Box Score (.html) I Box Score (.pdf) I Highlights

DAYTON, Ohio - The IUPUI men's soccer team came within a whisker of extending its season on Thursday night (Nov. 8), playing No. 2 seed UIC to a 1-1 draw after 110 minutes, sending the game to penalty kicks. However, the Flames escaped and advanced to Saturday's championship match, outlasting the Jaguars in PKs, 4-2. IUPUI had two errant attempts while the Flames were a perfect 4-for-4 in their tries. 

"I could not be more proud of this group of men," head coach Brian Barnett said. "We were able to have this opportunity because of the constant and consistent hard work and improvement they have made over the course of the season. I am especially happy for our six seniors because they have been through a lot of soccer adversity, but have stayed committed to the program and their teammates. They earned the right to be the first team to accomplish so much in quite some time."

IUPUI (5-10-4) pushed one of the nation's top teams to the brink as UIC entered play ranked No. 34 in the most recent RPI. The Flames, who defeated the Jaguars 4-0 during the regular season, found it to be much tougher sledding against IUPUI this time around, despite outshooting the Jags 29-4 and claiming a 16-3 margin in corner kicks. Keyed by a stout defense, head coach Brian Barnett's team was content to dump and chase and seek counterattack opportunities against a talented UIC (11-5-2) club.

The strategy nearly worked.  

After a scoreless first half, a rare IUPUI scoring chance saw senior Sean Siasia gave the Jaguars a 1-0 lead midway through the second half with a world class finish on a breakaway opportunity. Freshman Anthony Saporito helped spring Siasia into space, playing a well weighted lead pass to the senior striker after picking off a pass at midfield. The fleet-footed veteran did the rest, racing past UIC's Jacob Graiber and getting a right-footed touch to angle a shot over UIC keeper Sawyer Jackman's left arm and into the open net for the game's first score. It was Siasia's second goal in the Horizon League Tournament and his third in four games to close the season. Saporito earned his first collegiate point on the play by setting up the go-ahead goal.  

The score held until the 80th minute when the relentless UIC attack got even. The Jaguars struggled to clear the ball defensively, allowing Nestor Garcia to head the ball back to Gonzalez inside the top of the 18-yard box. Gonzalez ripped a volley through traffic and freshman goalkeeper Quinn McCallion didn't get a clean look at the attempt that bounded cleanly inside the post.

McCallion was brilliant throughout the evening, closing with eight saves. He also benefited from a Sam Gavin save early in the second half as the Jaguars' goalkeeper was beaten on an attempt from the right side, only to have Gavin clear the shot to safety as the last line of defense. 

UIC continued to press for the winner late in regulation and in overtime, but to no avail. The Flames outshot the Jaguars 4-1 in the two extra periods, but neither side was particularly dangerous in the attack. With both sides boasting elite keepers, PKs seemed like an inevitable showdown. 

After both sides were clean in round one, UIC took a 2-1 advantage after round two when sophomore back Tommy Patacca had his shot ring off the bar and straight in the air. Both sides were successful in round three but the odds swung completely against the Jags in the start of round four when freshman Corey Goede drove his shot well over the bar. UIC pounced on the opportunity as Jordan Moore coolly delivered the final penalty kick to send UIC to a meeting with top seeded Wright State on Saturday night.

Coming off a winless season, IUPUI shocked the league by earning a spot in the six-team league tournament and took it a step further with an opening round road win at Green Bay. It was the program's first conference tournament win since the 2007 campaign. While the Jaguars graduate a six-man senior core, the future looks bright for Barnett's squad as seven of the Jaguars' 11 starters from Thursday's game are expected to return.