There is certainly no love lost between UIC and one of its oldest rivals.

On Saturday, the Flames will face Milwaukee for the 40^th time.  The series is deadlocked, 17-17-5, after a Panther win in last year's Horizon League semifinals ended UIC's season.

"Two of our goals at the start of every year are to win the Horizon League regular season championship and to win the Horizon League tournament championship," Sean Phillips noted.  "This is our first opportunity to start working on the first one.  Playing against Milwaukee, a long-time rival of UIC even predating the Horizon League, is a great way to start."

The Flames will enter with momentum after a 3-0 win over Houston Baptist in which two players – Eduardo Garcia and Younes Dayekh – had a goal and an assist each, and 21 players saw action.

Dayekh now leads the team with two goals and five points.  Since a season-opening loss, the Flames have gotten a result in three straight matches.  "The biggest difference has been our commitment to doing the little things, especially in transition and in off-the-ball movement.  We continue to get better.  To achieve our goals, including finding a way to win Saturday night, we have to continue to improve in those areas," Phillips said.

The Flames have won four of the last five regular season meetings, but in addition to last year's Panther win en route to the conference championship, Milwaukee ousted UIC from the tournament in 2019 in a penalty kick shootout.  Four of the last nine meetings have gone into overtime, and all nine were decided by zero or one goal.

Due to a weather-related cancellation, Milwaukee has played only two matches. They defeated Drake and lost to Butler.  Three players have one goal each, and three players have one assist each.  Raul Medina is the lone Panther with a goal and an assist.  Freshman Gijs Van Schouten has played both games in goal, and has stopped 70% of the shots he has faced.

"They're experienced in the back line, and they have a good blend of talent and experience in the front as well.  This conference game in particular takes on a little more intensity because of the rivalry and the competitive nature of our two programs," Phillips said.  He expounded on the history between the programs, noting that the continuity among both coaching staffs is virtually unmatched within the conference.

"We've had a great rivalry with them over the years.  Both teams return a lot of players from what I thought were two great games last year.  Playing at their place is a great environment.  It'll be under the lights, they always seem to have a great crowd, and it's an intimate setting.  There's a lot of mutual respect within the programs.  I'd anticipate a great college soccer game.

"These are the games you have to embrace, and we're looking forward to it."