GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The Green Bay men's soccer team took the pitch in the Horizon League Men's Soccer Championship for the first time since the 2011 season on Saturday night in Chicago, Ill., against host UIC. The Phoenix fell to the Flames, 2-0, after UIC managed to score twice late to claim the tournament crown and automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
"We played 78 minutes of championship level soccer," head coach
Jeremy Bonomo said. "Unfortunately, UIC played 90 minutes. Our guys have nothing to hang their heads about from this season. I'm very proud of what they were able to accomplish all year."
Green Bay was held to a disadvantage in shots (11-17) and shots on goal (8-5), but did hold an attacking advantage in corner kicks, 6-5.
Buran Huseini led the Phoenix with five shots and two shots on goal while never stepping off the pitch.
Audi Jepson,
Tomer Zloczower and
Brian Vang also tallied attempts on the net for Green Bay.
Nikola Khavedzic defended the Phoenix net well despite allowing the pair of near-perfect goals and finished the night with six saves.
Green Bay closes out the historic 2017 campaign with a 9-5-3 record and its first-ever Horizon League Regular Season Championship under its belt.
Green Bay bids farewell to seniors
Audi Jepson,
Cody Newton and
Emmanuel Ekunseitan but returns a strong group of underclassmen for next season.
GOAL SUMMARY
77' | UIC | Markell Saddler (Assist: Abel Guzman): Saddler gathered a rebound off the post and tapped it in for his second goal of the season.
79' | UIC | Max Todd (Unassisted): Placed a free kick in the upper left of the net from about 20 yards out for his fourth goal of the season.
STARTING XI
Green Bay: 2-Huseini, 3-Baires, 4-Bradford, 5-Bautista, 6-Smith, 7-Zloczower, 10-Jepson, 12-Newton, 14-Vang, 16-Mansa, 31-Kahvedzic (GK),
UIC: 3-Leon, 4-Graiber, 5-Garcia, 6-Perez, 7-Todd, 8-Gonzalez, 13-Ghezali, 16-Sanchez, 19-Becht, 20-Fuentes
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