DePaul University Athletics
Blue Demons Welcome West Virginia and Pittsburgh to Wish Field
9/25/2008 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S SOCCER
CHICAGO - The Blue Demons return to Wish Field for a pair of BIG EAST matches against West Virginia and Pittsburgh. DePaul started league play on the road last weekend with a win over Seton Hall followed by a loss at Georgetown.
DePaul stands at 1-1-0 in league play and is the defending BIG EAST Red Division champions. West Virginia and Pittsburgh and third and fourth Blue Division teams on the 2008 schedule as DePaul faces its Red Division foes to close the regular-season slate.
DePaul stands at 2-3-2 overall while the Mountaineers are 1-3-3 and 0-0-2 in BIG EAST games. Pittsburgh opens the weekend at USF and stands at 5-2-1 overall and 1-1-0 in league action.
Noting the Blue Demons: DePaul is now 4-0-2 in the last six overtime matches dating back to last season... the Blue Demons entered the 2008 season with a five-match win streak at Wish Field... the loss 1-0 loss to Valparaiso on Aug. 31 ended the win streak... Alex Mangan has scored 12 goals in 36 career matches... eight of his 12 career goals have been game-winners... he is tied for 19th all-time with 25 points (12G/1A)... in 61 career matches, Brian Visser has played in 5,596 of a possible 5,811 minutes in the net... his totals account for just over 96 percent of the minutes played in goal in the last three-plus seasons... the 0-0 tie against Butler marked the 20th career shutout for Visser... DePaul is 28-17-6 in the last six-plus seasons at Wish Field.
BIG EAST Improvement: DePaul has improved in each of its three BIG EAST campaigns. The 2005 squad totaled seven points on a 2-8-1 record before the 2006 team finished sixth in the Red Division with 12 points on a 4-7-0 record. A year ago, the Blue Demons were picked to finish eighth in the preseason coaches poll and surprised the entire BIG EAST by winning the Red Division with 21 points and a 7-4-0 league record.
Checking on West Virginia: The Mountaineers are 1-3-3 overall and 0-0-2 in BIG EAST action... they started league play last weekend with a pair of scoreless ties against Villanova and NR/#20 Rutgers... Paul Paradise and Ryan Gillespie have a scored a goal each this season while goalkeeper Zach Johnson has totaled four shutouts and 25 saves... head coach Marlon LeBlanc is in his third season at West Virginia. The Series: West Virginia leads the series, 3-0-0... the Mountaineers have posted a shutout in each meeting, including a 1-0 decision in Morgantown on Sept. 28, 2007.
Looking at Pittsburgh: The Panthers are 5-2-1 overall and 1-1-0 in BIG EAST games... Pittsburgh knocked off NR/#20 Rutgers, 1-0, on Sept. 19 before a 1-0 overtime loss to Villanova... they play at USF on Friday night before traveling to Chicago... E.J. McCormick and Chris Wilcox lead the teams with five points apiece... both players have scored two goals with an assist this season... head coach Joe Luxbacher is in his 25th season at Pittsburgh. The Series: Pittsburgh holds a 2-1-0 advantage in the series... DePaul posted a 1-0 win in double-overtime last year at Pittsburgh... all three meetings have been decided by one goal.
Marquette Invitational Recap: The Blue Demons finished second in the four-team Marquette Invitational with three players earning All-Tournament Team recognition. DePaul’s 1-1-0 record for three points was second to Penn with four points (1-0-1). Willy Lara, John Kornfeld and Steffen Vroom were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Steffen Vroom scored in the 23rd minute against Columbia to lead DePaul past the Lions, 1-0. The Blue Demons outshot Columbia, 13-5, while Brian Visser was credited with one save in the shutouts. DePaul followed the win with a 2-0 loss to Penn. The Blue Demons had chances as Penn was able to thwart a penalty kick opportunity in the 63rd minute and a DePaul shot hit the crossbar in the 78th minute. DePaul outshot the Quakers, 12-7, and held a 7-4 advantage in corner kicks.
Preseason Picks: The Blue Demons were picked to finish fourth, and picked up two first-place votes, in the Red Division by the league’s 16 coaches. Connecticut was selected to win the Blue Division while USF was picked as the Red Division preseason favorite. O’Brian White from Connecticut was named the preseason Offensive Player of the Year while USF’s Yohance Marshall received the Defensive Player of the Year nod and DePaul’s Brian Visser was the pick for preseason Goalkeeper of the Year. Visser is the first DePaul player to be named a conference player of the year honoree.
Blazer In Eighth Season: Head coach Craig Blazer is in his eighth season with DePaul. He holds a career record of 45-81-13 in his seven-plus seasons. In the last six-plus years under Blazer, the Blue Demons have posted a 28-17-6 record at Wish Field. Last season the Blue Demons went a program-best 9-1-0 at Wish Field with wins over No. 2 Connecticut and No. 21 Louisville.
2008 BIG EAST Championship: The semifinals and championship of the 2007 BIG EAST Men’s Soccer Championship will take place in Tampa, Fla., on the campus of the University of South Florida on Nov. 14 and 16. The first round and quarterfinal matches will be hosted by the higher-seeded team on Nov. 5 and Nov. 8. The champion receives the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship.
Wish Field Openers: DePaul’s season-opening match at home against Valparaiso marked the second straight year beginning the season at Wish Field, but just the second time overall since the 2004 campaign. Since 2000, Sunday’s match was just the third home game to begin a season. The Blue Demons started the 2004 season with a 2-0 win over Loyola-Chicago at Wish Field. A year ago, DePaul opened the season with a 2-0 victory against Jacksonville at Wish Field.
DePaul hosts nine matches at Wish Field this season after posting a school-record 9-1-0 mark last year. The Blue Demons defended the home turf in dominating fashion as they allowed just three goals in the 10 home matches and scored a total of 13 times. A 1-0 win over No. 2 Connecticut highlighted the home-field slate in 2007 while DePaul also dispatched No. 21 Louisville in Lincoln Park.