MSOC Notes - 10.11.18
Halfway Home
All 10 BIG EAST men’s soccer teams will pass the halfway point in conference play this weekend with their fifth league match. After four rounds of games, No. 12 Creighton has a three-point buffer in first place, boasting a 4-0-0 record. The Friars are one win back in second place, while a three-way tie in third has Georgetown, Xavier and St. John’s all at seven points with a 2-1-1 mark to round out the top half. The top six teams at season’s end qualify for the BIG EAST Championship presented by Jeep, while the top two receive First Round byes.
Why We’re Watching …
PROVIDENCE at SETON HALL (Friday, 6:30 p.m., SHUPirates.com): A win for the Friars could potentially move them into a first-place tie with No. 12 Creighton, which they’ll face next weekend, but certainly keep them no lower than alone in second place. PC has scored six goals over its last three matches, all wins, with rookie Gil Santos totaling seven points during that hot stretch. A win for The Hall could bump them up into the top half of the league and out of the three-way tie for sixth. Defense has been the story for the Pirates, who haven’t surrendered multiple goals since Sept. 1. Andreas Nota has been a rock in goal as he holds a 0.71 GAA and .870 save percentage in league action, both second in the conference.
[12] CREIGHTON at XAVIER (Friday, 7 p.m., BEDN): The 12
th-ranked Bluejays are the team to beat as the lone remaining undefeated squad in league play. Creighton is the highest scoring team in BIG EAST play at 2.00 goals and 5.50 points, while Xavier owns the highest average overall at 1.50 goals and 4.58 points. CU’s Sven Koenig has a BIG EAST-high six goals, while XU’s Simen Hestnes has five scores on the year to rank second. The Musketeers are currently in a three-way tie in third place and are just two points shy of the second-place Friars.
VILLANOVA at GEORGETOWN (Saturday, 1 p.m., BEDN): The Hoyas are unbeaten over their last three, including a scoreless draw with Maryland on Tuesday. Rookie goalkeeper Giannis Nikopolidis owns a scoreless streak 318:40, and 236 straight minutes in BIG EAST play without allowing a goal. The Wildcats were shutout at Xavier in their last match, but Zach Zandi ranks third in the BIG EAST with 12 points off five goals and two assists on the season and could be the one to end Nikopolidis’ streaks.
BUTLER at DEPAUL (Saturday, 2 p.m., DePaulBlueDemons.com): The Bulldogs eye their first BIG EAST win of the season despite being the league’s top scoring team in non-conference play. Over eight non-league matches, Butler has a 14 goals, including five by Brandon Guhl. The Blue Demons will look to lock down Guhl and stretch their unbeaten streak to three matches. DePaul is coming off back-to-back 1-1 draws, with Drew Nuelle averaging a BIG EAST-best 4.08 saves per contest.
ST. JOHN’S at MARQUETTE (Saturday, 8 p.m., GoMarquette.com): Team-leading scorer Matt Forster returns to the lineup after a one-game absence due to a red card. Forster has 14 points off five goals and four helpers, and has at least one point in four of his last five outings. The Red Storm are two points out of second place, while the Golden Eagles are similarly in a three-team logjam, three points behind St. John’s. After exploding for three goals in its league opener, MU has been kept off the scoreboard by BIG EAST foes over the last three outings. Goalkeeper Luis Barraza has kept Marquette in contention, however, boasting the league’s top save percentage (.857) and a BIG EAST-high 5.25 saves per contest, including 10 at Providence last week.
Weekly Schedule
Friday, Oct. 12
PROVIDENCE at SETON HALL, 6:30 p.m.
[12] CREIGHTON at XAVIER, 7 p.m. (BEDN)
Saturday, Oct. 13
VILLANOVA at GEORGETOWN, 1 p.m. (BEDN)
BUTLER at DEPAUL, 2 p.m.
ST. JOHN’S at MARQUETTE, 8 p.m.
All times Eastern