Chicago Union Weekend Recap: Doubleheader Sweep, Moves to 8-0
June 27th, 2025
Article by Weldon Genies
Photography by Norman Timonera
CHICAGO—The Chicago Union once again had a fantabulous weekend, routing the Indianapolis AlleyCats in dominant 22-10 fashion at Martin Stadium this past Friday! The U then took their talents back to Detroit and handled business against the Detroit Mechanix, resulting in a 28-10 victory, moving to 8-0 on the season!
In the first matchup against the Indianapolis AlleyCats, Chicago started with a 5-3 first-quarter run, as their active roster for this matchup was without a couple of key contributors, including Daan De Marée and Ben Preiss. However, in the second quarter, the Union started to gain momentum, going on a 7-3 run that created separation, ultimately making all the difference in the end. The Union had the leverage in many offensive and defensive statistics against the AlleyCats, putting on an absolute masterclass as a team on both sides of the disc. While Chicago was looser with the disk on Friday with 27 turnovers, their stout D-line still forced Indy to turn the disk over 38 times, which is a consistent winning formula. Seven Union players registered a block, continuing to showcase the defensive identity that co-head coaches Dave Woods and Charlie Furse have preached all season. In total, the Union showcased their depth and strength in numbers, winning with different lineups in a spectacular 22-10 fashion.
For the Union, Nate Goff shined once again Friday afternoon, tallying 381 total yards, 214 receiving yards, 167 throwing yards, three hockey assists, and two goals. Goff continues to lead the way for Chicago, making his presence known with big play after big play. As a constant factor for the Union, he has provided stability throughout the year, allowing Woods and his team to experiment with different lineups and strategies while maintaining complete trust in players like Goff, who can elevate the play of the entire team. Brandon Van Deusen, who has always shown his prowess as a handler, made a tremendous impact as a receiver Friday afternoon as well, tallying 324 total yards, 130 receiving yards, 194 throwing yards, two hockey assists, and one goal. Van Deusen is just another prime example of how, on any given game day, multiple players for the U can step up and execute the game plan when called upon. Paul Arters had himself a day, tallying 347 total yards, 257 throwing yards, 90 receiving yards, three blocks, three hockey assists, and two assists. Kyle Rutledge had a fantastic outing, racking up 291 total yards, 173 receiving yards, 118 throwing yards, three goals, two assists, and one hockey assist, and led Chicago in +/- with +4. Finding new ways to win is a fantastic feeling for the Union, as with each victory, the team’s chemistry and morale grow exponentially, creating a swagger that Chicago can carry with them through the later stretch of the season.
In the second matchup of the weekend against the Mechanix, the Union traveled to Detroit and quickly established a commanding 10-1 lead in the first quarter, going on to win every quarter for the rest of the game. It was another day in the office for Chicago, operating at a high level on both sides of the disk, as more key contributors emerged on Saturday afternoon. Team captain Sam Kaminsky had a statement outing on Saturday, tallying 305 total yards, 231 throwing yards, 74 receiving yards, two hockey assists, and one assist. Jack Shanahan shined Saturday afternoon, tallying 388 total yards, 271 throwing yards, 117 receiving yards, three assists, two hockey assists, and one goal. Xavier Payne had a superb outing, tallying 377 passing yards, six assists, four blocks, and two hockey assists, also leading the team in plus-minus at +9. Once again, the stout Union D-line forced Detroit to turn the disk over 38 turnovers, which is always a winning formula for Chicago. The Union kept the pedal to the medal the whole game and ended up with a statement 28-10 victory, which is the identical score of their last matchup against Detroit last Saturday.
Following the 22-10 defeat, the Indianapolis AlleyCats now sit at 2-7, which is fifth in the UFA Central division. The Detroit Mechanix sit at 1-7, which is sixth in the Central division.
The Chicago Union has another doubleheader weekend coming up, starting with a home matchup against the Minnesota Wind Chill on Friday, July 4th, at 4:00 P.M. CT, which will stream live on WatchUFA.tv and Youtube. The next day, the Union heads to Pittsburgh for another matchup on Saturday, July 5th at 5 P.M. CT, which will also stream live at WatchUFA.tv.
Fans can secure tickets at gochicagounion.com. Additionally, free parking will be available for all fans, so bring plenty of energy to cheer on the U!
