CHICAGO – Facing a 2-1 deficit with five minutes remaining in the match on Saturday night, Evansville's Andres Escudero (San Sebastián de los Reyes, Spain/IES Joan Miro) netted his second goal of the night to help the Purple Aces secure a draw at UIC and remain atop the MVC table. The brace was Escudero's third of the season, making him one of two freshman in the country with two braces this season and the first UE freshman with three braces in a season since Nacho Diaz Barragan in 2022.
 
The night began with both sides feeling each other out early, as neither team put a shot on goal in the first 37 minutes. Evansville's Pablo Calvete (Ponferrada, Spain/UNIR) almost opened the scoring in the 33^rd minute, but his shot went just high of the crossbar. Michal Mroz (Elk Grove, Ill./Elk Grove) was challenged for the first time in the 37^th minute, collecting his first save.
 
Despite a quiet first 39 minutes of action, play ratcheted up quickly in the 40^th minute. UIC struck first, using a header to find the night's first goal. However, Evansville quickly pieced together an attack following the kickoff, with Calvete finding Escudero near the top of the box. From there, Escudero took a touch and ripped a left-footed strike near the penalty spot, finding the bottom left corner of the goal for his seventh goal of the season and tying the match at 1-1.
 
After the match went into halftime tied at one, the Flames were quick to strike in the second period, taking the lead back with a goal in the 51^st minute.
 
Evansville searched for the equalizer throughout the next 35 minutes, tallying four shots. In the 62^nd minute, Escudero nearly tied the score at two, but his shot hit both the crossbar and the far post to deny the Aces.

However, the Flames were unable to keep the Purple Aces' freshman at bay, as Escudero collected a long ball in from Martin Wurschmidt (Stavern, Norway/Thor Heyerdahl VGS) on the left side of the six in the 85^th minute and buried a shot into the bottom right corner to equalize. With the goal, Escudero became one of 12 players in the country this season with three games scoring two goals or more.
 
"To concede twice on the road and get ourselves back in the match showed the grit and resilience that our group has," said Head Coach Robbe Tarver. "It's a tough place to play and they are a good team, but the result ensures that we are still on top of the table."
 
"I think it was a great college soccer game. Both teams fighting, battling, clawing for everything they could get. I think it was a really good game in terms of style."
 
"We are happy to have a point. Obviously, we want more, but on the road, getting a point is a big deal."

With the draw, Evansville moves to 4-3-7 overall and 2-0-2 in MVC play, remaining atop the conference table with eight points. Saturday's result marks the first time since 1991 that the Aces have started conference play with four-straight results. UE returns home to Arad McCutchan Stadium on Friday to celebrate Senior Night, taking on Bradley at 6 PM.