UIC women’s soccer burns crosstown rival Loyola

The women’s soccer team celebrates after defeating crosstown rival Loyola 3-2 Wednesday. Photo: Steve Woltmann

Two goals in 33 seconds lifted the UIC women’s soccer team (3-9-1) to a 3-2 victory against Loyola (6-5-3) Wednesday at the Loyola Soccer Park.

The Flames return to Horizon League action Saturday against the Titans in Detroit.

Besides the one-two goals by Jennifer Saviski and Olivia Everin, Jasmin Carrera scored for the Flames off a penalty kick in the fifth minute.

It was a night of highlights for UIC as the Flames converted their first penalty kick, scored three goals in a game for the first time, set a new time for quickest consecutive goals and matched their win total from last season.

The Flames and Ramblers were evenly matched in shots as they each fired off 13 attempts. Paige Proctor (4), Carrera (3) and Emily Wauer (2) led UIC with multiple chances and each had one shot on goal alongside Saviski, Everin and Haley Kittle.

On the Flames’ first rush of the game, the ball was batted around inside the box and the Ramblers committed a foul to set up a penalty kick in the fifth minute. Carrera stepped up to take the shot and capitalized for the early 1-0 lead with her second goal of the season.

Throughout the rest of the half, UIC blocked Loyola’s chances and created some of its own. The Flames forced a turnover in the 17th minute and broke to the net with Wauer’s shot saved. Five more attempts came for UIC from Carrera, Proctor and Alexis Jakuszewski before halftime, but all were blocked or shot off target.

The Ramblers were a threat after the break, but nothing came of their attack until the 54th minute, when they were awarded a penalty kick and Avalon Senn-Raemont converted to knot the score at 1-1.

It took until the 68th minute for the Flames to record their first shot of the second half. Kittle connected on a free kick from Christina Hovatter with a header that was saved. Proctor took an attempt one minute later from a corner kick but it was blocked.

After her initial shot was saved in the 70th minute, Loyola’s Jessica Bean came back five minutes later and scored on a cross from Jenna Szczesny to go up 2-1.

With less than 10 minutes remaining, a throw-in from Kittle met with Saviski, who took one touch and fired from 30 yards out with the ball hooking into the far post for the game-tying goal and her first collegiate tally. Just 33 seconds later, Wauer dribbled down the left side and found Everin to beat the Ramblers’ goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation for her third game-winner this year.

Kelly Fritz started the match and played 61 minutes while making two saves before Ana Hernandez entered and saw time in goal for the second time this season. Hernandez made three stops, with two in succession after the Flames’ game-winning goal. She was credited with her first win in a UIC uniform.