#BEfútbol Minute: Final Non-League Weekend Features 11 Matches
BIG EAST Men's Soccer Update (9.7.18)
NEW YORK – So far this season, the BIG EAST has put up a 17-12-7 record against their non-conference men's soccer opponents. The bulk of non-league play ends this upcoming weekend as BIG EAST play starts next Friday, Sept. 14. On the docket for the weekend is a six-game Friday, two games on Saturday, two games on Sunday and one on Monday night.
Providence, Xavier, Villanova, Marquette, Creighton and Georgetown will all be hosts, while St. John’s, Butler and DePaul are on the road.
On Friday night, the Friars will host Albany, while Xavier will host cross-town rival Cincinnati. Penn State will play at No. 15 Villanova at Talen Energy Stadium, home of the Philadelphia Union in Chester, Pa. Villanova’s game against Penn State will air on the FOX Sports Go app. Penn plays at Marquette and Memphis plays at Creighton for the Bluejays’ annual
Socctoberfest. DePaul is on the road at Drake, who is receiving votes in the latest national poll.
Saturday night has the Red Storm visiting Temple and the Bulldogs on the west coast at UC-Santa Barbara.
The weekend schedule finishes up with George Washington at Providence and Yale at Georgetown.
On Monday, Marquette will travel to Michigan. Both teams are receiving votes in this week’s national polls.
BIG EAST Teams 4-1-2 Against United Soccer Coaches Top 25
During non-conference play so far this season, the BIG EAST has tallied a 4-1-2 (.714) record against teams that are ranked in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 national poll. Of those four wins, two were accomplished by teams unranked in the polls. Providence upset then-No. 8 Southern Methodist, 2-1, on the road in double overtime and DePaul upset then-No. 14 Western Michigan, 1-0 on Wish Field. Additionally, Creighton, who at the time was receiving votes in the poll, defeated then-No. 11 Clemson, 2-0, on the Bluejays’ home-opener. This past week, Georgetown, before returning to the poll at No. 20, tied with then-No. 10 Stanford, 1-01 (2OT).
National Rankings – Villanova Checks In At No. 15
In the most recently released United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll, Villanova jumped into the polls at No. 15; while Georgetown re-entered the rankings at No. 20. Also receiving votes in the poll are Marquette, Butler and Creighton. Butler was ranked as high as No. 9 to start the season and Georgetown was the preseason No. 13 pick.
In the regional rankings, the BIG EAST makes up six of the 10 schools ranked in the United Soccer Coaches Atlantic Region. Villanova leads the way at No. 1, sharing a first-place vote with No. 2 Georgetown. Butler checks in at fourth, with Marquette close behind at fifth, both having 12 points. Creighton is No. 6 and Xavier is No. 9. Also ranked in the region are Southern Methodist (3), Central Florida (7), Manhattan (8) and Tulsa (10).
BIG EAST Play Begins Next Week
League play kicks off next Friday with Providence at DePaul on Friday and four games on Saturday. All five games will air on the BIG EAST Digital Network presented by SoFi. A rematch of the Xavier-Georgetown 2017 BIG EAST Tournament final highlights Saturday’s slate of games as well as a rematch of the 2016 tournament championship between Butler and Creighton. Seton Hall’s next opponent on the Pirates’ schedule is the BIG EAST opener against local rival St. John’s in Queens. Villanova will play at Marquette.
Extra Soccer Please
The 10 BIG EAST teams have played 15 overtime games so far in 2018 with a record of 6-2-7 (.633).
Xavier has had the most ties with two. Villanova boasts the best winning percentage in overtime with a 2-0-0 slate. Both wins have come in the first OT period. Eight of the 10 teams have played in extra time, the only two teams who have completed their games in regulation so far are Marquette and DePaul.
#BEfútbol Weekend Schedule
Friday, Sept. 7
Albany at PROVIDENCE, 7 p.m.
Cincinnati at XAVIER, 7 p.m.
Penn State at [15] VILLANOVA, 8 p.m. (Chester, Pa.)
(FOX Sports GO)
DEPAUL at [rv] Drake, 8 p.m.
Penn at [rv] MARQUETTE, 8:05 p.m.
Memphis at [rv] CREIGHTON, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 8
ST. JOHN’S at Temple, 7 p.m.
[rv] BUTLER at UC-Santa Barbara, 10 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 9
George Washington at PROVIDENCE, 1 p.m.
Yale at [20] GEORGETOWN, 3 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 10
[rv] MARQUETTE at rvMichigan, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 11
Illinois-Chicago at DEPAUL, 4 p.m.
Loyola Maryland at ST. JOHN’S, 7 p.m.
[rv] Kentucky at XAVIER, 7 p.m.
#BEfútbol Recent Results
Thursday, Sept. 6
SETON HALL 0, Hofstra 0 (2OT)
Tuesday, Sept. 4
Lehigh 1, ST. JOHN’S 0
Saint Louis 3, [rv] MARQUETTE 1
Monday, Sept. 3
[rv]GEORGETOWN 1, [10] Stanford 1 (2OT)
Columbia 2, [11] BUTLER 1 (2OT)
[20] CREIGHTON 2, South Florida 1
Harvard 2, PROVIDENCE 1
[rv]Clemson 2, VILLANOVA 0
All times listed are Eastern.
BIG EAST teams are noted in ALL CAPS.