CHICAGO, Ill. – The top-ranked St. Olaf College men's soccer team saw its program-record 23-game unbeaten streak come to an end with a 2-0 loss at the seventh-ranked University of Chicago on Sunday afternoon at Stagg Field.

In a rematch of last year's NCAA sectional final, UChicago (1-1-0) scored twice in the final 20 minutes to send St. Olaf (1-1-0) to its first loss since a 2-0 loss at fifth-ranked Kenyon College on Sept. 10, 2023. Since that loss, the Oles had claimed 20 victories and three ties including a 19-0-3 run to end last season on the way to the program's first national championship.

In the first matchup of top-10 ranked teams in NCAA Division III men's soccer this season, Edward Wu broke the scoreless deadlock for UChicago in the 71st minute and Sam Jimenez added an insurance goal with just under five minutes remaining. The Maroons held a 23-9 advantage in shots in the game, including an 8-3 edge in shots on goal.

With the game still scoreless, Wu cut infield from the right and fired a shot into the top-right corner of the net with his left foot for what proved to be the decisive moment. A little less than 15 minutes later, Jimenez rolled the ball into the lower-right corner from the left side of the box to double UChicago's lead.

Both teams had chances to open the scoring inside the first 10 minutes of the game. The first scoring chance fell to sophomore Abdirasak Bulale in the ninth minute, but Dhurpal Shah got down to stop Bulale's shot near the lower-right corner from in close. Less than one minute later, Jimenez saw his shot across goal from the right side of the box hit off the far post for the Maroons.

The hosts hit the woodwork for the second time in the opening half in the 27th minute when Robbi Pino struck the crossbar on a counter attack for UChicago. The Maroons outshot the Oles by a 14-5 margin in the opening 45 minutes, although shots on goal were just 3-2 in favor of the hosts.

Less than 10 minutes into the second half, St. Olaf created an opportunity to get on the board when first year Charlie Piller got his head to a cross from the right but could not steer his header on frame. Senior Peter Forseth kept the game scoreless in the 62nd minute by rushing off his line to stifle a chance by Pino prior to the Maroons' late pair of goals.

The Oles will look to start a new unbeaten streak with a trip to first-year program UW-River Falls for a 4:30 p.m. kickoff on Tuesday, Sept. 3.