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UIC Athletics

thevalley
Sophia_Jaime_DRAKE_MVC_Semifinal
Missouri Valley Conference
0
UIC UIC (8-10-2, 6-2-2)
1
Winner Drake DRAKE (8-6-6, 6-2-2)
UIC UIC
(8-10-2, 6-2-2)
0
Final
1
Drake DRAKE
(8-6-6, 6-2-2)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UIC UIC 0 0 0
Drake DRAKE 0 1 1

Game Recap: Women's Soccer |

Flames Drop 1-0 Heartbreaker to Drake in MVC Semifinals

UIC dominates for large stretches but Bulldogs score against run of play to steal victory

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Nov. 7, 2024) — Soccer can be a cruel game at times, and that was never more apparent than in Thursday afternoon's Missouri Valley Conference Championship semifinal between UIC and Drake.

The Flames (8-10-2) dominated possession for the vast majority of the game and ended up earning a player-advantage for the final 40+ minutes after a Bulldog red card, but Drake (8-6-6) managed to score on its lone shot of the second half, entirely against the run of play, to steal a 1-0 victory over UIC at Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium in Springfield, Mo.

UIC threw everything it could at Drake and came agonizingly close on several occasions, finishing with a 3-to-1 shot advantage (18-6; 9-1 in the second half), including an 8-5 edge in shots on goal, but the Flames somehow couldn't find the back of the net. Junior forwards Riley Collett (Fond du Lac, Wis./Fond du Lac) and Sophia Jaime (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso) kept the Bulldog defense on the back foot all day long, tallying five shots apiece, with three of Jaime's tries ending up on frame. 

The full box score and play-by-play recap from Thursday's game with Drake can be found here.

COACH'S COMMENTS
"This is a tough way to end the season," said head coach David Nikolic. "I felt that the way we set up gave us the best opportunities and we played with great energy and grit. I'm proud of the the group as a whole this season. We grew and hit our stride as we hit the MVC season and didn't stop. A second-place finish in the regular season and a semifinal appearance should be something that we look back on with pride."

SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • UIC was making its second consecutive MVC Championship semifinal appearance and the fourth in program history. The Flames also dropped a one-goal decision (2-1) to Drake in last year's MVC semifinal.
  • The Flames were one of the hottest teams in the MVC during the second half of the season, going 7-3-2 in their final 12 games.
  • UIC matched its best-ever regular-season conference finish (2nd; also in 2019) and second-most conference wins and point total (6 wins/20 points; 7 wins/21 points in 2019).
  • The Flames finish with the second-highest win total (8) in program history, topped only by their 12-win season in 2019. 

SUPPORT YOUR FLAMES
Fans are strongly encouraged to support NIL opportunities for UIC student-athletes through contributions to The Chicago Collective.
 
FOLLOW THE FLAMES
For more information on UIC women's 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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