Panther soccer hosts UIC in regular season finale

UNI soccer (4-8-3 / 1-4-2 MVC) vs. UIC (9-4-3 / 3-3-1 MVC)

Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025
1 p.m. CT
Cedar Falls, Iowa | UNI Soccer Field
WATCH (ESPN+) [Tim Harwood: Play-by-Play / Spencer Steffy: Analyst)
LIVE STATS

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- The UNI soccer team will close out its 2025 season on Thursday afternoon as the Panthers play host to the UIC Flames in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT at the UNI Soccer Field with live coverage of the match available on ESPN+.

UNI holds a 2-1-3 lead in the all-time series against the Flames in search of its first win over UIC since 2023. Despite being eliminated from MVC Tournament contention, the Panthers will look to player spoiler for the Flames, who enter the final day of the regular season one point behind Evansville in the hunt for the final qualifying spot in the MVC Tournament

Northern Iowa concludes a three-match homestand to round of its 26th season of play on Thursday after a tough 3-2 loss to Southern Illinois on Sunday afternoon. UNI fell behind the Salukis 2-0 before goals from Olivia Knoepfle and Macy Smith leveled the match in the first half. SIU would ultimately score the game-winner in the second half despite a three-save afternoon from goalkeeper Thordis Melsted.

Ten different Panthers have found the back of the net this year, with Smith leading the way with five goals, followed by Knoepfle with four goals and Haylee Braun with three goals in 2025. Denise Camarena, Sydney Burskey and Allison Flies have netted two each, while Sophia Balistreri, Ella Ubben, Aynslea Ulschmid and Olivia Mehl have all scored once.

In the record books, Knoepfle enters her final collegiate match one assist shy of breaking another Ashley Harrington's (2020-23) record for career matches with an assist (13) after breaking her career assists record earlier this year, while also sitting second in team history in career points (51). Additionally, Camarena sits in eighth in UNI history with ten career assists, as Smith has recorded five career game-winning goals, fourth-most in team history.

SCOUTING UIC
The Flames look to qualify for their fourth MVC Tournament since joining the league in 2022 when they visit Cedar Falls on Thursday. Two years removed from an appearance in the conference tournament championship match, UIC visits UNI off a 3-0 victory over Belmont on Sunday in its home finale.

Led by fifth year head coach David Nikolic, the Flames have thrived in goal this season thanks to the play of Francesca Faraci, who has allowed just eight goals all season with a 0.96 goals allowed average and a .814 save percentage. On offense, Riley Collett, the reigning MVC Player of the Week, has led UIC with four goals this season, while Bella Baker has scored three times.

UNI women's soccer action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Panther Soccer), X (@UNI_Soccer) and on Instagram (@unipanthersoccer). The full 2025 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.

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