Friday, September 6
Kalamazoo, Mich.
4:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern
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Western Michigan
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
No. 9 Northwestern Set For Showdowns With No. 4 Western Michigan, Marquette
9/5/2024 10:30:00 AM | Men's Soccer
‘Cats ranked in the top 10 of national poll for first time since 2013
EVANSTON, Ill. (September 5, 2024) – Off to its best start to a season in program history, No. 9 Northwestern (4-0) is set for a pair of challenging tests ahead of the start of Big Ten Conference play.
Head coach Russell Payne's crew heads to Kalamazoo, Mich. on Friday for a top-10 showdown with No. 4 Western Michigan at 4:30 p.m. (CT) before returning to Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium on Monday evening to take on Marquette at 6 p.m.
Admission to all Northwestern men's soccer games at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium is free throughout the regular season.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern grinded out a pair of one-goal victories over the holiday weekend, rallying to defeat Drake, 2-1, last Friday ahead of a 1-0 blanking of UIC on Labor Day.
Staring at a 1-0 deficit inside the final quarter-hour of regulation in its matchup with Drake Northwestern struck for two goals over a 4:58 span to complete an unblemished season-opening homestand. Collin McCamy leveled the score at 1-1 in the 79th minute on a free kick from the edge of the penalty area ahead of a Tyler Glassberg header that proved to be the game winner.
Making its first road appearance on Monday against UIC, dominated for large spells of the first half but struggled to breakdown a well-organized Flames backline. The 'Cats found their breakthrough in the 41st minute when Peter Riesz directed his headed effort in at the near post to give Northwestern a lead it would not relinquish.
SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Ranked fourth in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll after advancing to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament last season, Western Michigan enters Friday's matchup at 3-0-1 on the year. The Broncos, who routed Villanova by a 5-1 scoreline this past Monday to extend their regular-season unbeaten run to 20 games, boast a pair of top-15 wins to their name this season, having defeated No. 14 Vermont, 3-1, and No. 9 New Hampshire, 1-0, respectively.
Michigan State transfer Greyson Mercer has made an immediate impact for head coach Chad Wiseman's team, putting up four goals and two assists through the season's first four games. Both Mercer and Noah James, a 2023 Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team pick, scored twice in the Broncos' win over Villanova earlier in the week.
Colin Welsh, a transfer from Memphis, has played in every minute in goal, posting a 0.75 goals against average and a 0.833 save percentage.
SCOUTING MARQUETTE
Piloted by first-year head coach David Korn, Marquette (3-1) saw its season-opening three-game win streak come to an end this past Monday in a 2-1 setback to No. 22 Wisconsin, 2-1.
Picked to finish fifth in the BIG EAST Conference's Midwest Division, the Golden Eagles, who host Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday, finished 7-6-3 in 2023, a record that included a 1-5-2 ledger in league action.
Mitchell Dryden has quickly established himself as a threat in the attacking third after making his way to Marquette from Wisconsin, already tallying three goals. Mitar Mirovic and Justin Milovanov have also provided support, chipping in two goals apiece.
SERIES STUFF
Friday's marquee clash will be the ninth meeting between Northwestern and Western Michigan. The Broncos have prevailed in six of the previous eight matchups, most recently dealing the 'Cats a 3-0 setback on September 9, 2022 at the WMU Soccer Complex.
Northwestern and Marquette will lock horns for the 19th time on Monday evening, a series in which the Golden Eagles own a 13-5-1 advantage in. Separated by just under 80 miles, the two programs have not met since a 4-1 Marquette victory on September 5, 2016 at Valley Fields. Monday's tilt will mark the first time that Northwestern and Marquette have met in Evanston, Ill. in nearly 25 years. The aforementioned encounter saw the 'Cats run out 3-0 winners on September 19, 1999.
UP NEXT
Following its matchup with Marquette, Northwestern will turn its attention to the start of Big Ten Conference play. The 'Cats welcome league newcomer No. 6 UCLA to Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Friday, September 13.
Head coach Russell Payne's crew heads to Kalamazoo, Mich. on Friday for a top-10 showdown with No. 4 Western Michigan at 4:30 p.m. (CT) before returning to Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium on Monday evening to take on Marquette at 6 p.m.
Admission to all Northwestern men's soccer games at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium is free throughout the regular season.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern grinded out a pair of one-goal victories over the holiday weekend, rallying to defeat Drake, 2-1, last Friday ahead of a 1-0 blanking of UIC on Labor Day.
Staring at a 1-0 deficit inside the final quarter-hour of regulation in its matchup with Drake Northwestern struck for two goals over a 4:58 span to complete an unblemished season-opening homestand. Collin McCamy leveled the score at 1-1 in the 79th minute on a free kick from the edge of the penalty area ahead of a Tyler Glassberg header that proved to be the game winner.
Making its first road appearance on Monday against UIC, dominated for large spells of the first half but struggled to breakdown a well-organized Flames backline. The 'Cats found their breakthrough in the 41st minute when Peter Riesz directed his headed effort in at the near post to give Northwestern a lead it would not relinquish.
SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Ranked fourth in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll after advancing to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament last season, Western Michigan enters Friday's matchup at 3-0-1 on the year. The Broncos, who routed Villanova by a 5-1 scoreline this past Monday to extend their regular-season unbeaten run to 20 games, boast a pair of top-15 wins to their name this season, having defeated No. 14 Vermont, 3-1, and No. 9 New Hampshire, 1-0, respectively.
Michigan State transfer Greyson Mercer has made an immediate impact for head coach Chad Wiseman's team, putting up four goals and two assists through the season's first four games. Both Mercer and Noah James, a 2023 Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team pick, scored twice in the Broncos' win over Villanova earlier in the week.
Colin Welsh, a transfer from Memphis, has played in every minute in goal, posting a 0.75 goals against average and a 0.833 save percentage.
SCOUTING MARQUETTE
Piloted by first-year head coach David Korn, Marquette (3-1) saw its season-opening three-game win streak come to an end this past Monday in a 2-1 setback to No. 22 Wisconsin, 2-1.
Picked to finish fifth in the BIG EAST Conference's Midwest Division, the Golden Eagles, who host Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday, finished 7-6-3 in 2023, a record that included a 1-5-2 ledger in league action.
Mitchell Dryden has quickly established himself as a threat in the attacking third after making his way to Marquette from Wisconsin, already tallying three goals. Mitar Mirovic and Justin Milovanov have also provided support, chipping in two goals apiece.
SERIES STUFF
Friday's marquee clash will be the ninth meeting between Northwestern and Western Michigan. The Broncos have prevailed in six of the previous eight matchups, most recently dealing the 'Cats a 3-0 setback on September 9, 2022 at the WMU Soccer Complex.
Northwestern and Marquette will lock horns for the 19th time on Monday evening, a series in which the Golden Eagles own a 13-5-1 advantage in. Separated by just under 80 miles, the two programs have not met since a 4-1 Marquette victory on September 5, 2016 at Valley Fields. Monday's tilt will mark the first time that Northwestern and Marquette have met in Evanston, Ill. in nearly 25 years. The aforementioned encounter saw the 'Cats run out 3-0 winners on September 19, 1999.
UP NEXT
Following its matchup with Marquette, Northwestern will turn its attention to the start of Big Ten Conference play. The 'Cats welcome league newcomer No. 6 UCLA to Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Friday, September 13.
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