The Eastern Michigan University soccer team pulled off a dramatic comeback to defeat the University of Illinois Chicago, 3-2, on Aug. 22 at Flames Field. Down by two goals in the second half, the Eagles clawed their way back to secure the victory with a late game-winner.
Sophomore Sarah Van Euwen (Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake) clinched the match for Eastern in the 89th minute, scoring off a corner kick to give the Eagles their second consecutive win.
UIC took control early, scoring in the 14th minute and extending their lead in the 49th minute. However, Eastern responded quickly, with senior Maddie O'Farrell (Haslett, Michigan/Lansing Catholic) finding the net 55 seconds later on a stunning free kick from 30 yards out. The Eagles continued their momentum, and sophomore Olivia Sipsock (Medina, Ohio/Medina) equalized in the 64th minute, assisted by redshirt freshman Josie Langhans (Sun Prairie, Wisconsin/Sun Prairie) and junior Scarlett Thomas (Sterling Heights, Mich./Utica Academy for International Studies/Missouri).
Despite UIC’s dominance in shots (16-11) and corner kicks (4-3), the Eagles' resilience paid off in the final moments. After fending off two UIC corner kicks, Eastern earned a corner of their own, leading to Van Euwen’s decisive goal.
This victory marks Eastern's first 2-0 start since 2014. The Eagles will next face Youngstown State at home on Sunday, Aug. 25, with a pre-game Senior Day celebration scheduled before kickoff.
