FISHER — After being on the receiving end of two straight shutouts, the Uni offense got back on track Tuesday with a 2-0 win over host Fisher.

The victory also ended a three-game winless skid, which began with a 1-1 tie against Fisher during the season-opening Uni High Soccer Shoot Out.

Stephen Prochaska began the scoring early in the first half with a header off fellow junior Holden Bucher's corner kick.

Bucher added a goal himself late in the second half with a shot just inside the box on the right side of the goal. Sophomore Neil Pearson assisted on the score.

The nonconference win raises Uni's record to 3-2-1 overall.

"We started the game strong," coach Philip Anders said, "creating many scoring chances early, ncluding the first goal from a corner kick. We still need to finish better. Many of the early scoring chances were one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The score could have easily been 4-0 in our favor, before halftime."

For the game Uni had 10 shots on goal, including 6 in the first half. Senior goalkeeper Isaac Radnitzer, who last week was named The News-Gazette's male high school athlete of the week, recorded his second shutout of the season. He made 5 saves, 4 of them in the first half.

Although the team didn't capitalize on all of its scoring chances, Uni players were encouraged by what they saw.

"It was a huge step forward in terms of intensity and energy throughout the whole game," senior Jake Seeley said.

In their Aug. 25 tie with Fisher, the Illineks had been put off their game by Fisher's decision to pack the box with defenders. On Tuesday Uni was able to counter that strategy.

"We practiced sending balls into corners and then crossing them back into the center — basically, drawing the defense wider, since we had trouble last time dribbling through the large crowds of defense in the middle," senior Alex Zhai said. "It seems to have paid off, since a lot of promising plays developed along this very pattern."

The Illineks will try to build on their victory when they host East Central Illinois Conference opponent Decatur Christian in a varsity-only contest. The game is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.

Uni is 0-1 in the ECIC.

In the junior varsity match, Uni lost to Fisher 4-2. Junior Richard Weisbach scored the first Uni goal, with an assist by senior Grant Loos.

After a 1-1 deadlock at halftime, the Illineks took the lead with a goal by sophomore Loic Hostetter, assisted by sophomore Jasper Maniates-Selvin. Fisher responded with 3 unanswered goals, including a penalty kick called as time expired.

"The JV played very well, with good solid defensive play by Grant Loos," Anders said. "Eric Fritzsche and Adam Tiouririne led the way as the JV created many chances by attacking the outside wings and making good use of the field width."

THE SEASON SO FAR

2007 BOYS SOCCER VARSITY RECORD: 3-2-1 overall, 0-1 East Central Illinois Conference
(home games listed in bold)

Aug. 25: Oakwood (Uni High Soccer Shoot Out), W 5-1

• Story: Illineks win first game of season-opening tournament
• Halftime score: Uni 2, Oakwood 1
• Uni goals: Dan Lilly 2; Holden Bucher 1; Sam Imlay 1; Jake Seeley 1
• Uni assists: Sam Imlay 2; David Hjelmstad 1; Stephen Prochaska 1; Jake Seeley 1
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 6

Aug. 25: Blue Ridge (Uni High Soccer Shoot Out), W 1-0

• Story: Sophomore's first varsity goal turns out to be game winner
• Halftime score: Uni 0, Blue Ridge 0
• Uni goal: Eddie Diazmunoz 1
• Uni assist: Holden Bucher 1
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 13

Aug. 25: Fisher (Uni High Soccer Shoot Out), T 1-1

• Story: Uni wins seventh consecutive Shoot Out title
• Halftime score: Uni 1, Fisher 1
• Uni goal: Eddie Diazmunoz 1 (season total: 2)
• Uni assist: none
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 11

Aug. 28: at Judah Christian, L 5-0 *

• Story: Judah downs Uni
• Halftime score: Judah Christian 2, Uni 0
• Uni goals: none
• Uni assists: none
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 8
• JV game: Judah Christian 1, Uni 0

Aug. 30: Mahomet-Seymour, L 1-0

• Story: Mahomet-Seymour shuts out Illineks
• Halftime score: 0-0
• Uni goals: none
• Uni assists: none
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 18
• JV game: Mahomet-Seymour 3, Uni 1 (goal by Loic Hostetter, with assist by Eric Fritzsche)

Sept. 4: at Fisher, W 2-0

• Story: see above
• Halftime score: Uni 1, Fisher 0
• Uni goals: Stephen Prochaska 1; Holden Bucher 1 (season total: 2)
• Uni assists: Holden Bucher 1 (season total: 2); Neil Pearson 1
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 5
• JV game: Fisher 4, Uni 2 (Uni goals by Richard Weisbach, with assist by Grant Loos; Loic Hostetter, with assist by Jasper Maniates-Selvin)

Next opponent: Decatur Christian, Sept. 6, DCR Soccer Complex; varsity-only game to begin at 4:30 p.m.

* East Central Illinois Conference game