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CHICAGO - The IUPUI men's soccer team built a 2-0 lead on UIC, but had to hold on for dear life for a 2-2 tie after playing the final 30 minutes short-handed. Junior
Gregory Efiom scored his first career IUPUI goal and senior
Kyle Hyland added his fifth of the year in the draw.
IUPUI (2-5-1) will take on Wisconsin on Sunday at noon Eastern as the second part of the Chicago South Loop Hotels UIC Soccer Classic.
"The boys showed a lot of grit and heart," IUPUI head coach
Isang Jacob said. "That was good to see, being a man down on the road. The boys refused to see a repeat of the Milwaukee outcome."
Earlier in the season, the Jaguars dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker at Milwaukee as the host Panthers scored the game-winner with one second left in regulation. On Friday (Sept. 14), IUPUI made amends, escaping with a draw. Efiom put the Jaguars in front just before halftime, when he volleyed in a deflection following a cross from senior
Sean McGrath. Both McGrath and freshman
Michael Sass were credited with assists on the goal, each getting their third helper of the year.
IUPUI held the 1-0 lead for much of the second half, but missed a chance to jump out 2-0 in the 76th minute. After the Jaguars earned a penalty kick, McGrath had his attempt snuffed by UIC goalkeeper Piotr Kikolski, keeping the advantage at one. Rather than hang their heads, the Jaguars kept pressing and grabbed a 2-0 lead less than three minutes later on Hyland's Summit League-best fifth score of the year. The Bay Village, Ohio-native took advantage of a deflection off Kikolski and blasted a shot into the open net for his seventh career score.
However, UIC (1-4-1) came back with a vengeance, finally breaking the shutout with a penalty kick in the 80th minute. Ivan Stanisavljevic beat freshman goalkeeper
Eduardo Cortes on the PK, cutting the Jaguars lead in half with just more than 10 minutes to play. Sophomore
Tyler Drumm came on as a substitution at the time of the goal, but was issued a red card less than a minute later, giving UIC a man advantage.
The Flames capitalized and pulled even with 7:45 left in regulation as Joel Salmeron scored off an assist from Josh Beard. IUPUI staved off the hard charging UIC squad in regulation before regaining traction in overtime.
The Jaguars dominated the run of play in the first overtime period, but the two teams combined to take just one shot attempt in the first 10 minute stanza. In the second OT period, Cortes made a key save of a Kyle Lindberg attempt in the 109th minute to preserve the tie.
UIC outshot the Jaguars 27-8, led by Jesus Torres' six tries. Hyland, McGrath and
Emile Garcia led the Jaguars with two attempts each. Cortes, who ranks among the national leaders in saves and saves per game, made six stops in 110 minutes work on Friday while Kikolski made two saves at the other end of the field.
IUPUI comes into Sunday's match 2-2 all-time against Wisconsin, which played Western Illinois to a scoreless tie on Friday night.