#BEfutbol Minute – Three Matches To Watch On BEDN
BIG EAST Notes 9.24 (PDF)
NEW YORK – The second Saturday of BIG EAST men’s soccer will have three games on the BIG EAST Digital Network: Xavier at Georgetown (1 p.m.), Providence at No. 10 Butler (7 p.m.) and Seton Hall at St. John’s (7 p.m.). Also in action, Creighton at DePaul and Villanova at Marquette.
Quick Notes:
Butler, who held on to the No. 10 spot in the NSCAA national rankings this week after jumping nine spots last week, will look to extend its winning streak to seven games. The Bulldogs exercised their muscles with a 3-1 non-league win over Evansville on Tuesday.
In addition to Butler, Villanova, St. John’s, Creighton and DePaul each had midweek tune ups. The league went 2-1-2 during the week. Creighton and Villanova each played to scoreless draws, DePaul defeated Northwestern and St. John’s lost to Quinnipiac at home.
Highlighting Saturday’s matches are re-matches of last year’s championship rounds. The 1 p.m. Xavier-Georgetown game is a replica of the 2016 BIG EAST Semifinals. The 7 p.m Providence at Butler contest mirrors the 2015 first round.
Saturday Matchup Notes – This Week on BEDN
Xavier at Georgetown (Shaw Field - 1 p.m.)
- The last time Xavier visited Shaw Field was a 2015 BIG EAST Championship Semifinal match, less than a year ago. No. 1 seed Georgetown defeated the No. 4 seed Xavier 1-0 with a goal in the 16th minute by Brandon Allen. Both teams are coming into Saturday’s game with one-goal wins in their respective league openers last week. Xavier defeated DePaul 1-0 on 82nd minute PK goal by Majed Osman; while Georgetown’s Brett Campbell scored in the eventual game-winner on the road in Friartown. Keeper JT Marcinkowski had eight saves. Xavier’s Cory Brown was named Defensive Player of the Week for his lead on a defense that held DePaul to just two shots. Georgetown is 2-5 overall, while Xavier is 3-2-2.
Providence at No. 10 Butler (Butler Bowl - 7 p.m.)
- Like the afternoon match, the last time these two teams played eachother was less than a year ago in the 2015 Championship. The last time Providence was at the Butler Bowl, the No. 6 seeded Friars advanced in PK’s over third-seeded Butler to the semifinals. The teams were knotted at 2-2 after 110 minutes of regulation. Going into PK’s, the Friars used a 4-2 advantage to clinch the shootout, getting converted attempts from Julian Gressel, Klisman Sousa, Dominik Machado, and Tiago Mendonca. Providence used the unusual strategic move of changing keepers prior to the shootout. Ben Seguljic had played all 110 minutes in net before giving way to Colin Miller for the shootout. In regulation, David Goldsmith scored both goals. This season, Goldsmith has helped the Bulldogs to a No. 10 national ranking and is fourth in the country in points per game (2.43). As a team Butler leads the nation in assist per game (3.00). Goldsmith won back-to-back BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week honors. The Friars return Gressel and boasts the foot of Mac Steeves, who started the season on the MAC Herman Trophy Award Watch List.
Seton Hall at St. John’s (Belson Stadium - 7 p.m.)
- The second night game is a regional-rivalry match up between two teams just outside of New York City. the Pirates have not played a game since last weekend’s loss in Omaha. St. John’s is also coming off a loss after giving up a goal to non-conference foe Quinnipiac during the week. The match up to look for will be Andres Arcila for the Seton Hall offense against young keeper Andrew Withers for St. John’s. Arcila is secodn in the league behind David Goldsmith in goals (5) and is tied for second in goals per game (0.71). Withers is 7th in the country in save percentage (0.875). The Red Storm has a point up on Seton Hall after playing Marquette to a scoreless draw on opening Saturday. Dating back to 1999, the Red Storm is 11-2-4 in its last 17 BIG EAST home openers. St. John’s and Seton Hall have met 37 times. The Red Storm is 22-12-3 against their neighbors from the Garden State, including a 1-0 victory over the Pirates last season in South Orange.
Other Match Notes:
No. 12 Creighton at DePaul
- Creighton will travel to DePaul for the Bluejays first road contest since Aug. 26 when the Bluejays defeated then-No. 25 Rutgers 2-0. Creighton already has three points in league play after a 4-1 win over Seton Hall last weekend. DePaul is looking to score points in the standings after losing to Xavier 1-0 with a PK goal. The DePaul defense has been strong. Last week, the Blue Demons allowed just nine shots in a 1-1-0 week. This week, DePaul gave up just one goal to Northwestern.
Villanova at Marquette
- Marquette’s last three games have all been ties: 1-1 at Saint Louis, 3-3 against Milwaukee, 0-0 to St. John’s. Villanova also had a 0-0 tie this week against Saint Joseph’s. The Wildcats have defeated two ranked teams so far this season in non-conference play, but lost to No. 10 Butler last week. Marquette has a point in the league standings after the scoreless draw against the Red Storm.
Saturday’s #BEfutbol Schedule:
Xavier at Georgetown at 1 p.m. (BEDN)
No. 12 Creighton at DePaul at 2 p.m.
Providence at No. 10 Butler at 7 p.m. (BEDN)
Seton Hall at St. John’s at 7 p.m (BEDN)
Villanova at Marquette at 8 p.m.