UNI soccer returns to winning ways with 1-0 victory over UIC

Thursday, September 21

Cedar Falls, Iowa

3 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

8-1-1, 1-1-0

UIC

2-5-2, 1-1-0

UIC

UNI

Photo by: Eli Hull

UNI soccer returns to winning ways with 1-0 victory over UIC

9/21/2023 6:51:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score FINAL RESULTS Photo Gallery

Maddie Eastus scores game’s lone goal as Panthers record first win in MVC play

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- In a rematch of the 2022 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) quarterfinal, UNI soccer again emerged victorious over the UIC Flames 1-0 on Thursday afternoon at UNI Soccer Field. Maddie Eastus scored the game's lone goal in the 60th minute on an assist from Olivia Knoepfle after the Panthers withstood a consistent Flames attack in the opening half.

Thursday's contest marked the first meeting between the sides since their 2022 postseason matchup, which ended with the Panthers beating the Flames in a penalty kick shootout. Thursday's match was played with a postseason-esque intensity, as the game featured three yellow cards and 16 combined fouls.

Ultimately the Panthers were able to break through for the deciding goal, recording their first win of MVC play in the process.

"Happy with our second half and the determination by our players to find the goal," said head coach Bruce Erickson. "We really lacked purpose in the first half and UIC did a good job dictating the play. Our group sorted it out and I applaud them for getting the job done."

With the wind at their back, the Flames controlled a majority of the opening 45 minutes. UIC fired nine total shots in the opening frame, a good portion of which came from outside the 18-yard box. In the 20th minute, UIC's Emma Higgins rattled the crossbar with a shot from distance that Caitlin Richards lept to stop. Richards reacted well after hitting the ground, swatting the ensuing loose ball in the penalty area away to keep the match scoreless. She made another save three-and-a-half minutes later on a shot from Bella Baker.

UIC had nine shots to UNI's two in the first half. The Panthers' best scoring opportunity in the opening 45 minutes came in the 43rd minute, when Macy Smith powered through the left side of UIC's defense and fired a shot from the left side of the Flames' 18-yard box. Her effort found the side netting, though, and the match entered halftime scoreless.

UNI flipped the script on UIC in the second half, out-shooting the Flames 8-2. The Panthers jumped on the visitors right away in the second stanza. In the 50th minute, Knoepfle flicked a pass forward for Lauren Heinsch, who raced behind the Flames' defense to meet the ball inside the 18-yard box. Her effort was saved by Flames goalkeeper Trish Georgiou.

The Panthers finally broke through in the 60th minute. After a deflected cross that skied into the air, Knoepfle controlled the ball near the right corner flag. She took a touch towards the end line and fired in a cross that fell over the head of a leaping Ashley Harrington and two UIC defenders at the front post. The ball fell perfectly at the penalty spot, and Eastus was in perfect position to slot the ball past Georgiou to open the scoring.

Morgan Barnette nearly doubled UNI's lead in the 69th minute in spectacular fashion, having come on as a substitute seconds prior. Barnette steered the ball into the back of the net after a Panther shot from outside the 18-yard box, but she was deemed offside and UNI's lead remained 1-0.

The Panthers withstood one late push from the Flames in the 88th minute, a scrum in the penalty area that concluded with a Richards stop from close range, but that was the last scoring opportunity of the contest as the Panthers secured a 1-0 victory. The win marked UNI's first regulation win over UIC in program history.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Knoepfle recorded her fourth assist of the 2023 season on Eastus' game-winning goal. That bumped her up to a tie for fifth place on UNI soccer's single-season assist leaderboard. Knoepfle is tied with four other Panthers including Harrington, who recorded four assists in the 2022 season.
Eastus' goal marked the 27th of the 2023 season for the Panthers. Her tally moved UNI into a tie with the 2016 squad for the third-most goals scored in a single season in program history. The 2023 team is now just seven goals shy of matching the 2017 team's program-record 34 goals scored.
Richards recorded her 14th career shutout in UNI's victory over the Flames. That moved her into a tie with Anne Marie Witko (2000-03) for second place in program history for career shutouts. Former UNI goalkeeper and current Panther soccer assistant coach Jami Reichenberger (2017-18) holds the program record with 18 career shutouts.
Prior to Thursday's victory, the Panthers had not recorded a shutout since their 3-0 victory over St. Ambrose on Aug. 29.
Thursday's contest marked the first time that a match between the Panthers and Flames ended with a winner in regulation. Their previous two meetings ended in draws, with UNI advancing on penalty kicks when the sides met in the quarterfinal round of the 2022 MVC Tournament.
Eastus has recorded a point in four of UNI's last five matches. Her streak of four consecutive matches with a point was snapped in the Panthers' 2-1 loss against Drake last Sunday.
Eastus and Smith are now tied for the team lead in total points with 12. That's tied for the 11th best single-season point total in program history.
Thursday's victory marked head coach Bruce Erickson's 298th career coaching victory. Erickson, the winningest head coach in Panther soccer history, recorded his 50th win at UNI in the Panthers' win over UT Martin on Sept. 9.

UP NEXT

UNI remains at home for a match against the Southern Illinois Salukis on Sunday at 12 p.m. at UNI Soccer Field. Sunday marks the program's annual KICK MITO game, and fans are encouraged to wear green as UNI soccer raises awareness about mitochondrial disease. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.