Final Stats

CHICAGO, Ill. - A Mackenzie Fuller goal in the dying seconds of the first overtime gave UIC a 1-0 win over the Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team in the first meeting between the two schools this afternoon at Flames Field in Chicago, Ill. The Flames improve to 2-9-0 (0-1-0 Horizon League), while the Ramblers drop to 4-8-0 (1-0-0 Missouri Valley).

The hosts came out firing on a warm fall afternoon on Chicago's west side. Madison Pollard and Jasmin Carrera each forced saves out of goalkeeper Monica Gonyo, two of her eight on the afternoon, in the first ten minutes of play. Kara Ruffolo tallied the Ramblers' first shot on target in the 22nd minute but was turned away by Kelly Fritz, the Flames netminder. Allison Rydberg forced a save out Fritz in the 37th minute, as chances were tough to come by for the Maroon & Gold in the opening stanza. Gonyo finished the half with four saves as the game headed to halftime scoreless.

UIC outshot Loyola, 5-4, in the opening 45 minutes, holding a 4-2 advantage in shots on goal. Ruffolo notched a pair of attempts to lead Loyola in the category in the first half.

The Flames were the aggressors in the early stages of the second stanza, firing a pair of shots inside the first five minutes. Gonyo continued to keep her team in the game, coming up with two saves inside a four-minute span as the half wore on. Jessica Bean looked to steal a late winner for the Ramblers in the 83rd minute when she forced Fritz into her first save of the half. Olivia Everin's attempt that sailed high in the 88th minute proved to be the final chance for either team in regulation as the two city rivals headed to overtime tied at 0-0.

Gonyo was called into action just 45 seconds into the first extra session when she wrapped up a shot from Fuller. Avalon Senn-Raemont, who shares the team lead in goals with four on the season, fired her shot over the crossbar a minute later. Gonyo made her final stop of the afternoon in the 97th minute but didn't have an answer for Fuller when she ripped a shot from the top of the 18-yard box past the Rambler goalkeeper and into the back of the net with only 38 seconds remaining to seal a victory for the Flames.

Loyola returns to action in six days time when it travels to Valparaiso, Ind. for a meeting with the Valparaiso Crusaders, a former Horizon League rival, on Saturday, Oct. 4. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Brown Field.