BIG EAST Notes - 9.12.17
In The Polls
BIG EAST women’s soccer made a splash on Tuesday in the United Soccer Coaches Poll as three teams were in the mix. Georgetown led the way at No. 18, while Marquette earned its first national ranking since the 2014 preseason poll, coming in at No. 19. The Golden Eagles have won seven in a row, while the Hoyas are unbeaten over their last three. Riding a five-game shutout win streak, Butler received votes for the first time this season. In the Midwest Regional Poll, Marquette led the way at No. 3, followed by Georgetown at No. 5, Butler at No. 7 and St. John’s at No. 13.
Nearing Nonconference Conclusion
Nine of 10 BIG EAST teams finish the nonconference portion of their schedules this week, with just Butler playing a midweek tilt next week prior to the start of league play on Saturday and Sunday. Six teams enter this week with a .500 or better record, while four have suffered two losses or less. No. 19 Marquette leads the pack at 7-1-0, the 16
th-best winning percentage in the NCAA, collecting seven consecutive victories after its season-opening setback to now No. 2 Stanford. RV Butler (5-1-1) is also on a hot streak, winning its last five, all in shutout fashion, including Friday’s 2-0 win at then-No. 10 Texas A&M. No. 18 Georgetown carries a three-game unbeaten streak into Sunday’s match at Towson, most recently earning a scoreless draw with then-No. 14 Rutgers. Providence and DePaul also enter the week on multi-game winning streaks after each won a pair of contests last week, with the Friars totaling seven goals in that two-game span.
Week Ahead
A challenging slate awaits BIG EAST teams this week, including six matches against teams coming off NCAA Tournament appearances in 2016. Coming off a win over Northern Kentucky on Sunday, Xavier will host back-to-back NCAA squads, starting with Kent State on Thursday and Dayton on Sunday. Two BIG EAST teams will get a shot at Harvard this week, which has already topped two BIG EAST teams earlier this year. Villanova gets the first look at the Crimson on Friday before Seton Hall gets its opportunity on Sunday. The Red Storm will square off with Long Beach State on Sunday, while Marquette hosts Illinois State, which advanced to the NCAA Second Round last year, on Thursday. The Golden Eagles will also face RV Milwaukee in its non-league finale on Sunday. Additionally, Creighton eyes its first set of back-to-back wins this season when it welcomes Drake on Wednesday. BIG EAST teams combined for a 11-5-3 (.658) record last week, their finest winning percentage of the season.
Weekly Schedule
Wednesday
Drake at Creighton, 8 p.m.
Thursday
Seton Hall at UMass Lowell, 6 p.m.
Saint Joseph’s at Providence, 7 p.m.
St. John’s at Boston College, 7 p.m.
Kent State at Xavier, 7 p.m.
Illinois State at Marquette, 8 p.m.
Friday
Harvard at Villanova, 4 p.m.
Saturday
Omaha at Creighton, 8 p.m.
Sunday
Long Beach State at St. John’s, Noon
Georgetown at Towson, 1 p.m.
Indiana State at Butler, 1 p.m.
Villanova at Drexel, 1 p.m.
Harvard at Seton Hall, 1 p.m.
DePaul at Loyola-Chicago, 2 p.m.
Dayton at Xavier, 6:30 p.m.
UMass Lowell at Providence, 7 p.m.
Marquette at RV Milwaukee, 8 p.m.
All Times Eastern