Oct. 7, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Following nearly a month of road matches, Northwestern returns to the Leonard B. Thomas Athletic Complex this weekend to host No. 9 Penn State Friday and Western Illinois Sunday.
After opening the season with five consecutive home matches, NU has not played in Evanston since a Sept. 12, 2-1 overtime victory over DePaul. The Wildcats hit the road with a 4-1 record at the time and return with a 6-3-1 mark, the best start to a season since the 1988 squad began with an identical record.
Entering its second conference match of the season, NU continues to pace the league in scoring (73 points), goals (23) and assists (27). Sophomore forward Gerardo Alvarez (Aurora, Ill./Marmion Academy) leads all individuals in the Big Ten in scoring with nine goals and 21 points on the year. Freshman David Roth (St. Louis, Mo./Chaminade) is atop the conference in assists with seven.
In the 9th-ranked Nittany Lions (5-1-4, 0-1 Big Ten), Northwestern faces the second-most potent attack in the conference. PSU ranks just behind the Wildcats in points, goals and assists. Penn State had a 13-match unbeaten streak snapped in its last match, a 2-1 loss to Indiana.
Friday's Penn State match has also been designated the men's soccer "Big Game" of the season. In an effort to increase attendance and comraderie at Northwestern sporting events, NU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is promoting one home match for each squad as the "Big Game," encouraging both regular NU students and other Wildcat sports' student-athletes to come out in force to support Northwestern athletics.
Western Illinois enters the weekend at 5-6, 1-1 in the Mid-Continent Conference. Before heading to Evanston, the Leathernecks host Valparaiso Friday. WIU is led by Kuwait native Nowaf Jaman with nine goals and 19 points on the season.
CAT 'NIPS
* Northwestern and Penn State tied for sixth place in the Big Ten last season with three points each.
* Despite finishing tied for last, both schools upset their first round opponents in the Big Ten Tournament last year, with PSU advancing to the title match.
* With eight matches remaining in the regular season, Roth needs only two more assists to set the single-season record at NU.
* Junior Brad Napper and sophomores Brad North and Will Nicholas (who is out for the season with a broken leg) all have three goals on the season, giving Northwestern four players ranked in the top nine in the conference in goals scored.
* Alvarez's 23 points tie him for sixth in the nation in total scoring. Roth is also tied for sixth in the nation with his seven total assists.