UIC @ Indiana (Exhibition)

[UICJohn]

UIC kicks off their 2012 soccer schedule tomorrow evening as they visit #12 Indiana. Exhibition or not, it should be a good first test for the team.

The team started off fairly well last year and then ended the season on a bad note as they lost 5 of their last 7 games.

However, UIC does definitely seem to have a pretty impressive recruiting class coming into this year. It will definitely be interesting to see what kind of lineup is thrown out there tomorrow and as the season begins. In addition, have to improve on next year. Starting a little slow (especially if a lot of the younger players are getting time) and finishing strong is what is needed. Started strong and finishing badly is not acceptable.

[Big D]

UIC picked to tie for 4th in the HL preseason poll.

horizonleague.org/blog/wright-state-tabbed-mens-soccer-preseason-favorite.html

[UICJohn]

They did actually receive a 1st place vote. The top 3 (Wright St., Cleveland St., and Valpo) are separated by just 2 points. I still have a pretty good feeling for UIC this season for some reason.

Hopefully start off with a good showing tonight.

[Big D]

Watched the tail end of the 2nd period and the entire 3rd period (they played three 30-min periods instead of two 45-min halves). By the time I tuned in, IU was playing mostly bench players, and we had a lot of newcomers in as well.

UIC had a couple nice offensive moves in the beginning of the 3rd period...and one ended in a goal by Ivan to make it 1-0. That was the end of us playing well. IU was on offense pretty much the rest of the game. UIC was out of position badly at least twice on defense, one ending in an IU player having pretty much an open shot at the goal to tie it up. The other time, we fortunately blocked the shot....

So, game ends in a tie. Would've been nice to win that one once we went up, but gave up a bad game-tying goal 5 minutes later. Eh, it's exhibition. But we didn't have a single corner kick all game. IU had like 8 or 9. Worried we're going to be offensively challenged again.