Sept. 26, 2008
Contact: Brian McCann
CHICAGO, Ill - Baggio Husidic scored a pair of goals and Stevan Jovcic added a goal and an assist as 10th ranked UIC defeated Cleveland State, 5-0, on Friday night at UIC's Flames Field.
The loss drops CSU to 1-5-2 on the year and 0-1 in league play while UIC improves to 6-0-2.
"This loss is a little disheartening because coming off a close loss at Akron, I thought that we could challenge UIC a little more," CSU head coach Ali Kazemaini said. "We were a little beat up and had a couple of tough calls go against us that really took the wind out of us."
"UIC is a very technical team that really plays well on the ball. They are easily the best team that we have seen this season."
Husidic gave the Flames a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute when he took converted a pass from Kevin Stoll and beat Viking goalkeeper Nick Harpel.
UIC made it 2-0 just before half when Julian Serrato challenged Harpel on a play and took the ball away from him. Serrato played it to Phillip Mitchell, who scored easily into the empty net.
"That was a tough play because Nick had the ball in his possession when he was challenged," Kazemaini said. "It should have been whistled as a foul, instead the call went against us and they got the goal."
Husidic pushed the lead to 3-0 in the 66th minute when he converted a penalty kick following a Viking handball in the box.
"That was another call that went against us," Kazemaini said. "I didn't think it was a foul but the official saw otherwise.
"I'm not taking anything away from UIC because they are the best team that we have played this season, but those two calls helped to turn a one goal deficit into a rout. If they go the other way, I think the last 30 minutes would have been different."
Instead, the Vikings were forced to press up offensively, allowing UIC to add a pair of goals in the final 10 minutes.
Jovcic scored the fourth goal on a blast from the far side of the goal at the 80:22 mark and Dan Simek followed with a chip shot over Harpel on a breakaway.
UIC had a 12-2 edge in shots with Harpel making three saves in goal for CSU.
The Vikings remain in Chicago this weekend in order to face Loyola on Sunday, Sept.28 beginning at 12:00 noon CDT at Loyola Soccer Park.
