Aug. 19, 2008

Chicago, Ill.- The UIC men's soccer team will provide a sneak preview of the upcoming 2008 campaign with its preseason opener against Tulsa this Friday, Aug. 22 as part of the Gallagher College Friendlies held this week in St. Louis, Mo.

The Flames (No. 16 NSCAA/adidas, No. 17 College Soccer News) and the Golden Hurricane (No. 23 NSCAA/adidas, No. 25 College Soccer News) square off in an exhibition battle between preseason conference favorites at 8 p.m. Central at the AB Soccer Park Main Field.

Directions to the AB Soccer Park, located at One Soccer Park Road in Fenton, Mo., are available by clicking here. A map to the facility can be accessed by clicking here.

Each side in Friday's contest was picked to win their respective conferences in preseason coaches polls unveiled this past Monday, Aug. 18. UIC is the defending Horizon League champion and a 2007 NCAA Tournament quarterfinalist. Tulsa won the 2007 Conference USA championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 last season.

The Flames return eight starters from last year's historic NCAA Tournament Elite Eight team, including record-breaking goalkeeper Jovan Bubonja, who was recently named to the 2008 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List for college soccer's highest individual honor.

The match against Tulsa in the Gateway City also marks a homecoming for a pair of UIC strikers. Sophomore forwards Matt Spiess (St. Louis, Mo.) and Kevin Stoll (Florissant, Mo.) were high school soccer standouts at Chaminade Prep and played for a pair of nationally-respected club teams in the area. Spiess is a product of the Lou Fusz Soccer Club, while Stoll honed his craft with the host of the Gallagher College Friendlies, the Scott Gallagher Soccer Club.

Friday's match is the first of two preseason friendlies the Flames will play before opening the regular season at home against UMKC next Friday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. UIC will travel to Notre Dame, Ind., to face the Fighting Irish on Monday night in an exhibition rematch of their 2006 NCAA Tournament second round collision.