CHICAGO – UIC will kick off the second half of its Chicagoland circuit this week with a pair of matchups against Windy City opponents, beginning at 7 p.m. (CT) Monday when the Flames travel back to the north side to take on Loyola in a match that will air live on ESPN+ from Loyola Soccer Park. UIC visited Northwestern (W, 3-2) and DePaul (T, 1-1) earlier this month and will play Chicago's other Division I squad, Chicago State, on Thursday night back at Flames Field.
MATCH #7
UIC "Flames" (5-0-1, 0-0-0 MVC) at Loyola "Ramblers" (2-1-3, 0-0-0 Atlantic 10)
When: Monday, Sept. 15th | 7 p.m. CT
Where: Chicago, Ill. | Loyola Soccer Park
Live Coverage: ESPN+ | Live Stats
SERIES NOTES
UIC and Loyola will square off for the 39th time in their Windy City rivalry, which included an extended spell as members of the Horizon League from 1994-2012. The Flames hold a 19-15-4 series lead over the Ramblers and are unbeaten (2-0-1) in their last three series matchups (most recently earning a 2-0 victory on Sept.12, 2024, at Flames Field). When playing in Rogers Park, UIC holds a 9-6-2 series lead over Loyola, including a 2-1 win on its last visit to Loyola Soccer Park (Sept. 8, 2023).
LAST TIME OUT
Junior midfielder Edouard Nys had a hand in four of his team's five goals on Thursday, scoring twice and assisting on two others to pace the Flames to a 5-3 victory over Western Illinois at Flames Field. It was the highest scoring match for UIC since Oct. 14, 2023 (a 5-1 home win over Evansville), while the eight combined goals are the most in a UIC match since Oct. 23, 2022 (6-2 win at Bradley) and most at Flames Field since Oct. 26, 2019 (a 7-1 win at IUPUI/now IU Indy).
This marked the first brace and first two-assist night of the season for Nys, while his six points were the most for a UIC player in a single match since the aforementioned Oct. 26, 2019, match at IUPUI, when Bukola Abdulwahab likewise had six points. Nys also extended his goalscoring streak to five matches, the longest by a UIC player since Oct. 5-26, 2019, when Abdulwahab scored in five straight. For the season, Nys leads the Missouri Valley Conference with seven goals and 18 points.
Senior midfielder Rui Reis scored from the penalty spot, while junior midfielder Darrell Turcios added his fourth goal of the season and junior defender Hector Gil opened his account with a goal in the sixth minute that ignited Thursday's offensive charge for the Flames. Sophomore midfielder Carlos Nevarez also picked up his conference-leading fifth assist of the year, while redshirt junior defender Darien Martin tallied his second helper of the year and sophomore midfielder Sebastian Khoury registered his first career assist.
A HOT START
Thursday's win over Western Illinois kept UIC unbeaten this season at 5-0-1, the first time since 2008 the Flames have been unblemished through their first six contests (that year they also opened 5-0-1). In addition, UIC has scored 19 goals through its opening six matches of the year, a program record for a season-opening six-match stretch during its NCAA Division I era (1981-present).
NYS EARNS SECOND MVC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOD
For the second time in the young 2025 season, UIC junior midfielder Edouard Nys was named the Missouri Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week, the conference announced last Tuesday (Sept. 9). Nys (name pronounced Ed-WAR NIECE) also received the honor on Aug. 26, becoming the first UIC men's soccer player to be a two-time Offensive Player of the Week in any conference since 2018, when Max Todd earned a pair of honors while the Flames were competing in the Horizon League.
A native of Dottignies, Belgium, Nys tallied three goals and an assist during the week of Sept. 1-7, helping UIC to a 2-0-1 week with victories at Northwestern and at home against Wright State, bookending a tie at DePaul. Nys scored the opening goal in the Northwestern win (the Flames' first on the road at Big Ten school since 2016) and again at DePaul, a goal that was on the verge of standing up as the match-winner before the Blue Demons equalized late. Nys capped his weekly performance with a goal and an assist in a Sept. 7 victory over Wright State, putting a season-high five of his eight shots on goal.
UIC AMONG THE NCAA STATISTICAL LEADERS
According to the Sept. 11 NCAA statistical report (released before UIC's 5-3 win over Western Illinois that night), UIC ranked among the top 15 in the nation in nine different statistical categories. The Flames led the country in shots on goal per game (10.4), were second in shots per game (22.4) and fifth in both assists per game (3.6) and total assists (18). They were also sixth in total points (46), eighth in points per game (9.2), ninth in goal differential (+10), 10th in total goals (14) and 11th in scoring offense (2.8 goals per game).
Individually, UIC players were also factoring prominently in the top 15 of the NCAA statistical charts as of last Thursday morning. Edouard Nys led the nation in shots per game (5.8) and shots on goal per game (3.2), while standing fifth in total points (12), sixth in total goals (5) and eighth in both goals per game (1.0) and points per game (2.4). Rui Reis was third in the country in shots per game (5.2), while Carlos Nevarez was fourth in total assists (4) and 12th in assists per game (0.8).
It should be noted that UIC likely will move up in most, if not all, of these team and individual categories based on its performance against WIU.
UP NEXT: CHICAGO STATE
UIC closes out its pre-conference schedule at 7 p.m. (CT) Thursday when it welcomes Chicago State to Flames Field. It will be Hispanic Heritage Night, featuring halftime Latine musical and dance performances, and UIC Faculty and Staff Night (both are admitted free with their University ID). Thursday's match will also air live on ESPN+ and live stats will be available at UICFlames.com.
FOLLOW THE FLAMES
UIC students, staff and youths in eighth grade and under are admitted to all soccer matches free of charge, while adults and youths in ninth grade and above can purchase tickets for $5 each at the northwest entrance to Flames Field (off Morgan St.) on match night. Discounted tickets for military veterans, first responders and groups of 10+ adults, are on sale for $3 each. In addition, fans can buy the new Flames Fast Pass, a one-time $50 purchase that will provide the bearer with access to all UIC home athletics events (except men's and women's basketball) during the 2025-26 academic year.
For more information on UIC men's soccer, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_MSOC and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_msoc and @uicflames).
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