Northwestern University Athletics
Tuesday, October 7
Evanston, Ill.
6:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Evansville
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Hosts Evansville In Non-Conference Finale Tuesday
10/6/2025 5:25:00 PM | Men's Soccer
‘Cats are 13-1-2 in home non-conference matchups since 2023
EVANSTON, Ill. (October 6, 2025) – After being idle for just over a week, Northwestern men's soccer (5-4-1, 1-3 B1G) returns to action on Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. CT when it closes out its non-conference slate against Evansville at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium.
Tuesday's clash serves as a reunion for Wildcats junior midfielder Baraka Tarleton, who spent the first two years of his collegiate career with the Purple Aces, winning a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title last season.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern finished with advantages in multiple statistical categories against Washington on September 29, but Harrison Bertos' 22nd-minute goal proved to be the difference as the Huskies escaped Evanston with a 1-0 win. Joe Suchecki paced Northwestern with a game-high four shots in the defeat, as the 'Cats owned a 19-8 edge in the category. Last week's setback marked just the second time this season that Northwestern has fallen when it has outshot its opponent. In his return to the Northwestern lineup, Rafael Ponce de León tallied four saves in goal.
SCOUTING EVANSVILLE
Fresh off a 2-0 blanking of Western Michigan this past Saturday at Arad McCutchan Stadium, Evansville enters Tuesday's clash with the 'Cats at 4-2-5 overall and 2-0 in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play. Third-year head coach Robbe Tarver's team has rattled off three straight wins, and is unbeaten (4-0-2) across its last six games. Tarver guided the Purple Aces to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 28 years last season after winning the program's second MVC Tournament title.
Freshman standout Andres Escudero spearheads the attack for Evansville. Escudero has found the back of the net six times across 11 appearances, scoring in four of the Purple Aces' last six contests. Fellow freshmen Devin Shepherd and Chase Ricker have also made their presence felt in the final third. Shepherd has been a fixture in Tarver's lineup this season, starting in all 11 games en route to tallying three goals and an assist, while Ricker has a team-high three assists to his name.
Goalkeeper Michael Mroz has picked up right where he left off following an impressive 2024 campaign in which he earned a spot on the MVC's All-Freshman Team. Mroz, who has played every minute of every game since joining the Purple Aces, has a league-high four shutouts to his name and sports a 0.91 goals against average.
SERIES STUFF
Tuesday's non-conference finale will serve as only the third all-time meeting between Northwestern and Evansville in men's soccer, a series which the Purple Aces lead, 1-0-1.
The two teams have not met since September 26, 2004, when Evansville dealt the 'Cats a 2-1 defeat in double overtime at Arad McCutchan Stadium in Evansville, Ind.
UP NEXT
Northwestern wraps up a three-game homestand at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, October 11 when it welcomes Michigan State to Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium for Alumni Night.
Tuesday's clash serves as a reunion for Wildcats junior midfielder Baraka Tarleton, who spent the first two years of his collegiate career with the Purple Aces, winning a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title last season.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern finished with advantages in multiple statistical categories against Washington on September 29, but Harrison Bertos' 22nd-minute goal proved to be the difference as the Huskies escaped Evanston with a 1-0 win. Joe Suchecki paced Northwestern with a game-high four shots in the defeat, as the 'Cats owned a 19-8 edge in the category. Last week's setback marked just the second time this season that Northwestern has fallen when it has outshot its opponent. In his return to the Northwestern lineup, Rafael Ponce de León tallied four saves in goal.
SCOUTING EVANSVILLE
Fresh off a 2-0 blanking of Western Michigan this past Saturday at Arad McCutchan Stadium, Evansville enters Tuesday's clash with the 'Cats at 4-2-5 overall and 2-0 in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play. Third-year head coach Robbe Tarver's team has rattled off three straight wins, and is unbeaten (4-0-2) across its last six games. Tarver guided the Purple Aces to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 28 years last season after winning the program's second MVC Tournament title.
Freshman standout Andres Escudero spearheads the attack for Evansville. Escudero has found the back of the net six times across 11 appearances, scoring in four of the Purple Aces' last six contests. Fellow freshmen Devin Shepherd and Chase Ricker have also made their presence felt in the final third. Shepherd has been a fixture in Tarver's lineup this season, starting in all 11 games en route to tallying three goals and an assist, while Ricker has a team-high three assists to his name.
Goalkeeper Michael Mroz has picked up right where he left off following an impressive 2024 campaign in which he earned a spot on the MVC's All-Freshman Team. Mroz, who has played every minute of every game since joining the Purple Aces, has a league-high four shutouts to his name and sports a 0.91 goals against average.
SERIES STUFF
Tuesday's non-conference finale will serve as only the third all-time meeting between Northwestern and Evansville in men's soccer, a series which the Purple Aces lead, 1-0-1.
The two teams have not met since September 26, 2004, when Evansville dealt the 'Cats a 2-1 defeat in double overtime at Arad McCutchan Stadium in Evansville, Ind.
UP NEXT
Northwestern wraps up a three-game homestand at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, October 11 when it welcomes Michigan State to Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium for Alumni Night.
Players Mentioned
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