The Illinois Springfield men's soccer team continues conference play with two road matches this weekend. The Prairie Stars travel to take on Missouri S&T on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. and Drury on Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.

UIS (3-2-2, 3-0-2 GLVC)

The Prairie Stars took on Southwest Baptist and Rockhurst to celebrate Homecoming last weekend. Friday night against SBU proved to be a game of few chances. The scoreless draw was finally broken in the 79th minute with a late goal from Joey Fitzgerald. After receiving a great through ball from Jay Hakki, Fitzgerald finished with a deft lob over the Bearcat goalkeeper. Hugo Lopes was shown a red card in the 88th minute, meaning the Bearcats would play down a man to finish out the game. The UIS defense held firm for the final ten minutes, achieving their third consecutive shutout. SBU outshot UIS 10-4, with both teams registering 4 shots on target.

Sunday's matchup against Rockhurst was more dynamic, featuring back-and-forth scoring. Cullen Ogbuke opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, netting his first collegiate goal after being set up by Corne Boshoff. Rockhurst equalized just seven minutes later when Jacopo Belardo capitalized on a loose ball in front of the UIS net. The Prairie Stars regained the lead in the 60th minute, with Boshoff finishing a well-placed pass from Sergio Crescenzi. However, Rockhurst equalized again in the 83rd minute as Belardo scored his second of the game with a header following a corner kick. The match ended in an entertaining 2-2 draw, with UIS holding a slight edge in overall shots at 12-10, though the Hawks led 7-6 in shots on goal.

Anton Aduwa-Emovon leads the team with 3 goals, scored in consecutive games, while Joey Fitzgerald follows closely with 2 goals. Three other Prairie Stars have contributed one goal apiece. Fitzgerald and Boshoff are the team's assist leaders, each with 2 assists, while four additional players have registered 1 assist. Freshman goalkeeper Joe Brudnak has started the past five games, allowing just 3 goals during that span.

Missouri S&T (5-1-2, 2-0-2 GLVC)

The Missouri S&T Miners got off to a strong start in 2024, continuing their momentum last weekend against Maryville and UMSL. On Friday afternoon, they traveled to face the Saints, aiming to build on their early-season success. The first half featured good opportunities for both sides but ended scoreless. S&T applied pressure at the start of the second half, and their efforts paid off in the 55th minute. Following a well-executed play down the left flank, Luke Giesing set up Mike Banasik, who finished expertly past the onrushing Maryville goalkeeper. The Miners then established a solid defensive block, securing a 1-0 shutout on the road. Although Maryville held a 17-16 edge in overall shots, S&T had the upper hand with 10 shots on goal compared to the Saints' 5.

On Sunday afternoon, the Miners faced a tough UMSL squad. The first half was challenging for S&T, despite creating several chances, and the teams entered halftime still scoreless. The deadlock was finally broken in the 75th minute when the Tritons took a 1-0 lead. However, just thirty seconds later, Alexander Burum equalized with a powerful shot into the bottom corner, converting a corner kick from Grant Polman. Neither team could find a winner after that whirlwind minute, resulting in a 1-1 draw. S&T created more opportunities, outshooting UMSL 14-6 overall and holding a 9-5 advantage in shots on goal.

Mustafa Hasan leads the team with two goals this season, while six other Miners have each scored one goal. Luke Giesing tops the team with two assists, with four additional players registering one assist. Cavitt Bruhn has started every match in goal this season, allowing only four goals.

UIS vs. Missouri S&T History

The Prairie Stars hold a 6-10-3 historical record against the Miners. Last season marked the first time UIS defeated S&T since 2018, with a commanding 4-0 victory in Springfield. Despite that win, S&T has dominated the matchup recently, winning nine of the last twelve encounters between the two teams.

Drury (3-2-3, 1-2-2 GLVC) 

The Panthers faced a challenging road weekend against tough opponents McKendree and Maryville. On Friday night, they took on No. 10 McKendree in a match that saw both teams create numerous chances but fail to find the back of the net until the closing moments. McKendree broke the deadlock in the 88th minute with a quick counterattack that finally pierced the resilient Panther defense. However, in a dramatic twist, Drury equalized just forty seconds later, as Carson Morgan finished off a pass from Cayden Meyer. This thrilling conclusion earned both teams a point, with McKendree holding a slight edge in overall shots at 12-11 and shots on goal at 5-3.

The Panthers then faced Maryville in St. Louis, where Maryville appeared more aggressive throughout the match. Despite their efforts, Drury's defense held strong until the 84th minute, when a loose ball fell to a Saints forward who expertly finished into the top corner. Maryville maintained their lead for the remainder of the match, handing Drury a tough loss. The Saints dominated in overall shots, outshooting the Panthers 17-8, with a 6-3 advantage in shots on target.

Carson Morgan and Lucas Schofield lead the Panthers in scoring with two goals each, while five other players have contributed one goal. Joe Loughnane leads with three assists, and both Mason Platts and Jude Rodwell have added two assists this season. Camden Meyer has started all eight games in goal for the Panthers, allowing 14 goals.

UIS vs. Drury History

The Prairie Stars hold a 7-6-4 historical record against the Panthers. UIS and Drury have faced each other twice in each of the last two seasons, once during the regular season and once in the GLVC Quarterfinals. Last season, UIS won both encounters, defeating Drury 2-0 in the regular season and 1-0 in the GLVC Quarterfinals. Drury's last victory against the Prairie Stars dates back to 2014 in Springfield, Missouri.