Complete Game Notes
Game #3: No. 11 Lincoln (1-0-1, 0-0 GLVC) at Illinois-Springfield (0-2, 0-0 GLVC)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026
Time: 8:30 p.m. CDT
Site: Springfield, Ill.
Venue: Kiwanis Stadium
Live Stats: https://uisprairiestars.com/sidearmstats/msoc
Live Video: https://www.glvcsn.com/uis/
 
THE KICK OFF:  The Lincoln men's soccer team, which is ranked No. 11 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Division II poll, opens its league slate on Saturday night (Sept. 5). The Blue Tigers travel to Springfield, Ill. for an 8:30 p.m. CDT match against Illinois-Springfield. Lincoln is wrapping up a three-match season-opening road trip which so far has been successful; LU tied Savannah State, 2-2, to open the season before beating Northeastern State, 1-0. The Prairie Stars have opened the season with a pair of losses, as UIS lost at home to Alabama-Huntsville, 2-1, before falling on the road to Western Illinois, 4-0.
 
QUICK KICKS
- Lincoln is 1-0-1 against Illinois-Springfield since it brought back the men's soccer program in 2024. The Blue Tigers beat the Prairie Stars in 2024, 1-0, and played UIS to a 1-1 draw last season.
 
- The Blue Tigers have not lost a regular season match since Nov. 1, 2024, when LU fell on a last-second goal to Rockhurst, 2-1, in Jefferson City.
 
- Under head coach Sammy Samuels, Lincoln owns a two-year overall record of 18-8-12.
 
PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Vincent Osei made three saves in Lincoln's draw against Saginaw Valley State. Felipe Mattos, meanwhile, had one save and earned the shutout victory in the 1-0 win against Northeastern State. Jerome Lawel leads the Blue Tigers with seven shots and is tied with Pedro Gomes and Ackeem Mullings with one goal apiece. Makwe Nkoana notched an assist and has two shots on goal.
 
HEAD COACH SAMMY SAMUELS:  A proven winner, Sammy Samuels is in his third season as the head coach of the Lincoln men's soccer team. Last year, Samuels led the Blue Tigers to a 10-0-6 record in the regular season as well as a berth in the NCAA Sweet 16. During five seasons as the head coach at Maine-Fort Kent, Samuels coached 13 All-Americans and posted a 53-12-8 record. During that span, UMFK won the 2022 USCAA national title and was the national runner-up in both 2019 and 2021.
 
PREVIOUS RESULTS
Lincoln 2, Saginaw Valley State 2
Ackeem Mullings and Jerome Lawel each scored unassisted goals as the Blue Tigers played toa 2-2 draw at Saginaw Valley State on Aug. 27. LU had a 12-11 edge in total shots while SVSU led 5-4 on shots on goal.
 
Lincoln 1, Northeastern State 0
Pedro Gomes scored in the 65th minute off of a pass from Makwe Nkoana to give Lincoln a 1-0 win over Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla. on Aug. 30. Jerome Lawel and Gomes tied for the team-lead with three shot attempts apiece.
 
SCOUTING THE PRAIRIE STARS:  UIS has one goal on the season, courtesy of Gentil Selemani, and no assists through two matches in 2026. On the offensive side, Robin Lemke Bergseth has a team-high three shot attempts while eight other Illinois-Springfield players have one shot attempt apiece. Kevin Kardel has played all 180 minutes in goal and has made 10 saves.
 
THEY GO TO ELEVEN: After opening the 2026 season with a draw and a win, both on the road, Lincoln has moved up to No. 11 in the United Soccer Coaches Division II poll. In the preseason national poll, the Blue Tigers were ranked No. 16. LU is now the highest-ranked GLVC program in the country. The only other league team to make this week's top-25, which was released on Sept. 1 is Missouri S&T at No. 22.
 
NATIONAL NOTES:  Felipe Mattos is one of only 24 qualifying NCAA Division II goalkeepers who has not yet allowed a goal in 2026. Mattos is tied for first in the nation in both shutouts and save percentage. Jerome Lawel is 27th nationally in shots per game (3.5) while Pedro Gomes is tied for 11th in game-winning goals. Lincoln's 1.0 goals against average ranks 46th in the country.
 
ALL-GLVC:  A pair of returning Blue Tigers made the All-GLVC list after Lincoln's stellar 2025 season. Adam Griffiths was named to the second team as a defender while Vincent Osei was a second team goalkeeper selection. Both players helped Lincoln post six shutouts, with Osei ended the regular season ranked 33rd in NCAA Division II in total saves.
 
THE COACHES LOVE THEM:  According to the GLVC Coaches Preseason Poll, the Blue Tigers are the favorite to win the conference in 2026. Lincoln received six first-place votes and 192 total points to secure the top overall ranking among the 15 league schools. Rockhurst also had six first-place votes and was picked second with 180 points. Maryville claimed two first-place votes while the other one went to Indianapolis.
 
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN:  All of Lincoln's home matches this season will be played at Capital City High School. Lincoln is 3-0 all-time at that venue, including a 4-0 victory over Missouri S&T in the GLVC tournament and a shootout win over Tiffin in the NCAA tourney last year. Lincoln also beat Drury, 7-0, at CCHS in 2024.
 
GOODEN-OUGH FOR TWO SPORTS:  Antwone Gooden is pulling double duty this fall as a member of both LU's men's soccer team and its football team. Gooden, a backup keeper, made two saves last season while not allowing a goal. Gooden will serve as LU's punter on the gridiron.
 
JOIN THE CLUB:  The Blue Tiger Athletics Club is a great way to engage with other LU fans while supporting all Lincoln student-athletes. Every dollar raised by the club goes towards scholarships, improving the facilities and purchasing equipment. To join the BTAC, or to learn more, please visit www.LUBlueTigers.com/BTAC.
 
WATCH LIVE:  Fans who are unable to attend a game in person will still be able to cheer on their Blue Tigers to victory via the GLVC Sports Network. All seven Lincoln home games will be broadcast live and can be watched at https://www.glvcsn.com/lincolnbluetigers/.
 
GEAR UP FOR THE GAME:  Lincoln fans can get everything they need for the game at www.BlueTigersStore.com, the official online store for LU athletics. Everything from jerseys to office supplies can be found on the site, with a portion of all online sales going to benefit Lincoln athletics.
 
NEXT UP:  The Blue Tigers play their first home match of the season next Wednesday (Sept. 9) when McKendree and Lincoln meet at Capital City High School at 7:30 p.m. CDT.