Nov. 10, 2010
2010 Big Ten Men's Soccer Tournament
No. 5 Northwestern (8-7-2) at No. 4 Penn State (11-6-1)
Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010
Jeffrey Field
University Park, Pa. 4 p.m. CT
TV: Big Ten Network (Friday and Sunday only)
Gametracker: NUsports.com
Northwestern Game Notes (PDF)
Big Ten Tournament Central
Big Ten Tournament Bracket (PDF)
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Fifth-seeded Northwestern travels to University Park, Pa., for the 2010 Big Ten Men's Soccer Tournament, opening play Thursday against host and fourth-seeded Penn State. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.
Due to travel problems encountered by Wisconsin, game times for the first round have been pushed back two hours.
The revised schedule now has Michigan and Michigan State meeting at 11 a.m. CT to be followed by the Ohio State-Wisconsin match at 1:30 p.m. Northwestern will then square off against Penn State in the day's final game at 4 p.m.
The winner of the Northwestern/Penn State match advances to face No. 1 seed Indiana in Friday's semifinal round. The championship match is set for Sunday. Both the semifinals and championship are being televised live by Big Ten Network.
Big Ten Tournament History
Northwestern has never won a Big Ten tournament title and has appeared in the title game just once, falling 1-0 to Michigan State in 2004. The Wildcats are 6-19-0 all-time in Big Ten tourney matches, including dropping a 1-0 decision to Michigan State in the opening round in 2009.
Wildcats Fall to Michigan 4-2 in Home Finale
Junior forward Oliver Kupe scored a pair of goals, but it wasn't enough as Northwestern dropped its regular-season finale 4-2 to Michigan Saturday evening at Lakeside Field. Kupe got NU on the board first in the ninth minute. Michigan tied the game in the 35th minute when it scored off a free kick. The goal was allowed, though it appeared the ball deflected in off a Michigan hand ball. The Wolverines would score three consecutive goals in the second half before Kupe notched his second of the match with six and a half minutes remaining.
Scouting Penn State
The Nittany Lions (11-6-1, 2-3-1 Big Ten) dropped their regular-season finale to Wisconsin, 1-0, in Madison last Saturday. It was the first time Penn State had been shut out all season. Corey Hertzog ranks third in the Big Ten with 14 goals, while Matheus Braga is first with 12 assists. Brendan Birmingham (1.15 GAA, .703 save percentage) and Warren Gross (1.22, .718) have split time in goal for PSU this year. Bob Warming is in his first season as head coach at Penn State after previously guiding Creighton.
Last Meeting
Corey Hertzog scored 39 minutes into the match, but Kyle Schickel answered 41 seconds later as Northwestern and Penn State played to a 1-1 tie Oct. 17 in Evanston. The Wildcats had an 8-4 advantage in corner kicks, while the Nittany Lions had an 18-13 edge in shots.
Kupe's Contributions
Junior forward Oliver Kupe has established himself as one of the top offensive threats in the Big Ten. His 10 goals this season lead the Wildcats. A year ago, Kupe tied for the conference lead with seven assists. 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 also posted two goals in the Wildcats' regular-season finale against Michigan. His five goals in league play this season tied for the Big Ten lead.
Preseason Accolades
Forward Matt Eliason has been recognized by multiple organizations as he competes in his final season at Northwestern. The Lombard, Ill., native was a preseason second-team All-America selection of College Soccer News and was 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.
Eliason's Record-Setting 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. His assist on Northwestern's first goal at Indiana Oct. 31 gave him 81 career points, surpassing Hall and Gerardo Alvarez (2003-06) for the school's all-time record. 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.
Head Coach Tim Lenahan
Tim Lenahan is in his 10th season at the helm at Northwestern as the architect of a program that has undergone a metamorphosis from an also-ran to a national power. He inherited a program that had won a total of four Big Ten matches in the 10 years prior to his arrival and turned it into one that has reached the NCAA tournament in five of the last six seasons. The team has advanced to the NCAA quarterfinal round two of the last four years. Lenahan has an 100-76-24 record at Northwestern and is 226-144-42 mark in 21 seasons overall as a head coach. A 1983 graduate of Richard Stockton College, Lenahan coached for eight seasons at his alma mater and for three more at Lafayette before coming to Evanston.
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 0.84 goals-against average and .796 save percentage both rank second in the Big Ten. Kotler has four shutouts this season and recorded a career-high 11 saves against Notre Dame Sept. 29. He has missed the team's last two matches due to injury.
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 17 matches, while Scott Lakin has played in 15 and Connor Holloway 14. Losee has two goals and is third on the team lead with three assists. Seetane has notched two goals and an assist, while Masri has contributed a goal and two assists. Holloway tallied his first career goal at Indiana last Sunday and Lakin has one helper to his credit.
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 46 career victories to their credit, six shy of the top mark in school history of 52 wins set by last year's squad.
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.
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