CHICAGO – The 40th edition of one of Chicago's true college Clásicos will kick off at 7 p.m. (CT) Sunday when UIC plays host to Loyola on Flames Field. ESPN+ will carry the match live with Sam Brief on the call, while live stats can also be found at UICFlames.com.

Fans attending Sunday night's match will have the opportunity to take home this year's official UIC Soccer Scarf, while Flames players will stick around afterwards for post-match autographs. In addition, youngsters are invited to join us for the annual Sparky's Kids Club match — club signups are available at the gate and are good for the entire 2026-27 academic year, with a number of valuable exclusive perks for club members!

All UIC home matches are free to attend for UIC students, staff and youths in eighth grade and under, while tickets for adults and non-students (in ninth grade and above) can be purchased at the gate on match night, and discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more adults.

MATCH #6
Loyola "Ramblers" (5-0-2, 0-0-0 Atlantic 10) at UIC "Flames" (1-3-1, 0-0-0 MVC)
When: Sunday, Sept. 13th  |  7 p.m. CT
Where: Chicago, Ill.  |  Flames Field
Live Coverage: ESPN+  |  Live Stats
Giveaways/Promotions: UIC Soccer Scarves, Post-Match Autographs, Sparky's Kids Club Match
Tickets: Free for UIC students, staff and youths 8th grade and under; adults and youths 9th grade and older are $5 each; discounted tickets ($3 each) for groups of 10 or more adults.

SERIES NOTES

• With Sunday's 40th meeting, the UIC-Loyola series will tie for the third-most frequent rivalry in Flames' history, surpassed only by series with Green Bay (49 matches) and Cleveland State (45 matches) and level with Milwaukee and Wright State (40 matches each). UIC holds a 20-15-4 lead in the all-time series with Loyola, including a 10-9-2 edge at Flames Field.
• UIC has won the past three matches against Loyola and is unbeaten in four of its last five meetings with the Ramblers. Last year, the Flames ventured to Rogers Park on Sept. 15 and used a pair of second-half goals to come home with a 3-1 victory — current senior defender Sota Nakazono was credited with two assists in the win.
• The last time UIC and Loyola met at Flames Field (Sept. 12, 2024), the hosts scored goals about 15 minutes into each half to post a 2-0 victory. The second goal was particularly noteworthy as it was the first career score for current junior midfielder Carlos Nevarez.

THE CHICAGO CONNECTIONS

• UIC brings a five-match unbeaten streak against Chicago opponents into Sunday's match. Last year, the Flames downed Northwesterm (3-2), Loyola (3-1) and Chicago State (2-0), while tying DePaul (1-1). UIC's 2-0 win over Loyola in 2024 at Flames Field was the start of the current run.
• UIC has 17 players on its 25-man roster who hail from the state of Illinois, and all but one of them are from the Chicagoland area.
• UIC associate head coach Minos Vlamakis is a 2004 Loyola graduate.

LAST TIME OUT: WESTERN ILLINOIS
Junior midfielder Martin Montoya scored a pair of goals in the first half and UIC returned from a 10-day layoff to open its home schedule in style with an energetic 2-0 win over Western Illinois Thursday night before a boisterous crowd of 807 fans at Flames Field.

Junior midfielder Carlos Nevarez assisted on Montoya's first score in the 20th minute, dropping a perfectly-weighted ball into the box and into the path of the onrushing Montoya who tapped it in from close range. On the second tally in the 44th minute, freshman forward Semin Razman picked up his first collegiate point, sending a pass down the right flank to the edge of the box. Montoya outmuscled his mark to the ball, took a touch inside to improve his angle and then precisely curled his left-footed shot inside the far left post.

WIU (2-3-1) would go a man down just before halftime when Jokubas Samsonas was sent off with a straight red card. The Flames then kept up the pressure in the second half with the man advantage, and Montoya came inches shy of the program's first hat trick in seven seasons, setting off on a left flank sprint in the 89th minute before his shot for the far right post just skipped wide of the target.

UIC finished with a 27-7 edge in total shots, including an 11-3 margin in shots on goal, and earned nine of the 11 corner kicks in the match. Graduate student goalkeeper Owen Cornell went the distance between the pipes, recording three saves to pick up his first shutout of the season. 

ON THE FRONT FOOT
During all five matches this season, UIC has had the upper hand for large portions of each contest, making its 1-3-1 record quite deceiving. In fact, the Flames have recorded more shots on goal (48) than their opponents have total shots (42) to date. Overall, UIC has outshot its opponents by better than a 2-to-1 margin (96-42), including an even wider spread in shots on goal (48-18) and almost a 3-to-1 advantage on corner kicks (49-16).

PRESEASON HONORS
Senior midfielder Darrell Turcios (a second-team all-conference pick last year) was selected to the Preseason All-MVC Team via a vote of the Valley's seven head coaches, the conference announced Aug. 17. 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.).  

UP NEXT: NORTHWESTERN
UIC continues its five-match homestand next Saturday (Sept. 19) with a 7 p.m. (CT) contest against Northwestern at Flames Field. It will be Senior Night (pre-match ceremony) as well as Alumni Night, with the Flames paying special recognition to their 2006 and 2016 Horizon League championship squads that went on to compete in the NCAA Tournament. It will also be UIC's first ALS Awareness Night (with a special halftime Ice Bucket Challenge planned!), and fans can also pick up this year's full set of UIC player trading cards at the match.

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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