Friday, August 29
Evanston, Ill.
6:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Loyola Chicago
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Set For Matchups With Loyola Chicago, UIC
8/28/2025 4:40:00 PM | Men's Soccer
‘Cats close out season-opening homestand against local rivals
EVANSTON, Ill. (August 28, 2025) – After opening the regular season with a pair of wins, Northwestern wraps up a season-opening homestand over the upcoming holiday weekend with visits from a pair of local rivals.
Loyola Chicago will make the short trip north up Sheridan Road on Friday ahead of a Labor Day tilt with UIC on Monday evening. Both matchups are slated to kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern raised the curtain on the 2025 campaign last week, downing Eastern Illinois, 2-0, and Air Force, 2-1, respectively. Peter Riesz notched his first collegiate brace in the opening night win against the Panthers, while Joe Suchecki and Aaron O'Reilly accounted for the Wildcats' tallies in the weekend finale.
Northwestern's defensive unit turned in a pair of impressive performances, limiting Eastern Illinois and Air Force to a combined seven shots, with only two attempts coming on goal.
For their efforts in Northwestern's two wins, Fritz Volmar (Defensive Player of the Week) and O'Reilly (Freshman of the Week) earned recognition from the Big Ten Conference.
SCOUTING LOYOLA CHICAGO
Loyola Chicago enters the season's second week at 1-0-1 overall. The Ramblers won a five-goal thriller on opening night, downing Oakland by a 3-2 final, before settling for a scoreless draw, 0-0, with Purdue Fort Wayne on Sunday afternoon.
Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Steve Bode, Loyola was picked seventh in the Atlantic 10 Conference Preseason Poll after finishing 5-9-2 (3-4-1 A-10) in 2024.
The Ramblers return seven starters and nearly 88 percent of their scoring from a season ago, a group led by Preseason All-Atlantic 10 Conference honoree Hugo Urdiales. Urdiales dazzled in his debut season at Loyola in 2024, rifling home a team-high six goals and four assists. North Carolina transfer Gabe Velasco started in goal in both of the team's games last week, making a pair of saves in each contest.
SCOUTING UIC
Like Northwestern, UIC dispatched Air Force, 3-1, and Eastern Illinois, 4-0, as part of a 2-0 start to its regular season. The Flames' will entertain Purdue Northwest on Friday evening before heading north on Monday night.
Now in his 16th season on Chicago's West Side, head coach Sean Phillips' team finished 7-10 last year, with a 3-5 ledger in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) action.
Edouard Nys led the UIC attack during the season's opening week, netting a pair of goals against Eastern Illinois, in addition to an assist versus Air Force, to secure MVC Offensive Player of the Week honors, along with a spot on Top Drawer Soccer's National Team of the Week.
SERIES STUFF
Separated by just four miles along Sheridan Road, Friday's clash marks the 27th installment of the rivalry between Northwestern and Loyola. Across the last five meetings between the two teams, the 'Cats have gone 3-1-1, a run that has seen Northwestern extend its lead in the all-time series to 17-5-4 (.731). In the last meeting between the two local foes, Christian Garner piled up six saves in goal as Northwestern and Loyola played to a 0-0 draw on September 2, 2022 at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium.
For the second time in as many seasons, Northwestern and UIC will battle on Labor Day, a tilt that will mark the 30th matchup in the series. Last season, Riesz headed home the night's deciding goal in the 41st minute as the 'Cats grinded out a 1-0 win at Flames Field on September 2, 2024. Northwestern is unbeaten (3-0-1) in its last four meetings with its West Side rival.
UP NEXT
Northwestern hits the road for the first time in 2025 on Saturday, September 6, visiting Cincinnati, Ohio for a 5:30 p.m. CT tilt with Xavier at Corcoran Field.
Loyola Chicago will make the short trip north up Sheridan Road on Friday ahead of a Labor Day tilt with UIC on Monday evening. Both matchups are slated to kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern raised the curtain on the 2025 campaign last week, downing Eastern Illinois, 2-0, and Air Force, 2-1, respectively. Peter Riesz notched his first collegiate brace in the opening night win against the Panthers, while Joe Suchecki and Aaron O'Reilly accounted for the Wildcats' tallies in the weekend finale.
Northwestern's defensive unit turned in a pair of impressive performances, limiting Eastern Illinois and Air Force to a combined seven shots, with only two attempts coming on goal.
For their efforts in Northwestern's two wins, Fritz Volmar (Defensive Player of the Week) and O'Reilly (Freshman of the Week) earned recognition from the Big Ten Conference.
SCOUTING LOYOLA CHICAGO
Loyola Chicago enters the season's second week at 1-0-1 overall. The Ramblers won a five-goal thriller on opening night, downing Oakland by a 3-2 final, before settling for a scoreless draw, 0-0, with Purdue Fort Wayne on Sunday afternoon.
Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Steve Bode, Loyola was picked seventh in the Atlantic 10 Conference Preseason Poll after finishing 5-9-2 (3-4-1 A-10) in 2024.
The Ramblers return seven starters and nearly 88 percent of their scoring from a season ago, a group led by Preseason All-Atlantic 10 Conference honoree Hugo Urdiales. Urdiales dazzled in his debut season at Loyola in 2024, rifling home a team-high six goals and four assists. North Carolina transfer Gabe Velasco started in goal in both of the team's games last week, making a pair of saves in each contest.
SCOUTING UIC
Like Northwestern, UIC dispatched Air Force, 3-1, and Eastern Illinois, 4-0, as part of a 2-0 start to its regular season. The Flames' will entertain Purdue Northwest on Friday evening before heading north on Monday night.
Now in his 16th season on Chicago's West Side, head coach Sean Phillips' team finished 7-10 last year, with a 3-5 ledger in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) action.
Edouard Nys led the UIC attack during the season's opening week, netting a pair of goals against Eastern Illinois, in addition to an assist versus Air Force, to secure MVC Offensive Player of the Week honors, along with a spot on Top Drawer Soccer's National Team of the Week.
SERIES STUFF
Separated by just four miles along Sheridan Road, Friday's clash marks the 27th installment of the rivalry between Northwestern and Loyola. Across the last five meetings between the two teams, the 'Cats have gone 3-1-1, a run that has seen Northwestern extend its lead in the all-time series to 17-5-4 (.731). In the last meeting between the two local foes, Christian Garner piled up six saves in goal as Northwestern and Loyola played to a 0-0 draw on September 2, 2022 at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium.
For the second time in as many seasons, Northwestern and UIC will battle on Labor Day, a tilt that will mark the 30th matchup in the series. Last season, Riesz headed home the night's deciding goal in the 41st minute as the 'Cats grinded out a 1-0 win at Flames Field on September 2, 2024. Northwestern is unbeaten (3-0-1) in its last four meetings with its West Side rival.
UP NEXT
Northwestern hits the road for the first time in 2025 on Saturday, September 6, visiting Cincinnati, Ohio for a 5:30 p.m. CT tilt with Xavier at Corcoran Field.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's SoccerMen's Soccer - 'Cats Earn Gutsy 2-1 Win Over Rutgers (9/19/25)
Saturday, September 20
Men's Soccer - ‘Cats Strike Late At Xavier, 1-0 (9/6/2025)
Sunday, September 07
Men's Soccer - Suchecki, O'Reilly Lift 'Cats Over Air Force, 2-1 (8/24/25)
Sunday, August 24
Men's Soccer - Riesz's Brace Pushes 'Cats Past Eastern Illinois in 2025 Opener, 2-0 (8/21/25)
Friday, August 22
