DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Welcomes Western Illinois to Wish Field on Saturday
8/17/2017 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S SOCCER
Western Illinois vs. DePaul | Aug. 19 at 1 p.m. | Wish Field | Live Stats| Game Notes
CHICAGO - The DePaul men's soccer team will hit the field for the second time in preseason action on Saturday, Aug. 19 when the Blue Demons welcome Western Illinois to Wish Field for DPU's final exhibition of 2017.
On Wednesday, the BIG EAST selected DePaul to finish ninth in its preseason coaches' poll. The Blue Demons, who dropped their 2016 exhibition meeting to Western Illinois 2-1, continue to make strides in their season preparation after opening the year with a 1-1 regulation result against Western Michigan on Sunday, Aug. 13 where DPU was edged in penalty kicks 4-2.
Against Western Michigan, DePaul received a goal from senior midfielder Philipp Konigstein while the defensive backline, which was anchored by Caleb Pothast and Max de Bruijne, held the Broncos scoreless for the first 86 minutes of play.
Western Illinois finished 2016 with an 8-10-1 record, going 3-3-0 in Summit League play. The Leathernecks were tabbed third in the Summit League's preseason poll behind Denver and Omaha. Drew Whalen and Fernando Pacheco will lead WIU in 2017 as each received mentions on the league's 2017 "Players to Watch" list.The Blue Demons will open the 2017 regular season on the road against Northern Illinois (Aug. 25) and UIC (Aug. 27) before returning to Wish Field for their home opener on Friday, Sept. 1. DePaul will face La Salle (Sept. 1) and Valparaiso (Sept. 3) as a site host of Loyola's North Shore Chicago Classic.
Season tickets are on sale now for $30 and can be purchased by contacting the DePaul Ticket Office at 773-325-7526.
