Northwestern University Athletics
Local Foes Meet Wednesday as Northwestern Hosts DePaul
10/6/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 6, 2010
Northwestern (4-4-1) vs. DePaul (3-5-2)
Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010
Lakeside Field (2,500)
Evanston, Ill. • 7 p.m.
Streaming Video: NUsports.com
Gametracker: NUsports.com
In-game Twitter updates: @NU_SportsLIVE
Northwestern Game Notes (PDF)
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern plays its third straight nonconference game Wednesday as it hosts local foe DePaul in men's soccer action at Lakeside Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Fans unable to attend the contest can follow along with the video stream at NUsports.com.
Oliver Kupe's second-half goal helped Northwestern open its five-game homestand on the right foot with a 1-0 victory over Missouri State Sunday afternoon at Lakeside Field. Drew Kotler posted three saves to earn his third shutout of the season. With heavy winds blowing from the north throughout the match, NU had the conditions at its back in the first half but couldn't score despite out-shooting the Bears 10-2. The Wildcats eventually cashed in at 57:16 as Kupe forced a turnover at the top of the 18 and finished near the 6 for his fourth goal of the season. Northwestern was able to hold off a late charge by the guests to earn the victory. The 'Cats finished with advantages of 14-8 in shots and 5-0 in corner kicks.
Scouting DePaul
The Blue Demons (3-5-2, 0-2-0 Big East) are coming off a 3-1 home loss to Villanova last Saturday. Alex Mangan (4 goals) and Antonio Aguilar (3 goals) have combined for seven of the team's eight scores this season. Willy Lara has a team-high three assists. In goal, Joe Ferrari sports a 1.53 goals-against average and a .724 save percentage. DePaul has been picked to finish sixth in the Red Division of the Big East. Craig Blazer is in his 10th season as the head coach of the Blue Demons.
Series Information
Northwestern leads the all-time series with DePaul 13-7-1. The Wildcats had won four consecutive meetings before DePaul pulled off a 2-1 win Sept. 7 of last season in Evanston.
Kupe's Contributions
Junior forward Oliver Kupe has established himself as one of the top offensive threats in the Big Ten. A year ago, Kupe tied for the conference lead with seven assists. Kupe contributed his first helper of the season Sept. 5 on Reed Losee's goal against Saint Mary's (Calif.). He also shown the ability to find the back of the net himself as he notched his second career two-goal game Sept. 10 in a 4-0 win over Cleveland State en route to being named the MVP of the NIU adidas/Magnuson Inn Invitational. Kupe's four goals so far this season lead the Wildcats.
Preseason Accolades
Senior forward Matt Eliason has been recognized by multiple organizations as he competes in his final season at Northwestern. The Lombard, Ill., native is a preseason second-team All-America selection of College Soccer News and is one of 39 individuals named to the watch list for the Hermann Trophy which honors the nation's top collegiate soccer player. He has also been named a candidate for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award which recognizes senior student-athletes for their contributions both on and off the field. Northwestern has two other individuals who are returning award winners. Defender Chris Ritter and midfielder Kyle Schickel were named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team last season, while Schickel was an honorable mention pick to the Top Drawer Soccer All-Freshman Team.
Eliason's Stellar Career
Matt Eliason has earned his preseason recognition based on what he has accomplished over his first three seasons at Northwestern. A two-time All-Big Ten first team and the All-Great Lakes Region second team selection, he surpassed Jonathan Hall (1986-89) for first in school history with his 31st career goal against Oregon State Sept. 12. Eliason's 13 goals last season led the Big Ten. He also ranks third all-time at Northwestern with 75 career points, five behind career leaders Hall and Gerardo Alvarez (2003-06). Eliason has also gotten the job done in the classroom as he was named an ESPN the Magazine Second-Team Academic All-American and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar a year ago.
Head Coach Tim Lenahan
Tim Lenahan is in his 10th season at the helm at Northwestern as the architect of a program that has undergone a metamorphosis from an also-ran to a national power. He inherited a program that had won a total of four Big Ten matches in the 10 years prior to his arrival and turned it into one that has reached the NCAA tournament in five of the last six seasons. The team has advanced to the NCAA quarterfinal round two of the last four years. Lenahan has an 96-72-24 record at Northwestern and is 222-140-42 mark in 21 seasons overall as a head coach. A 1983 graduate of Richard Stockton College, Lenahan coached for eight seasons at his alma mater and for three more at Lafayette before coming to Evanston.
Kotler Steps In
NU's goalkeepers in 2010 have some big shoes to fill as they replace the graduated Misha Rosenthal, the school's all-time leader with 29 shutouts. After starting the first two matches on the bench, junior Drew Kotler has admirably taken over. Since stepping in to begin the second half of the Wildcats' second match, Kotler has allowed just four goals (including one own goal) in 677 minutes of action. His 0.53 goals-against average leads the Big Ten while his .882 save percentage ranks second. Kotler has three shutouts this season and recorded a career-high 11 saves against Notre Dame Sept. 29.
The Drive for Five
Last year's senior class at Northwestern accomplished something no other class in school history had done--reach the NCAA tournament each year of their collegiate careers. The Wildcats are seeking their fifth straight NCAA appearance in 2010. All five of Northwestern's NCAA tournament appearances have come in the last six seasons (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009). This year's group of seniors has 42 career victories to their credit, 10 shy of the school history of 52 wins set by last year's squad.
Wildcats Picked Third in Big Ten Preseason Poll
Northwestern has been tabbed to finish third in the Big Ten this season in a preseason poll of the conference's head coaches. Defending champ Ohio State is the coaches' choice to remain atop the Big Ten, followed by Indiana. Penn State tied the Wildcats for third place, followed by Michigan State, Michigan and Wisconsin, respectively. The second-place finish by the Wildcats' a year ago was the best in program history. NU's 3-2-1 mark against conference foes matched the 2004 and 2007 teams for the program's best Big Ten record in a season.
Jones Joins Coaching Staff
Neil Jones has joined the Wildcats' coaching staff this season, replacing Andy Fleming who left to become the head coach at Xavier. A 2004 graduate of UC Santa Barbara, Jones spent the last four years as an assistant coach at his alma mater, including helping the Gauchos to the 2006 national championship. A four-year starter at UCSB, Jones amassed 28 goals and 16 assists during his career. A native of Auckland, New Zealand, Jones has also spent time competing at the national level as a member of New Zealand's National Team. He earned his first two full international caps playing for New Zealand's World Cup squad and scored two goals in the Kiwi's win over Tahiti during the OFC Nation's Cup. Jones also played in the U-17 World Cup Finals with the national team.
Up Next...
Northwestern continues its five-game homestand at noon on Sunday as it takes on Ohio State. The match is being shown by Big Ten Network on a same-day tape delay basis at 4 p.m.
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