Women’s soccer nets first win

Rebeca Pallo scored two goals Sunday in the women’s soccer team’s first win of the season. ­(Photo: Steve Woltmann)

The women’s soccer team (1-1-2) was working on all facets Sunday at Flames Field as it captured its first victory of the season in a 4-1 win over New Mexico State (0-4-0). The three-goal spread marked the largest margin of victory for the program.

Rebeca Pallo led the scoring effort with two goals, becoming the first player to record a multi-goal game in program history. Emily Wauer and Jennifer Novak  added to the total.

Olivia Everin posted a career-high and program-best three assists, with Jasmin Carrera and Wauer also contributing helpers.

“It was great to see the girls reset their focus,” head coach Brian Rigby said. “We were better with our build up, more patient picking our moments and our final pass towards the goal created numerous opportunities, which allowed us to score a few goals.

“One of our objectives was to get off to a quicker start and we did that by getting the first goal. Getting to halftime with a lead was very important for us as I felt we did not play well during the first half. Making some tactical adjustments at halftime and executing them was key to our win.”

The Flames matched program high in shots on goal with 10 for the second time this season as they collectively put together 16 shots. In addition to Wauer (3), Pallo (2), Everin (2), Novak and Carrera, Kendall Wilde (3), Emily Valentine (2), Bekah Allen and Tamae Douglas contributed to the total.

Annie DiCanio earned her first career win after playing a complete game and making three saves. She was backed up by the strong defensive front that held the Aggies to 12 shots with four on goal.

UIC took control from the start, getting two quality chances from Wauer in the first six minutes. New Mexico State followed with three shots, one resulting in a save by DiCanio and the other two veering just wide of the net.

The Flames captured the 1-0 lead in the 25th minute when Carrera dished the ball off to the right side to Everin, who sent it back to the middle of the box to set up Wauer from six yards out with the first goal of the season.

New Mexico State opened the second half on a penalty kick to tie the game.

About 10 seconds later, Everin took the ball down the right side and served it into the middle of the box, where Pallo was waiting to send it home from three yards to regain the lead.

In the 71st minute, Everin sent in a corner kick that connected with Novak, who drove the ball into the back of the net from 20 yards. About a minute later, Wauer corralled the ball and sent it off to Pallo, who knocked the ball in for her second of the game.

The Flames hit the road to take on SIUE in Edwardsville at 7 p.m. Friday.