Oct. 22, 2010
Northwestern (7-5-2, 1-1-1 Big Ten) at Wisconsin (1-10-2, 0-2-1)
Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010
McClimon Soccer Complex
Madison, Wis. 7 p.m.
Gametracker: NUsports.com
Northwestern Game Notes (PDF)
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Tim Lenahan goes for his 100th win at Northwestern on Saturday as the Wildcats travel to Wisconsin for a Big Ten matchup. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at McClimon Soccer Complex. NU enters the contest with a 4-1-2 record over its last seven matches.
Currently in his 10th season at the helm, Lenahan has a 99-74-24 at Northwestern and 225-142-42 mark in 21 seasons overall as a head coach.
Northwestern opened a stretch of three straight road games with a 1-0 win at Loyola Chicago Wednesday night. Junior Oliver Kupe notched his team-leading sixth goal of the season just over 11 minutes into the second half. After a number of close calls in the first half, Kupe finally cashed in at 56:07 when he scored at the back post off a cross from Peter O'Neill. Drew Kotler needed to make only one save to earn the shutout as the Wildcats improved to 9-0-2 in their last 11 matches with the Ramblers.
Scouting Wisconsin
The Badgers (1-10-2, 0-2-1 Big Ten) are winless in their last 12 matches since defeating Santa Clara 2-1 in the season-opener. Four of Wisconsin's losses have come in overtime, including a 4-3 decision at home to Green Bay on Wednesday. Chris Prince, who had two goals against the Phoenix, leads the Badgers with four tallies this season. Ryan Vint has seen the majority of time in goal for UW, sporting a 1.37 goals-against average and a .770 save percentage. John Trask is in his first season at the helm at Wisconsin, coming to Madison after serving as the head coach at UIC.
Last Meeting
Wisconsin converted a penalty kick midway through the first overtime to stun Northwestern 2-1 Oct. 17, 2009 at Lakeside Field. Kevin Valenta notched the Wildcats' goal. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak by NU in the series.
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 six 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 78 career points, two 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.
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. His 0.79 goals-against average ranks second in the Big Ten, while his .811 save percentage ranks third. Kotler has four shutouts this season and recorded a career-high 11 saves against Notre Dame Sept. 29.
Youth is Being Served
The 'Cats have started as many as five freshmen at the same time this year. Layth Masri, Lepe Seetane and Reed Losee have appeared in all 14 matches, while Scott Lakin has played in 13 and Connor Holloway 12. Losee has two goals and is third on the team lead with three assists. Masri has contributed a goal and two assists. Seetane and Lakin have chipped in with a goal and an assist, respectively.
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 45 career victories to their credit, seven 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 returns to action Oct. 31 as it travels to Indiana for a Halloween showdown. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. CT with the game being televised by Big Ten Network.
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