match.
• Trapp's goal was her third of the season, bringing her into a tie with Savannah Jackson and Grace Haines for the team lead.
• Birkenhead had the secondary assist, her third of the year.
• UIC's 12 shots on goal set a season high.
• The Flames took eight corner kicks and allowed a season low-tying two.
• Jelena Zbiljic took four shots, all of which were on goal.  Jackson and Trapp also had multiple tries on target.
• Zbiljic, Birkenhead, and Kaitlyn Montague all received yellow cards.  Two Phoenix were carded.

Up Next

• The Flames will play in the Horizon League tournament for the second straight year.
• UIC will face Northern Kentucky on the road in a semifinal.
• The match will be Sunday at 4:00 Central.