INDIANAPOLIS – After reaching the top 10 in the polls for the first time since 2013, the UIndy men's soccer team hit the field Friday night, looking to defend their home turf and their six-game win streak. Illinois-Springfield came to town with a 2-2-2 record thus far in their 2018 season, looking for their second win in GLVC play. The Prairie Stars were not scared by the Hounds No. 9 ranking, becoming the first team to take down the Hounds this season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UIndy came out aggressive early like they have all season. In the 12th minute Ben Rohder headed a ball that sailed over the goal, starting an unfortunate trend for the night. A toughly contested first half by both teams did not result in many shots for either team. Illinois-Springfield did not have a shot on goal in the first half while the Hounds managed to get off two. The other shot in the first came off the head of Ian Vicars in the 40th minute when the shot also went over the goal.
 
Neither team had much going early in the second offensively. It was not until the 61st minute when the first shot of the second half was attempted. Ian Vicars had one of the better looks of the evening for the Hounds by his shot was save by the UIS goalkeeper to keep the scoreless game going.  It took another 10 minutes of play before another shot was fired off, also coming from UIndy. Vincent Stone had the chance to give the Hounds the lead in the 71st minute, but a crowded box did not help Stone's chances. Stone's shot was blocked by the Prairie Star defense with the game heading into crunch time. In the 82nd minute, the scoreboard lit up for the first time in the south end zone of Key Stadium. But for the first time all season, UIndy saw themselves trailing. The Prairie Stars had the lead. UIndy had a chance to tie the game and force overtime in the 87th when James Jenkins' header was just barely saved by the UIs goalkeeper.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-For the third straight game, UIndy only allowed one shot on goal.
-For the first time since 2017 against Lewis, UIndy had more shots on goal in a loss.
-A goal in the is the latest the Hounds have given up a game-winning goal since 2017 against Drury when the Panthers scored in the 89th to win.
 
HOUND BYTES
Head Coach John Higgins on UIS and looking ahead to Sunday's game, "credit to UIS, I thought they came in with a really good game plan, I thought they passed it against us really well in the first half. We did not start the game with a lot of energy, I thought in the middle of the second half things were picking up, but we have not been special enough in the final third of the game. We have not been testing the goalkeepers enough, we have not been creating chances either and that's been really disappointing. We were solid defensively, just one shot on goal and we gave up that goal, it was a cheap goal on our end to give up. But credit to them, they were solid all night, I thought a draw would have been a fair result, but they snatched it from us in the end. Now, we just have to respond and that is the biggest thing for us, I am excited to see how we turn it around for Sunday's match."
 
UP NEXT
UIndy looks to get back on the winning side of things Sunday afternoon when a tough McKendree team comes to Key Stadium for an afternoon tilt with the Hounds at 2:30 pm.