NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Junior midfielder Sebastian Khoury picked up a goal and an assist, and senior defender Sota Nakazono gave UIC the lead early in the second half, but Belmont netted the tying goal on a penalty kick in the 64th minute and the Flames and Bruins settled for a 2-2 draw in Missouri Valley Conference play on Saturday night at E.S. Rose Park in Nashville. With Saturday's result, UIC is unbeaten in seven of its last eight matches, going 4-1-3 in that span.
Junior midfielders Martin Montoya and Carlos Nevarez were credited with assists on Khoury's 41st-minute strike, which leveled the score and cancelled out an early Belmont tally. Khoury then earned the lone assist on Nakazono's go-ahead goal in the 59th minute, ripping a shot that the Bruins' goalkeeper parried off the crossbar, but Nakazono alertly crashed the play and headed in the rebound.
UIC (4-4-4, 1-0-2 MVC) controlled possession for large swaths of the match, but finished with a slim 10-9 edge in total shots, while each team posted five shots on goal. Belmont (6-4-3, 2-0-1) ended up with a narrow 3-2 margin on corner kicks.
The full box score and play-by-play recap from Saturday's draw at Belmont can be found here.
SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Khoury posted a goal and an assist in the same match for the third time in his two seasons at UIC. Last year, he did that twice at Marquette (Oct. 7, 2025) and at home vs. Evansville (Oct. 18, 2025).
- Nakazono's goal was his second of the campaign, following his tally on Aug. 27 at Oakland.
- Nevarez picked up his sixth assist of the season, tying his career high and extended his MVC-leading total in that category.
- Montoya logged his first assist in a UIC kit, after collecting four assists in two seasons at Northern Illinois.
- UIC improves to 9-2-2 all-time against Belmont and remains unbeaten in eight career visits to E.S. Rose Park (6-0-2). The Flames are also 4-2-2 against the Bruins since both teams joined the MVC in 2022.
UP NEXT: EVANSVILLE
UIC is back home at Flames Field next Saturday, Oct. 24 for a 7 p.m. (CT) MVC contest against defending Valley regular-season tri-champion Evansville. The rematch from last year's MVC Tournament semifinals will be broadcast live on ESPN+, with live stats available on UICFlames.com, and it will serve as Pride Night at Flames Field, with fans receiving a special UIC Pride Night t-shirt.
FOLLOW THE FLAMES
Once again this season, UIC students, staff and youths in eighth grade and under are admitted to all home soccer matches free of charge, while adults and youths in ninth grade and above can purchase tickets for $5 each at the northwest (Morgan St.) or southeast (Granderson Stadium home plate) entrances to Flames Field on match night. Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ adults, are on sale for $3 each. In addition, fans can buy the 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 2026-27 academic year.
For more information on UIC Athletics and UIC men's soccer, visit UICFlames.com. Fans can also follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_MSOC and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_msoc and @uicflames).
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