Jags down UIC 2-1 behind freshman goalscorer

Just before the clock turned to 15:00, Autumn Weeks netted her first goal as a Jaguar; a goal that would set the tone for the rest of the match. IUPUI’s women’s soccer team made a statement on Wednesday in their 2-1 win against UIC. 

Before this game, UIC had left opponents scoreless in their last three games. Wednesday night Lena Kurz, UIC’s starting goalkeeper, had 6 saves but let two of the balls hit the back of the net. The Jags only had one goal scorer today, Autumn Weeks, a freshman midfielder from Peoria, Illinois.

 “I’m just super excited, it felt unreal when it happened,” Weeks said when she was asked how it felt to have her first two goals in the same game.

Weeks may have been the only one to score, but that doesn’t mean that the offense was slow. In fact, the exact opposite was true; Valentine Pursey had three shots on goal and two assists. 

“I think the girls worked really hard and they’re getting more efficient in what they are trying to do and they’re getting a better idea of how to bring things together for us,” head coach Chris Johnson said when asked about the win.

On the defensive side, the Jags allowed 9 shots on goal. “The most dangerous situations were the set pieces, which is going to happen,” said Johnson. Sophia Lipka, the Jaguars goalkeeper, helped keep a clean sheet until the 87-minute mark. UIC’s only goal was scored by Jessica Christmas. “I think they had a nice cross in, it was close, they were a lot of girls going at it, unfortunately, it went in, but we held them at the end and kept our 2-1 win,” said Lipka.

After Wednesday’s win, the Jags are now tied for second in the Horizon League with UIC and Wright State. The team atop the standings is Milwaukee, who is 3-0 in the conference. When asked how it felt, Johnson said, “It feels great, we gave up a home contest against NKU a few weeks ago, so we are a little disappointed in that right there. But, if we can get a good run going on, I think we have a chance to finish in the top two and maybe even take a shot at the top position.”

Up next for the Jaguars is a game at Detroit Mercy on Sunday, October 6th, followed by a return home on Tuesday against Illinois State.