Women’s soccer battles to draw against Oakland
Emily Wauer executed four of the Flames’ 10 shots. Photo: Steve Woltmann
The women’s soccer team (4-10-2, 1-4-1 Horizon League) continued with its aggressive play Saturday night at Flames Field as it battled with Oakland (4-5-6, 3-1-2 Horizon League) for 110 minutes before the match ended in a 0-0 draw. The Flames are 2-1-1 in their last four games with back-to-back shutouts.
The Flames head to Green Bay Wednesday and Youngstown State Saturday before finishing the regular season versus Milwaukee Oct. 30 at Flames Field.
UIC executed 10 shots on the night as Oakland put up 16 attempts. Emily Wauer (4), Olivia Everin (2), Haley Kittle (2), Kendall Wilde and Flo Beshiri combined for the Flames’ output, with Wilde and Kittle picking up the shots on goal.
The Flames maintained a good bout of possession in the first half while each team had four shot attempts. Wauer and Everin (2) both had chances go wide before the two shots on goal of the half came in the final five minutes.
Wilde settled the ball from the top of the box in the 41st minute and fired off a shot that tipped off the goalkeeper and onto the crossbar before it was controlled. Just 38 seconds prior, the Golden Grizzlies put up a shot that was saved.
UIC was tested in the second half as Oakland came out to striking. After Wauer sent a shot wide and another high, the Golden Grizzlies had back-to-back shots deflected off the crossbar in the 56th minute and had a look at an empty net in the 67th minute but the ball went wide.
Wauer and Flo Beshiri had the Flames other two looks in the half with both coming off the mark, while Oakland took an additional five attempts with one reaching on goal.
The first overtime period gave Kittle a look one minute in as she set up for a shot that was blocked. The Golden Grizzlies had an attempt saved and another sent wide with 11 seconds to go.
The best chance for UIC in double overtime came against from Kittle, as her strike was stopped in the 104th minute. Oakland had one shot in the final minutes that was blocked.
Kelly Fritz picked up her fourth shutout of the season in goal as she made three stops on the night. With the clean sheet, she improves to a 1.74 goals-against-average and a mark of 1.15 in League play alone.
