The UIS men's soccer team returns to Kiwanis Stadium for home games against Maryville on Friday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m. and McKendree on Sunday, Oct. 19, at 2:30 p.m. Last weekend in GLVC play, UIS earned a hard-fought draw with the No. 20 team in the nation but fell at UMSL on Sunday, dropping to 1-6-2 in conference play.

Friday night's game is the team's #WeAreStars matchup, giving Prairie Stars across the athletic department a chance to support one another and boost the atmosphere at Kiwanis Stadium.

Illinois Springfield (2-7-3, 1-6-2 GLVC)
In Friday's game at Lincoln, the Blue Tigers scored first in the 60th minute, but Corne Boshoff quickly responded in the 63rd, bringing him to four goals on the season. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, a favorable result for UIS against No. 20-ranked Lincoln. He is tied with Jack Hudson and sits one goal behind Robin Lemke Bergseth. UIS will look for production from its scoring core this weekend, though the team has shown depth across both goals and assists.

Sunday's 2-0 loss at UMSL featured several scoring chances that didn't come to fruition. UIS often looked like the better team, generating five shots, four on goal, from Lemke Bergseth alone. UMSL goalkeeper Jack Franklin had an excellent performance to keep the Prairie Stars off the board.

Edoardo Pinna has started the last seven games in goal, posting a 1-4-2 record during that stretch.

Maryville (6-4-1, 5-3 GLVC)
Maryville has seen ups and downs this season but rebounded nicely last weekend after a 1-0 loss to No. 12 Lincoln. The Saints defeated UMSL 5-1 at home, including a three-goal burst in seven minutes during the first half. They allowed one goal later in the game, followed immediately by an own goal by UMSL. Jacob Lund-Iverson and Marcos Ayelo remain key players to watch heading into Friday night's #WeAreStars game.

The matchup with McKendree was a tense battle, and despite McKendree outshooting Maryville 14-5 on goal, the Saints earned a 1-0 victory via penalty kick. The game highlighted the top-level talent and competitiveness of the GLVC.

McKendree (4-4-4, 4-2-3 GLVC)
McKendree and UMSL played to a scoreless draw on Friday night in St. Louis. The game featured five second-half cautions and very few shots on goal, suggesting both teams battled for possession while McKendree held firm defensively.

On Sunday, the Bearcats fell 1-0 to Maryville despite outshooting their opponent 14-5, including a 5-2 edge on goal. Henri Poll recorded five shots, three on goal, but was unable to break through. The result mirrors the frustrating outcome for UIS at UMSL last weekend, with both the Prairie Stars and the Bearcats looking to bounce back from a draw and a loss in their previous games.

GLVC Outlook
A pair of wins this weekend could dramatically shift the GLVC standings and put UIS into the conference chase. The Prairie Stars face a challenging stretch but have shown signs of life and sharp play in recent games, with both offense and defense starting to click at key moments.

Follow Along
Fans can watch live on GLVCSN or follow live stats at uisprairiestars.com.