June 28, 2006
2006 UIC Soccer Schedule in PDF Format
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Chicago, Ill.- UIC Head Men's Soccer Coach John Trask unveiled the Flames' 2006 fall schedule on Wednesday, with four 2005 NCAA Tournament teams and the program's first-ever home night games headlining another tough slate.
After defeating Top 25 teams Loyola Marymount and Creighton on the road last season, the Flames will not have it any easier in 2006. 2005 NCAA Tournament teams Indiana, Bradley, UW-Milwaukee and UC Santa Barbara await UIC this season, along with perennial power Saint Louis and Big Ten forces Northwestern and Wisconsin.
The season opens with an exhibition match against the Hoosiers in Fort Wayne, Ind., on August 15th. That is followed by a preseason contest against IUPUI at the IPFW Soccer Showcase on August 18th.
The Flames will then open the regular season on the road at Saint Louis on August 26th. It marks the first match between UIC and the ten-time national champion Billikens since 1999, when the two teams met in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
History will be made at UIC's home opener on August 30th, as the first-ever night match will be played at Flames Field when the Flames host city rival DePaul at 7:00 p.m. to begin a three-match homestand under the lights.
The string of three straight home matches continues with a contest against UMKC on September 1st at 7:00 p.m. and concludes with a huge clash against in-state rival and 2005 NCAA Tournament qualifier Bradley at Flames Field on September 3rd at 7:00 p.m.
UIC's remaining home matches, all of which are under the lights, include a pivotal Horizon League match against UW-Milwaukee on October 3rd. The Panthers, who have made the last five NCAA Tournaments, will battle UIC on Flames Field at 7:00 p.m.
The home schedule is rounded out by a visit from Cleveland State on October 8th, a match against Northwestern on October 11th and the home finale versus UW-Green Bay on October 22nd.
UIC will travel across the country in a two-week span for two tournaments. The Flames will take on 2004 College Cup finalist UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly in a tourney hosted by the Gauchos from September 8th-10th, followed by a trip to Miami for matches against host Florida International and Florida Atlantic from September 15th-17th.
The Flames will follow the two-week trip with two more road matches. On September 24th UIC will open the Horizon League slate at defending league regular season champion Detroit, then head to Madison, Wis., to face Wisconsin on September 28th.
Regular season play wraps up with four consecutive league contests. Preceding the October 22nd finale against the Phoenix are road matchups against Wright State (October 13th), Butler (October 15th) and Loyola (October 20th).
The Horizon League Men's Soccer Championship will begin with first round action at various sites on October 27th. The semifinals take place at the home field of the top seed on November 3rd, and the championship match will be played two days later on November 5th.
UIC is coming off of a stellar 2005 campaign in which the Flames went 10-5-2 in their first season under Trask. The Flames turned in the sixth-best turnaround in the nation after a 2004 record of 5-12-2.
