The University of Illinois-Chicago men’s soccer coach Sasha Begovic said his team played terribly in its 1-0 loss to NIU on Wednesday.

In contrast, NIU coach Steve Simmons said the Huskies (1-2) have improved since last fall in breaking a seven-game losing streak to UIC, which is winless in its three games this season.

“He can say what he can say,” Simmons said. “I’m sure he’s disappointed, but from last year to now, we’re much improved and have a lot more depth.”

Sophomore Kevin Woerner was chosen by Simmons to take a free kick 13 minutes into the game and converted to score the Huskies’ second goal on the season.

Fellow sophomore Justin McGrane’s drive down the left sideline set up the free kick after a defender illegally tackled McGrane inside the penalty box, warranting a showdown between UIC goalkeeper Jeff Engelbrecht and Woerner.

“That should be scored every time,” Woerner said in response to his free kick. “It’s not that hard, you just have to put the ball right inside the post.”

Engelbrecht stopped the other seven shots on goal by the Huskies while his counterpart, NIU goalkeeper Steve Goletz, earned his first shutout since Oct. 20, 2002, which was a 1-0 victory against Western Michigan.

Goletz and the NIU defense also held the Flames’ Tonci Skroce scoreless after the sophomore scored goals in each of UIC’s previous losses.

Simmons made a change in the Huskies’ defensive line-up, moving senior Andy Champion to left back and putting freshman Chris Rufa in the middle.

“Chris was injured coming into camp, and we wanted to bring him in slowly,” Simmons said. “This game in particular proved to be good timing because he did very good.”

Simmons said he moved the Huskies’ captain and vocal leader, Champion, farther back so he would be able to see and organize his teammates from a deeper position. The second-year coach also said Rufa is better on the ball than Champion, and from Champion’s old position Rufa will be able to help in NIU’s attack on offense.

Simmons and Woerner believe that the intensity NIU played with put them over the top, and the only difference between this game and the previous two were the scores.

“We know we got a long way to go,” Simmons said. “We’re only satisfied with the result, but I know and the guys know that it’s going to be our intensity that takes us where we want to go.”