SAN ANTONIO -- Sitting tied atop the conference standings, the University of the Incarnate Word men's soccer team welcomes Houston Christian on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. UIW was the only team to win both of its matches in the conference last week, winning road contests at Eastern Illinois and Western Illinois to climb into a tie for first place with SIUE (13 points).
The Cardinals stunned Eastern Illinois last Thursday, scoring twice in the final three minutes to pull off the come-from-behind victory. Knox Hicks delivered the game-winner with just nine seconds remaining to secure the Cardinals' first win of the week. UIW followed with a 1-0 shutout of Western Illinois on Sunday, as Diego Robles scored in the 57th minute for his fourth game-winning goal of the season. Victor Salmeron recorded his first shutout in his Cardinal career, finishing with 12 saves and just one goal allowed across the two matches.
The Cardinals' successful road trip also resulted in a sweep of the Ohio Valley Conference Weekly Awards. Diego Robles earned Offensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week, while Charles Chimezie claimed Defensive Player of the Week and Victor Salmeron secured Goalkeeper of the Week honors.
The Cardinals are off to their best start in conference play since 2014, when UIW opened its first season in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) with a 5-1-1 record through seven games. With three matches remaining, UIW has already quadrupled its conference win total from last season and sits tied for first with SIUE.
The Cardinals will look to carry their momentum into Sunday's matchup against Houston Christian as they continue their push for the top spot in the conference standings.
HOUSTON CHRISTIAN (4-6-5, 2-2-3 OVC)
WHEN AND WHERE: Sunday, Oct. 25 at 6:00 p.m., Benson Stadium (San Antonio, TX)
ABOUT THE HUSKIES: The Huskies resumed their weather-suspended match against UTRGV on Wednesday night, playing to a 2-2 draw to move to 2-2-3 in conference play. One of their two conference wins came against Incarnate Word in Sept., earning a 2-1 victory on their home turf. Their other league win was a 3-0 decision over Western Illinois. Ryan Okeryai leads the Huskies with four goals this season, including two game-winners. He ranks fourth in the Southland Conference with 2.53 shots per game, just behind Incarnate Word's Robles.
MATCHUP HISTORY: HCU leads the all-time series against UIW, 8-7-4, after earning a 2-1 victory over the Cardinals earlier this season. Incarnate Word's last win in the series came in 2021, with the Huskies earning a win or draw in each of the last nine meetings.
FOLLOW ALONG
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on X @UIWAthletics and on Instagram @uiw_athletics.
Follow the team on X @UIWMensSoccer and on Instagram @uiwmenssoccer.
