Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Open Spring Schedule At Lakeside Field April 11
4/1/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
April 1, 2015
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Three games at Lakeside Field this month, including two as part of the annual Chicago Cup, highlight the Northwestern men's soccer spring schedule announced Wednesday. The Wildcats will host Wright State, UIC, DePaul and Loyola in April alongside Lake Michigan in preparation for the 2015 campaign.
"Spring is really an important time for player and team development," said head coach Tim Lenahan. "It is when the team starts to develop its own personality. With the losses of the seniors you get to see who is ready to `step up' as leaders and key players."
The 2014 season was the final campaign for a supremely accomplished group of Wildcats seniors that included Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year Tyler Miller, Conference Defensive Player of the Year Nikko Boxall and captain Connor Holloway.
The Wildcats opened the 2015 spring season indoors at the PrivateBank Fire Pitch in Chicago, earning a 1-1 draw against Marquette on Feb. 27 thanks to a Cole Missimo goal, while Getenet Tuji dented the net for the `Cats in a 2-1 loss to DePaul on March 6.
"With the new Chicago Fire's new PrivateBank Fire Pitch, we were able to get some games in before spring break. Now, starting on April 11, we get to play a good Wright State team, compete for the annual Chicago Cup and then play NCAA Sweet Sixteen team Xavier University coached by former Northwestern assistant coach and good friend, Andy Fleming. That game will be special for us as it is the `Down Syndrome Awareness Game' and we are honored to take part in celebration of Coach Fleming's 3-year old daughter, Devin."
Northwestern will welcome Wright State to Evanston on Saturday, April 11 at 1:30 p.m. The Raiders went 12-7-1 last season on their way to the Horizon League championship game. The 2015 Chicago Cup will feature four games at Lakeside Field on Saturday, April 18, with the Wildcats opening against UIC at 1:30 p.m., followed by DePaul vs. Loyola (2:45), a consolation match (4:00), and the championship tilt at ~5 p.m. Northwestern will close the spring calendar in Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, against the Xavier Musketeers in the Blue Chip Showcase.
The Wildcats earned their ninth NCAA Tournament berth under head coach Tim Lenahan last season. Northwestern finished just one point shy of a Big Ten regular-season championship, posting a 4-1-3 record in the Conference and going 9-3-6 overall, including a sterling 7-0-2 at Lakeside Field.
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME | |
| Sat, April 11 | vs. Wright State | 1:30 p.m. CT | |
| Sat, April 18 (Chicago Cup) | vs. UIC | 1:30 p.m. CT | |
| DePaul vs. Loyola | 2:45 p.m. CT | ||
| Chicago Cup Consolation | 4 p.m. CT | ||
| Chicago Cup Championship | 5 p.m. CT | ||
| Sat, April 25 | at Xavier (Blue Chip Showcase) | 6:30 p.m CT |
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