Oct. 3, 2006
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern (8-3) returns home for a mid-week game on Wednesday, Oct. 4 when they host Valparaiso (6-4) at 3:30 p.m. at the Lakeside Field in Evanston. Northwestern is seeking to rebound from a 2-0 loss to Wisconsin on Sunday while the Crusaders are coming off a 1-0 win over Oakland Sept. 30.
The Wildcats own a 9-4 advantage in the all-time series, though, the two schools haven't met since the 2002 season, a 2-0 Valpo victory in Evanston.
And the schedule doesn't get much easier for NU after Wednesday with No. 14 Indiana on Saturday night in Bloomington and No. 18 UIC in Chicago next Wednesday night -- two critical games that have huge implications on Northwestern's NCAA at-large chances at season's end. Overall, three of the next four games are on the road with a home date with Michigan Oct. 15 before the final Big Ten match at Michigan State Oct. 22.
About Valpo
The Crusaders are 6-4 and 2-1 in the Mid-Continent Conference. They opened the season with three straight wins and have since won three of their last seven, including a 1-0 win over Oakland last Saturday at home. D.J. Catrow leads the team with five goals to compliment three assists and a team-leading 13 points. Paul Leitelt is close behind with four goals and three assists for 11 points. Jon Brighton (3), Steve Shively (3) and J. J. Eschenburg (2) all have multiple goals on the season. Jeremy Stacy leads the team with four assists. Valpo scores an average of 2.1 goals per game which ranks them 24th nationally. Ryan Schwarz has played every minute in goal, recording 52 saves (which ranks him 16th best in the NCAA), four shutouts and 20 just goals allowed. Valpo is coached by Mis' Mrak who is in his 16th season.
Noting the Wildcats
LAST TIME OUT: The Wildcats dropped a 2-0 decision Sunday to the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, Wis. Northwestern, playing without two of its regular starters due to injury, couldn't generate the kind of offense they have been accustomed to this season, recording just 10 shots in the game. After a scoreless first half, Wisconsin scored the game's first goal nine minutes into the second half when Andy Miller and William Bagayoko assisted on a Reid Johnson goal in the 54th minute. Later in the 72nd minute, Wisconsin added the second goal when Pablo Delgado fired a low shot past goalkeeper Will Briley from the left side of the 18-yard box. Junior David Roth led NU with three shots. Geoff Fallon, Eamon O'Neill, Carl Pett and Matt Witt all had one shot on goal. Briley took the loss in goal, recording one save in 74 minutes while Justin Pines played the final 15:40, also making one save.
Under the direction of sixth-year head coach Tim Lenahan, the Northwestern's men's soccer program is on the rise. The Wildcats are 8-3 this season, giving Lenahan a combined 32-16-4 record over the last two-plus years, a .653 winning percentage. Northwestern is coming off two of the most successful seasons in its history, going a program-best 15-6-2 in 2004 -- which included the program's first trip to the NCAA Tournament -- before turning in another winning season last year (9-7-2) despite a lot of youth and injuries. The No. 14 national ranking last week was the highest in program history, coming off the heels of a 3-1 win over Ohio State whom the Wildcats had not defeated in 13 years prior.
(Big Ten stats as of Oct. 2) The Wildcats are among the leaders in several Big Ten statistical categories. Northwestern is second in the Big Ten in assists (17), assists per game (1.55), points per game (4.45) and third in goals (16), goals per game (1.45) and fewest goals allowed (10). Individually, Carl Pett leads the conference in assists (5) and assists per game (0.50) while Gerardo Alvarez is fifth and sixth in both categories, respectively, with three assists. Junior David Roth is first with three game-winning goals and second in total points (12) and third in points per game (1.18), goals (5) and goals per game (0.45). Senior Brad North is sixth in the league in goals (4) and eighth in goals per game (0.36) and points per game (0.82).
This bunch likes to save their best for last. Through 11 games, the Wildcats have either been behind or tied at the half 10 times, only to come away victorious on seven of those nine occasions. Sixteen goals have been scored by Northwestern this year, with 14 of those coming in the second half. They are 4-2 when tied at the half and 3-1 when trailing. On a more impressive note, NU is 8-0 this season when holding opponents under two goals.
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