Soccer scores first road win

Rebeca Pallo scored her fifth game-winning goal of the season Saturday. (Photo: Steve Woltmann)

The women’s soccer team captured its fourth win in its last five games and its first road victory Saturday night, defeating Cleveland State at Krenzler Field. Naomi Rushe scored the equalizer for the Flames before Rebeca Pallo put home her fifth game-winning goal of the year.

UIC (5-7-2, 3-2-0 HL) was kept to nine shots with three on goal as the Vikings (4-9-0, 1-4-0 HL) took 13 attempts. Rushe led the team with four shots, followed by Pallo with two.

Kelly Fritz earned her third win of the season in conference play as she matched her season-high with seven saves.

UIC started quickly as Pallo struck off a header that was saved following a corner kick sent in by Olivia Everin in the eighth minute of play. Jasmin Carrera’s attempt nine minutes later went wide. Fritz made her first save of the game in the 22nd minute and her second within the next five minutes, as Rushe (2) and Everin scattered shots off target.

In the 39th minute, Cleveland State went ahead, 1-0.

In the 42nd minute Jennifer Saviski sent in a corner kick before a scramble in the box allowed Cecilia Magos to pass the ball off to Rushe, who scored her second goal of the season to put the game in a tie heading into halftime.

Three minutes into the second half, Pallo dribbled the ball up the right side before taking a shot that went into the far post for her sixth goal of the season and the 2-1 lead.

The Vikings came back with three straight shots, with one hitting the post and another saved by Fritz.

The Flames are back in action at 7 p.m. Saturday, hosting Northern Kentucky at Flames Field.