TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The UIC women's soccer team (4-6-3, 3-2-1 MVC) played to a scoreless draw against Indiana State (1-5-7, 0-3-2 MVC) on Thursday evening. The match was marked by a couple of close shots and excellent defensive plays by both programs.

COACH'S COMMENTS
"I don't believe the stat sheet provides a complete picture of tonight's match. I was pleased with the effort, but we understand that we must be more proactive around the goal to execute the final actions necessary for scoring," said head coach David Nikolic. "We experimented with different players in attacking positions tonight. Valley games are tough and in the days ahead, we will be diligent in our preparations to ensure the team is well-prepared for Evansville Sunday."

FIRST HALF

• Early in the half, the Flames had a scoring opportunity on a fast break led by Riley Collett (Fond du Lac, Wisc./Fond du Lac). However, the sophomore's cross failed to connect with her teammate, resulting in a change of possession.
• Both teams had nearly equal offensive chances in the first half, with UIC taking six shots and Indiana State taking five.
• At the 40-minute mark, Kathryn Rutledge (Simsbury, Conn./Simsbury) showcased her footwork with an impressive move that led to a shot just before halftime, narrowly missing the net.
• The Flames and Sycamores entered halftime with a scoreless tie.

1??5?? Rutledge with a nice move and shot that just missed the net right before the half!

UIC 0, IndSt 0#FireUpFlames pic.twitter.com/fBzlr09W8U

— UIC Women's Soccer (@UIC_WSOC) October 5, 2023

SECOND HALF

• Around the 30-minute mark, the Flames gained momentum, maintaining possession in their offensive end but were unable to convert this opportunity into a goal.
• At the 63^rd minute, Makenna Maloy (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) delivered a corner kick that came close to the goal, but Indiana State's goalkeeper reached up to make a clutch save.
• In the 73^rd minute, the Sycamores tested Lauren Keiser (Santa Rosa Beach, Fla./South Walton) with a powerful on-target shot. The redshirt junior was up to the challenge, stopping her second shot of the game.

 

'73

0??0?? Keiser with the great save to keep the Sycamores off the scoreboard! ??

UIC 0, IndSt 0#FireUpFlames pic.twitter.com/vswOgYyfuX

— UIC Women's Soccer (@UIC_WSOC) October 5, 2023

• With just 15 minutes remaining, Rutledge's fast break attempt and shot was the closest either team came to scoring throughout the match.

FLAMES DEFENSE

• UIC is the fourth MVC program in a row to hold Indiana State scoreless. The Sycamores have yet to score a goal in Missouri Valley Conference play.
• Freshman defender Julia Thomson (Philadelphia, Pa./Springside Chestnut Hill Academy) executed a well-timed slide tackle with 40 minutes remaining in the match, contributing to the Flames' shutout.
• Redshirt junior Shelsea Rigby (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) played the entire 90 minutes as a defender, providing stability to the Flames' backline.

FIRST TIMERS

• Natalie Montini (Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) made her first start of the season. The junior midfielder had four starts last season and seven as a freshman in 2021.

UP NEXT
The Flames will continue their road journey as they face off against Evansville this weekend. The Sunday contest is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. CT at Arad McCutchan Stadium and can be streamed on ESPN+. Live stats will also be accessible on the Flames' website.

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).