TULSA, Okla. – Following a tough opening-night loss at Tulsa, the UIC men's soccer team will look to rebound Sunday when it heads to the southern suburbs of Oklahoma's second-largest city to take on Oral Roberts in a noon (CT) contest at the Case Soccer Complex. The subscription-based Summit League Network will carry the match, while fans can also follow the live stats feed via UICFlames.com.

MATCH #2
UIC "Flames" (0-1-0, 0-0-0 MVC) at Oral Roberts "Eagles" (1-0-0, 0-0-0 Summit League)
When: Sunday, Aug. 23rd  |  Noon CT
Where: Tulsa, Okla.  |  Case Soccer Complex
Live Coverage: Summit League Network ($)  |  Live Stats

SERIES NOTES
UIC and Oral Roberts will be meeting for just the second time in series history. Back on Sept. 3, 1995, the Flames captured a 4-0 win over the Eagles at the Puma/Holiday Inn Fall Classic in Peoria, Ill.

UIC is 6-4-1 all-time against current Summit League members with a 2-3 record away from home (1-2 road, 1-1 neutral). The Flames last played a current league institution on Aug. 27, 2023, posting a 3-0 win over St. Thomas at Flames Field. UIC's most recent road win over a Summit League school was on Sept. 10, 2005, when it posted a 2-1 overtime victory at Kansas City.

LAST TIME OUT: TULSA
UIC finished with statistical edges in nearly every category, but Tulsa capitalized on a second-half own goal and made it stand up for a 1-0 decision in the season opener for both teams on Thursday night at the Hurricane Soccer & Track Stadium. The Flames (0-1) wound up with a 14-9 edge in total shots and a sizable 8-2 margin in shots on goal, along with a 6-5 advantage on corner kicks. The visitors also had multiple shots ring the woodwork during the first half, as well as several near-misses in the closing stages of the match as they pressed for the equalizer.

Seniors Sota Nakazono and Darrell Turcios each had three shots, with all three of Nakazono's tries and two of Turcios' looks ending up on frame. In addition, freshman Artem Grinblat redirected a Nakazono cross off the right post in the 18th minute, and sophomore Daniel Zepeda fired a pair of dipping long-range blasts in the closing 17 minutes, one that was tipped over the bar and another that just curled wide. Graduate student goalkeeper Owen Cornell was credited with two saves on the night.
 
2026 FLAMES FACTS
UIC posted a 10-3-5 record last season, going 2-1-4 in MVC play, and advanced to the Valley tournament semifinals for the second time in three years. The Flames also opened last year by going unbeaten in their first 10 matches (7-0-3), including victories over crosstown rivals Northwestern and Loyola, as well as a draw at DePaul.

This season, UIC returns 15 players off last year's squad (10 who started at least one match), including four of its top six point scorers, led by senior midfielder and second-team all-MVC selection Darrell Turcios, who had career highs of five goals, four assists and 14 points last season. The Flames also welcome back starting netminder Owen Cornell, who got the call 15 times between the pipes and posted an 8-2-5 record with a 1.33 goals-against average and four shutouts.

PRESEASON HONORS
Senior midfielder Darrell Turcios was selected to the Preseason All-MVC Team via a vote of the Valley's seven head coaches, the conference announced Monday. In addition, UIC was picked to finish fourth in the preseason coaches' balloting, earning 29 points to place behind Western Michigan (44 pts.), Drake (40 pts.) and Evansville (34 pts.).  

ON THE ROAD AGAIN…
UIC is opening the 2026 season with four consecutive road matches, its longest run away from home since a similar four-match stretch from Sept. 8-19, 2023. It's the longest season-opening road trip for the Flames since 2004, when they opened with five in a row away from Chicago (at Denver, at Air Force, at Northern Illinois, at the UNCW Seahawk Soccer Classic against UNCW and Jacksonville).

…BUT WE'LL BE HOME SOON
After its four-match road trip, UIC will play a school-record six consecutive home matches at Flames Field, covering the entire month of September. Among the visitors to town during that record-setting homestand will be Chicagoland rivals DePaul (Sept. 3), Loyola (Sept. 13) and Northwestern (Sept. 19), as well as Power Four opponent Notre Dame (Sept. 29). A full slate of promotions are also on tap throughout the 2026 men's soccer season, with complete details available here. 

UP NEXT: OAKLAND
After returning home briefly to begin the start of the academic year at UIC, the Flames will head back out on the open road next weekend for two more matches, beginning Thursday, Aug, 27, with a 5 p.m. (CT) match at former Horizon League foe Oakland. ESPN+ will broadcast the contest live from the Oakland Soccer Field in Rochester Hills, Mich.

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 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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