For the second straight game, UIC had a dominating share of possession and chances.  On Sunday afternoon against an undefeated Eastern Illinois side, the Flames earned a 0-0 draw despite putting a season high eight shots on goal and hitting the post on two additional shots.

"The energy has been really good.  What we're doing in the attack is the right stuff," David Nikolic said.  "To hit the post as many times as we did, to keep the goalkeeper stretching and saving, tipping the balls off of corners, the energy going forward is right."

Early in the match, the Flames pestered the EIU box with flicks off the head, after winning throw-ins from deep locations on the sideline.  Hannah Gryzik, and Jelena Zbiljic in two instances, nodded balls toward the Panther keeper.  Yet UIC had to make two winning defensive plays in the first 20 minutes to keep the match scoreless.  Lauren Keiser, who played the whole match in net, saved a low shot stemming from a 20-yard free kick, and Chopper Carriere made a great tackle to disrupt a fast break after a UIC free kick was punched back upfield.

"The energy was great in warmups; the girls were focused," Nikolic observed.  "The first 20 minutes were difficult as we sorted out their shape.  We did the right things at halftime.  The players came out and they were right and they worked really hard."

The Flames spread the wealth, with 11 players registering a shot and seven placing one on goal.  Zbiljic's five attempts matched the season high by any Flame.  Makenna Maloy played 69 minutes off the bench and had two shots among her several quality moments.

Within 15 minutes of the start of the second half, UIC had some promising buildup.  A dangerous cross went deep into the box with two Flames in the area, but neither could connect with the ball.  The Flames unleashed a flurry of shots around the 74^th minute, with two tries ringing off the post.  "We just have to find the answer to the problem, and the problem is can we take one less touch to shoot.  When we're clear to shoot, are we shooting with the right foot," Nikolic said.  "I can't say that I'm happy not winning, but I'm happy not losing because we were clearly the better side."

The Flames allowed only four shots, but Keiser had to sell out to make a 57^th-minute save as she charged toward an onrushing Panther whose full-force shot went off her face and away from the net.  This was the first match that did not see the Flames change keepers at the break.  "Lauren showed today that she deserved to keep going.  I didn't want to break the momentum she had," Nikolic explained.  "Sara [Sanabria] is doing a great job and that's why I've been splitting them.  I may split them again on Thursday.  Lauren was in a good routine and you could see it in her body language, so that's why I kept her in there."

UIC did not let up as the minutes ticked away.  Kaitlyn Montague put a header toward the goal that was saved, and in the final seconds Yulexi Diaz had a look from the top of the box that stayed wide of the right post.

The draw was UIC's first result of the season, against an EIU team that had already drawn with two Missouri Valley squads including preseason favorite Valparaiso.  "It shows there's a lot of parity in this region," Nikolic observed.  "There are going to be days when you have these games.  Who's going to be the team that will be able to push through?  When we hit those Valley games, can we find that rhythm and can we find that spark around the goal that's going to get us over the hump and get some wins?  Once we sharpen a little more I think we're going to be in a really good spot."

UIC will return to action Thursday in Milwaukee, against Marquette.