UIC showed continued offensive improvement, but a goal still eluded them in a 1-0 loss to Western Illinois Sunday evening.  The Flames set season highs in shots and shots on goal for the second straight match.

David Nikolic's Summary
"We definitely came out with a mindset to attack.  We tried to put players in spots where we thought we could generate things.  We were able to put ourselves in more dangerous positioning and we also took care of our set pieces."

Turning Points

• The Flames started out on the front foot, holding possession in the final third and looking for connections inside the box.  Their best chance to score, though, came in transition when Makena Shaw stole the ball and worked in close for a shot that was saved.
• Lena Kurz made two spectacular first-half saves to keep the match scoreless.  A corner kick resulted in a hard shot that made her dive to her right.  Later, a shot from the run of play required her to dive left to spear it.
• The decisive goal came in the 76^th minute.  Bridget Schuler made an individual move to dribble free of the Flames' defense and scooted a shot past Kurz inside the right post.

Match Details
Early energy by the Flames was evident on both ends of the field.  Shaw's steal and shot capped an opening 20 minutes that saw hard work on the defensive end by Yulexi Diaz, two attempts by Grace Setter that just missed the frame, and even a goal off a corner kick that was nullified by a foul.

"We had two really good corner kicks," Nikolic observed.  "On one we scored but it got called back, on the other one it looked like it squibbed right through.  For teams that struggle to score, you need a little bit of luck, and when you get those opportunities you have to jump on them."

After Kurz' two first half highlight-reel saves, Diaz took a straight-on shot that had lift but was saved.  Early in the second half, Megan Bowman ripped a low shot that despite a deflection still challenged the keeper.  But after that, another try by Bowman was the only quality chance the Flames offered the rest of the match.  The Leathernecks seized momentum, possession, and the game's lone goal.

Jackie Santibanez and Janai Cedeno each returned from an injury that kept them sidelined for the 2020 season.  Santibanez was on the potential receiving end of a cross that looked promising until Isabel Navas Rodriguez intercepted it.  Navas Rodriguez stopped all five of the Flames' shots that went on target.

"It's nice to have some people starting to come back.  We have more options who definitely can help," Nikolic said.  "We have to find the right spots for them and give them some opportunities to assist in the plays we can develop."  Allie Tefend returned to the starting lineup, Natalie Montini made her second straight start, and Leah Sense made her first start of the season and played a career high 85 minutes.

The Flames regrouped for a final push in the last 10 minutes.  They could not get off a shot against a Leatherneck defense that was committed to making their lead stand up, to the disappointment of a supportive crowd.  "We're really thankful we were able to get the game in.  Being a holiday weekend, a lot of parents were in from out of town," Nikolic noted.  "They were loud and supportive of the team so we're thankful for our facilities staff who did a great job in setting up the game."

One final non-conference game awaits, at Marquette Thursday, before Horizon League play takes over the rest of the season.