VALPARAISO, Ind. (Oct. 23, 2024) – UIC will wrap up the 2024 regular season at 7 p.m. (CT) Thursday when it travels to Valparaiso to take on the Beacons at Brown Field. The game will be televised live on ESPN+.

MATCH INFORMATION
UIC "Flames" (6-9-2, 5-2-2 MVC) at Valparaiso "Beacons" (4-11-1, 0-7-1 MVC)
Thursday, Oct. 24 | 7 p.m. CT
Brown Field | Valparaiso, Ind.
ESPN+
Live Stats

LAST TIME OUT
Camryn Ries scored the first two goals of her career on both sides of halftime (43rd and 51st minutes) to help UIC power past Illinois State, 2-0 on Sunday afternoon at Flames Field. Kristiana Pappanastos was credited with the assist on Ries' first goal, while Francesca Faraci made three saves to record her fifth shutout of the season.

TURNING THE PAGE
The MVC season has proven to be a fresh start for UIC, which has gone 5-2-2 (17 points) in conference games and posted six shutouts in those nine Valley contests. The Flames have already clinched a top-four seed for the MVC Championship and could secure the No. 2 seed depending on a variety of scenarios during the final week of the regular season.

SCOUTING VALPARAISO
Thursday will be Senior Night and the final home game of the season for Valparaiso. The Beacons are winless in their last nine outings (0-8-1), although six of those contests were decided by one goal or less. Valpo last played on Sunday, falling at Murray State, 2-1, despite taking the lead on Addy Joiner's team-high sixth goal of the season in the second minute, as the host Racers scored twice in the second half to take the decision.

Joiner, a senior forward, leads the Beacons in virtually every category including goals, assists (2), points (14), shots (23) and shots on goal (13), tying for second in the MVC in goals and fourth in points. Redshirt sophomore Kate Sheridan and freshman Hailey Wade have split time in goal for Valpo this season, with Wade having started the past three games. Of the Beacons' goalkeeping duo, Wade has a slightly better goals-against average (2.27) and save percentage (.726), as well as her team's lone shutout this season (1-0 at home vs. Eastern Michigan on Sept. 12).  

UIC and Valparaiso will play for the eighth time on Thursday night, with the Beacons holding a 4-2-1 edge in the series. The two programs have split their two meetings since the Flames joined the Valley in 2022, each winning on their home field (Valpo 4-0 in 2022, UIC 1-0 last year). In their most recent matchup at Flames Field, UIC prevailed thanks to a goal from Valparaiso native (and current junior forward) Sophia Jaime in the 63rd minute, earning a win that cemented a top-four seed for the Flames in the MVC Tournament.  

SUPPORT YOUR FLAMES
Fans are strongly encouraged to support NIL opportunities for UIC scholar-athletes through contributions to The Chicago Collective.
 
FOLLOW THE FLAMES
For more information on UIC women's soccer, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_WSOC and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_wsoc and @uicflames).