Men's Soccer

MVC Men's Soccer Weekly Notebook (Sept. 29)

Player of the Week: Artem Grinblat, UIC
Defensive Player of the Week: Jordan Klein, Western Michigan
Goalkeeper of the Week: Alex Lindewirth, Western Michigan

Artem Grinblat opened his college scoring account in impressive fashion, scoring twice — including the match-winning goal — in UIC’s 4-2 victory over Bradley to open Missouri Valley Conference play. Coming on as a reserve, the freshman midfielder scored his first career goal on a penalty kick in the 47th minute before adding his second goal in the 72nd minute to complete the brace and put the Flames ahead for good. Grinblat finished the match with four points and two shots on goal. His two-goal performance also made him the first UIC player to score twice in a match in nearly eight years, dating back to Josiah Ash’s brace against Wright State on Nov. 10, 2018, in the Horizon League Tournament championship match.

Jordan Klein continued to provide a strong presence for Western Michigan in the defensive half during the Broncos’ 1-0 shutout victory over Bowling Green to open MVC play. The junior midfielder played all 90 minutes, marking the sixth time this season he has completed a full match. Klein led the Broncos’ defensive effort by blocking six shots from the Falcons, helping WMU preserve the clean sheet. He also contributed offensively, recording his second shot on goal of the season in the 50th minute.

Alex Lindewirth continued his stellar play in goal for Western Michigan to begin Missouri Valley Conference play, recording his seventh career shutout and second of the season in the Broncos’ 1-0 victory over Bowling Green. The senior goalkeeper made six saves in the match, including five during the final 36 minutes as Bowling Green increased its pressure in the second half. Lindewirth kept the Falcons off the scoreboard for the full 90 minutes while posting a perfect 1.000 save percentage. Through eight matches this season, Lindewirth had made 38 saves and was leading the MVC in both total saves and saves per game, while also ranking nationally 17th in total saves and 20th in saves per game.

Conference News & Notes
  • During Conference-opening weekend, Evansville, UIC and Western Michigan each earned three points with victories over their opponents. Additionally, Belmont picked up a 3-0 win over St. Thomas in non-conference action to improve to 4-4-1 on the year.
  • Evansville utilized Carlos Iglesias’ first career goal to earn its first regular-season win against Drake since 2022 with a 1-0 decision on Saturday. The Purple Aces’ defense held the Bulldogs to just two shots on goal with goalkeeper Hugo Amo making a pair of saves.
  • UIC outlasted Bradley, 4-2, behind a pair of braces by Sebastian Khoury and Artem Grinblat. It marked the first time UIC had two players score twice in the same match since 2019, while Grinblat’s brace was the first by a UIC rookie since 2018. 
  • In his 17th season at the helm, UIC head coach Sean Phillips, who is the winningest coach in program history, earned career victory No. 150 with the Flames’ win over Bradley on Friday evening. 
  • Western Michigan used a strong defensive performance to overcome Bowling Green in the Conference opener. The Broncos’ Alex Lindewirth made six saves in his second clean sheet of the year, while rookie Josh Nicholson notched his first-career goal in the 28th minute.
  • Belmont registered its second clean sheet of the season with a 3-0 win over St. Thomas on Friday night. The Bruins have earned a result in 42 of their last 52 matches at Rose Park, outscoring their opponents, 77-39, during that stretch. 
  • Tuesday night’s slate features a match against a top-10 foe, as Notre Dame travels to Flames Field to take on UIC. It will be just the second time in program history that the Flames have hosted the Irish, as UIC is seeking its first win against Notre Dame. 
  • Drake travels to face Saint Louis, whose 2025 NCAA Tournament run ended in the College Cup Semifinals. As a team, the Bulldogs have allowed just five goals all year, while the Billikens have found the back of the net just 10 times - tied for the sixth-fewest in the A-10 this year. 
  • Bradley’s Mitch Coughlon accounted for both goals in the Braves’ setback to UIC, bringing his season total to seven on the year. The senior ranks seventh in the nation in total goals, while ranking 15th nationally in total points (15), leading the MVC in both categories. 
  • As a team, the Flames lead the MVC and rank second in Division I in shots per match (19.75) and shots on goal per match (8.88). They trail NJIT, who is averaging 22.00 shots per outing and Washington, who is sitting at 9.70 shots on goal per contest this season.