Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Hosts Eastern Illinois to Kick Off 2011 Season
8/25/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 25, 2011
Northwestern (0-0-0) vs. Eastern Illinois (0-0-0)
Friday, Aug. 26, 2011
Lakeside Field (2,500)
Evanston, Ill. • 5 p.m.
Streaming Video: Wildcats All-Access
Gametracker: NUsports.com
In-game Twitter updates: @NU_SportsLIVE
Northwestern Game Notes (PDF)
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern kicks off its 2011 men's soccer season Friday as it hosts Eastern Illinois at Lakeside Field. Kickoff is set for approximately 5 p.m. The contest following a women's game between Loyola Chicago and Dayton and is being followed by match between the NU women's soccer team and Cincinnati.
The Wildcats dropped their season-opener a year ago, falling 1-0 at San Francisco. The loss snapped a streak of seven straight unbeaten season-openers for NU. Northwestern went 5-0-2 in its first match of the season from 2003-09.
Solid Nucleus Returns
Northwestern returns 17 letterwinners, including six starters, from last year's team which went 8-8-2 overall and 2-3-1 in Big Ten play. The Wildcats return 73 percent of their goal-scoring from a year ago (22 of 30). In goal, Jonathan Harris returns after appearing in six matches with four starts in 2010. Tommy Tombridge also saw action in two matches in goal last year.
Scouting Eastern Illinois
The Panthers posted a 4-12-1 record a year ago, including a 1-7-1 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play. Eastern Illinois is picked to finish fifth in the Summit League this season. Senior Ryan Child led Eastern Illinois with five assists and nine points last season. Sophomore Tyler Kelley and junior Evan Turner have split time in goal for the Panthers during the exhibition season. Adam Howarth is in his 12th season as the head coach at his alma mater.
Series History
The all-time series between the Wildcats and the Panthers is knotted 4-4-5. Northwestern won the most recent meeting between the schools 3-0 Sept. 12, 2008 in DeKalb, Ill., behind a hat trick by Matt Eliason. Head coach Tim Lenahan is 2-0-1 against Eastern Illinois during his tenure at NU.
Kupe's Contributions
Forward Oliver Kupe enters his senior year having established himself as one of the top offensive threats in the Big Ten. His 10 goals last season led the Wildcats and ranked fifth in the conference. As a sophomore, Kupe tied for the conference lead with seven assists. He notched his second career two-goal game Sept. 10, 2010 in a 4-0 win over Cleveland State en route to being named the MVP of the NIU adidas/Magnuson Inn Invitational. Kupe also posted two goals in the Wildcats' regular-season finale against Michigan. His five goals in league play last season tied for the Big Ten lead and helped him earn second-team Alll-Big Ten honors.
Youth is Being Served
The 'Cats started as many as five freshmen at the same time last year. Layth Masri, Lepe Seetane and Reed Losee appeared in all 18 matches, while Scott Lakin and Connor Holloway played in 15 apiece. Northwestern is hoping that experience pays off this season. Losee tied for second on team with three goals and was third with nine points. Seetane notched two goals and an assist, while Masri contributed a goal and two assists. Holloway tallied one goal while Lakin had one helper to his credit.
World Class Experience
For the second consecutive season, Northwestern is playing a match at a professional soccer venue. The Wildcats make a return trip to Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., on Sept. 1 when they take on California. The stadium is the home of the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer. A year ago, NU played Notre Dame to a 1-1 draw at Toyota Park. California is ranked No. 7 in the NSCAA preseason poll after going 14-2-4 in 2010.
Big Ten Preseason Rankings
Northwestern has been picked for a sixth-place finish in the Big Ten this season in a preseason poll of the conference's head coaches. Indiana is the preseason pick to win the league, followed by Ohio State and Penn State. Michigan was tabbed fourth, followed by Michigan State and the Wildcats with Wisconsin selected seventh. Senior forward Oliver Kupe, sophomore midfielder Lepe Seetane and junior defender Jarrett Baughman were named as players to watch from Northwestern.
Up Next
The Wildcats return to action Thursday, Sept. 1 when they take on California in Bridgeview, Ill., at Toyota Park, the home facility of the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer.
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