PEORIA, Ill. – Following a nine-day hiatus, the UIC men's soccer team will kick off Missouri Valley Conference play at 7 p.m (CT) Saturday when it makes the two-hour drive south to Peoria for a matchup with Bradley at Shea Stadium. The nine-day break is the Flames' longest of the season and it leads into a seven-game MVC slate that will culminate Nov. 9-15 with the Valley Tournament, to be played at campus sites around the conference.
MATCH #9
UIC "Flames" (7-0-1, 0-0-0 MVC) at Bradley "Braves" (2-3-3, 0-0-0 MVC)
When: Saturday, Sept. 27th | 7 p.m. CT
Where: Peoria, Ill. | Shea Stadium
Live Coverage: No TV | Live Stats
SERIES NOTES
UIC carries a 12-8-1 all-time record against Bradley into Saturday night's matchup, going unbeaten in its last eight meetings (7-0-1) against the Braves. In their last encounter on Nov. 1, 2024, the Flames picked up a hard-fought 2-0 win over Bradley in Chicago. When the series has shifted to Peoria, the Braves have a slim 6-5-1 edge over UIC, although the Flames are unbeaten on their last four trips (3-0-1) to Shea Stadium. The last matchup between the squads in Peoria came on Oct. 22, 2023, and resulted in a 1-1 draw.
LAST TIME OUT
UIC sophomore midfielder Carlos Nevarez came into the Flames' Sept. 18 match with Chicago State leading the nation in assists, but it was his goal in the 41st minute that proved to be the match-winner as the Flames methodically dispatched a defensive-minded Cougars' squad, 2-0 at Flames Field. The Flames peppered the Chicago State goal relentlessly throughout the evening (25-7 on shots, 11-3 in shots on goal) and even had a goal in the opening six minutes disallowed on a foul in the area. However, UIC didn't lose its focus and Nevarez finally found the combination to unlock the Cougars' defense with a 25-yard blast from just right of center outside the area that curled inside the far left post. It was the culmination of a deft passing sequence that includes final touches (and assists) for redshirt sophomore midfielder Alan Alonso and freshman defender Daniel Zepeda.
After junior midfielder Darrell Turcios nearly doubled the margin on a point-blank diving header that was stopped on a reflex save by the CSU 'keeper, Turcios created another opportunity that did result in UIC's second goal of the night in the 64th minute. Taking a crossfield pass from the right flank to the left channel, Turcios worked to the endline and drove a service back towards the six-yard box that a Cougars' defender turned into his own net at the near post for UIC's first own goal of the year.
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Kevin Dabrowski made three saves in the UIC goal to earn his first shutout of the season (third for the Flames as a team) — it was also the third clean sheet of Dabrowski's career.
CHICAGO'S COLLEGE TEAM
The Flames finished 3-0-1 against Chicagoland opponents this season, defeating Northwestern (3-2) and Loyola (3-1) on the road, and Chicago State (2-0) at home, while tying 1-1 at DePaul. Collectively, the UIC men's soccer, women's soccer and volleyball programs went 7-0-2 against Windy City teams this fall, the best intracity record by any of Chicago's Division I schools.
A HOT START
UIC wrapped up its pre-conference schedule with a 7-0-1 record, the Flames' best start to a season since 1997, when they also opened 7-0-1. UIC has scored 24 goals in its first eight outings (3.0/game), tying for the second-most goals in a season-opening eight-match stretch during the program's 45 seasons at the NCAA Division I level. In that inaugural D-I season (1981), the Flames netted 27 goals through their first eight contests (three of which came against non-Division I teams), while in 2001, UIC also scored 24 times through eight matches. What's more, the Flames have scored at least three goals in six of their eight matches this season.
POLL POSITION
On the strength of its early-season success, UIC has earned votes in one or both of the United Soccer Coaches and College Soccer News Top 25 polls for the past two weeks, and is No. 8 in this week's United Soccer Coaches West Region rankings. These are the Flames' first appearances in each of the national and regional rankings this season.
CRUZ'IN FOR VALLEY HONORS
Currently earning votes in the national polls and off to its best start in 28 years, the UIC men's soccer team continues to pull in weekly awards in 2025, with junior defender Jacobo Cruz the latest to garner recognition when he was named the Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday. Cruz (first name pronounced huh-COH-boh) is the first Flames' player to earn the MVC's weekly defensive accolade since Oct. 31, 2023, when goalkeeper Oren Asher received the second of two honors that year.
In addition, this marks the fourth time in five weeks this season that a UIC player has collected a weekly award from the Valley. Junior midfielder Edouard Nys is a three-time MVC Offensive Player of the Week, having been chosen on Aug. 26, Sept. 9 and Sept. 16.
Cruz, a native of Burlington, Ontario, scored the first two goals of his UIC career on Sept. 15 at Loyola, with both tallies coming in the second half to propel the Flames to a 3-1 victory over their Windy City rival. Three nights later, Cruz helped anchor a UIC backline that registered its third shutout of the season, blanking Chicago State, 2-0 at Flames Field.
UIC AMONG THE NCAA STATISTICAL LEADERS
UIC continues to rank among the top 10 nationally in no fewer than nine statistical categories, according to Friday's NCAA statistics report. The Flames lead the nation in total assists (29), assists per game (3.63), shots per game (23.63) and shots on goal per game (10.0), while ranking second in scoring offense (3.0 goals/game), total goals (24), total points (77) and points per game (9.63), and sixth in goal differential (+16).
On the individual charts, several Flames are among the top 10 nationally, led by junior midfielder Edouard Nys, who is No. 1 in the country in shots per game (5.38) and second in total goals (8), total points (21) and points per game (2.63), as well as third in goals per game (1.0) — he's also just outside the top 10 in total assists (12th - 5). Sophomore midfielder Carlos Nevarez is tied for the national lead in assists (6) and is fourth in assists per game (0.75), while senior midfielder Rui Reis is third in shots per game (4.5).
UP NEXT: DRAKE
UIC returns home next Friday, Oct. 3, to take on Drake in its home opener at 7 p.m. (CT) from Flames Field. All fans in attendance will receive a free UIC Flames t-shirt, while those aren't able to make the match in person can watch live on ESPN+ or follow live stats 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).
#FireUpFlames | #ChicagosCollegeTeam
