#BEfutbol Minute -- Providence Cinched Playoff Berth, who is next?
BIG EAST Notes (PDF)
NEW YORK – Providence, the hottest team in the league on a six-match winning streak is the first to punch their ticket to the 2016 BIG EAST Championship. The Friars have not lost a game in the month of October en route to becoming the first BIG EAST team to 10 wins this season while climbing the rankings to the top.
Quick Notes
- With the Friars’ postseason future set, five other teams will look to join them. In the current standings, Creighton, Villanova and Xavier are tied for second place with 13 points. In fifth place is Butler with 12 points. All these four teams need is a win in their next two games to make it in.
- DePaul, currently in sixth with nine points, is also close to a playoff berth. For the Blue Demons to qualify, they would need to win and they would need Villanova to win on Saturday.
- Going into Saturday’s games, no team has been mathematically eliminated.
- All five matches will be on the BIG EAST Digital Network, starting with Villanova at Georgetown at 1 p.m. Three games will be at 7 p.m., with the battle between first-place Providence and second-place Creighton to finish the night at 8 p.m.
Villanova at Georgetown - 1 p.m. (WATCH)
Tied for second in the standings in a three-way tie, the Wildcats just need one win to clinch a BIG EAST playoff berth. The Wildcats are the second-hottest team coming into the weekend, riding a three-match win streak. After upsetting Creighton last weekend, Villanova defeated St. John’s at home 2-1 on Wednesday. Georgetown stayed alive in the playoff picture with a scoreless draw result against Seton Hall on Wednesday. Players
Marquette at No. 15 Butler - 7 p.m. (WATCH)
Both teams are coming off a midweek league loss on Wednesday. Butler’s loss at DePaul went the distance as the Bulldogs lost 1-0 in double overtime. Marquette followed their Saturday 4-1 win over Xavier (10/22) with a 2-1 loss to first-place Providence on Wednesday. Saturday night’s game will feature the top two scorers in the league. Butler’s David Goldsmith will celebrate senior night, juxtaposed to Marquette freshman Luka Prpa who is finishing up his first collegiate season. Prpa has 24 points on the year (9G, 6A), while Goldsmith is second in the league with 23 points and leads the BIG EAST in goals (10). Other scenarios exist but the Bulldogs clinch a tournament spot with a win in either of their final two matches, controlling their own destiny.
Xavier at Seton Hall - 7 p.m. (WATCH)
Xavier is coming off another marquee win over a ranked Creighton team. The win solidified a tie for second place for the Musketeers alongside Villanova and Creighton. A win for Xavier will clinch a spot in the BIG EAST Championship for the Musketeers. Seton Hall is at the bottom of the standings but is not out of the mix should they win out and other scenarios to play out. Xavier’s defense has been their shining star, with Cory Brown and Matt Nance helping keep potential goals out of the way of goalkeeper Colin Hanley. Xavier’s Matt Vasquenza leads XU with 14 points (5G, 4A) with nine points in league play. Vasquenza scored the game-tying goal in the 80th minute against Creighton. Seton Hall’s Andres Arcila leads Pirates in points with six goals and four assists. The Pirates earned a point toward the league standings on Wednesday as the finished with a scoreless draw at Georgetown.
DePaul at St. John’s - 7 p.m. (WATCH)
DePaul is just one point ahead of their Saturday opponent St. John’s. If the season were to end before Saturday’s games, DePaul is the last team in the playoff picture as the sixth seed. DePaul is coming off a 1-0 upset victory at home over No. 15 Butler on Wednesday, while St. John’s will look to rebound from a 1-0 loss on the road at Georgetown. Senior Simon Megally leads the Blue Demons in scoring with 18 points (7G, 4A). St. John’s junior midfielder Harry Cooksley leads the Red Storm with 14 points (4G, 6A).
Providence at No. 18 Creighton - 8 p.m. (WATCH)
BIG EAST men’s soccer fans will have to wait until 8 p.m. for a battle between two top teams in the league standings. Providence is the only team who has clinched a BIG EAST playoff berth and will be playing the final two games for seeding. Creighton can get into the playoffs with a win. The Friars leapfrogged the Bluejays to take the top spot in the standings with their sixth win in a row, a 2-1 victory over Marquette. The Bluejays lost in double-overtime to Xavier. Julian Gressel has stepped it up for the Friars after PC had lost Mac Steeves to injury earlier this season.