CHICAGO (Oct. 22, 2023) – A second-half goal from
Sophia Jaime (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso) propelled the UIC women's soccer team (6-7-4, 5-3-2 MVC) past Valparaiso (7-5-6, 3-3-4 MVC), as the Flames blanked the Beacons 1-0 Sunday afternoon en route to clincing the No. 4 seed in the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference Women's Soccer Championship. With the victory, the Flames received a first round by and will take on the winner of No. 5 Murray State and No. 8 Evansville in the second round of the championship next Sunday.
COACH'S COMMENTS
"It was an evenly matched contest and Valparaiso presented some challenges that we needed to address as the game unfolded," said head Coach
David Nikolic. "I was pleased with our players' ability to adapt and implement the necessary correction. The combination of our play, our collective defensive effort and the goalkeeping have all been solid. Now, we're prepared for the upcoming Missouri Valley Conference Championship and are excited to remain home for our second round match. We intend to make the most of this opportunity playing playoff soccer in front of the home crowd at Flames Field."
FIRST HALF
- The match got off to a slow start, with no significant shots on goal until the Beacons attempted a low shot in the fifth minute that Lauren Keiser (Santa Rosa Beach, Fla./South Walton) handled, marking her first of four saves.
- Shots were distributed evenly between the two teams, with UIC taking seven shots in the first half. The Flames gained more opportunities in the half from set pieces, including three corner kicks compared to Valpo's one.
- At the nine-minute mark, sophomore Sophia Jaime attempted to put UIC on the scoreboard, taking her first of four shots, but the attempt sailed high.
- Despite shots from Hannah Gryzik (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove), Makenna Maloy (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) and Riley Collett (Fond du Lac, Wisconsin/Fond du Lac), the Flames were unable to find the back of the net over the first 45 minutes. The two teams went into the halftime intermission with a scoreless draw.
SECOND HALF
- Jaime maneuvered past her defender at the 63-minute mark, unleashing a left-footed shot that found the back of the net's right side, giving the Flames the 1-0 lead. The sophomore's goal was her fourth of the season.
- Senior Makena Shaw (Fontana, Calif./Los Osos) had two shot attempts of her own, narrowly missing the target on both occasions.
- In the 71st minute, freshman defender Sara Jacobs (Johns Creek, Ga./Johns Creek) came close to scoring during a fast break, but Valpo's goalkeeper managed to intervene just in time.
- A corner kick by the Beacons with 23 minutes remaining created a tense moment for UIC, but Keiser and the Flames defenders were able to thwart the Valparaiso scoring opportunity.
- UIC successfully maintained their lead for the remainder of the match, securing a 1-0 victory while keeping the Beacons from scoring.
JAIME'S HOT STREAK
- It's been a remarkable week for Jaime. The forward/midfielder has hit her stride at the end of the regular season for UIC, as the sophomore has netted three goals in the last two matches. Jaime currently leads the team in multiple statistical categories, including goals (four), points (12), shots (32) and shots on goal (21).
UP NEXT
No. 4 UIC will take on the winner of No. 5 Murray State and No. 8 Evansville in the second round of the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference Women's Soccer Championship on Sunday at noon at Flames Field. Thursday's contest between the Racers and Purple Aces will also take place at Flames Field, with the match starting at 2 p.m. Both Thursday's and Sunday's contests will be streamed on ESPN+. The conference semifinals and championship matches will be held on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
For more information on Flames soccer, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_WSOC and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_wsoc and @uicflames).
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