Men's Soccer Kicks off BIG EAST Play Friday

CHICAGO - It's the moment head coach Mark Plotkin and Co. have been waiting for. At 2:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon, the Blue Demons will take the pitch for their first BIG EAST conference game against Providence at Wish Field.

"We are all so excited for BIG EAST play to finally start," Plotkin said. From the first day of preseason, we have focused on developing each and every day so that we are prepared to be at our best for conference play.

"These BIG EAST matches have a special atmosphere and intensity to them. I'm excited for our team to put on a great performance on Wish Field tomorrow and set the tone for the rest of conference play. We have played some quality non-conference opponents to prepare us well for our opportunity tomorrow, and our young men are ready."

DePaul (3-3-0) struggled on Tuesday in their penultimate non-conference game, falling 0-2 to UIC. They are looking to bounce back with a steady lineup. Sophomore Drew Nuelle has started every game in goal for DePaul and played the entirety of each game, netting two shutouts, a .778 save percentage and posts a 0.99 goals against average. The Blue Demons have a sturdy back line, anchored by junior Max de Bruijne and Sasa Labovic, with the offense led by senior captain Harry Hilling as well as Istvan Wilhelms and Bryan Simons, who has two goals on the season and was named to the BIG EAST honor roll for his game-winner at Drake.

Scouting the Friars
Providence captured the Capitol City Classic over the weekend, defeating both UAlbany and George Washington with a 1-0 score each. Four of the Friars six games have been decided by one goal. Tiago Mendoca leads the offense with three goals with Alex DaCosta and Matt DePerro behind him with one goal each. Colin Miller was voted the BIG EAST Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year unanimously and was also named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team along with Danny Griffin. Miller has made 19 saves on the season, posts a 1.10 goals against average and a .731 save percentage. As for the coaches poll, Providence was picked to finish tied for fourth.

Live Coverage
For Tuesday's match, fans can visit the DePaul men's soccer schedule page for all live coverage, links and more. Live stats can be found by clicking here. Friday's match will be broadcast on the BIG EAST Digital Network. To tune in, click this link. Full recaps and statistics after each match this weekend will be posted to the Men's Soccer page on DePaulBlueDemons.com.

Social Media
For everything DePaul Men's Soccer, follow the Blue Demons across multiple social media platforms: Twitter or Instagram. Join in the conversation using #playingpossesed and #DPUmsoc.
Be sure to like DePaul on Facebook and check out some of the sights and sounds around DePaul on Twitter or on Instagram.
Miss any of the action? Subscribe to the Blue Demons on YouTube.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Max de Bruijne

Harry Hilling

Sasa Labovic

Drew Nuelle

Bryan Simons

Istvan Wilhelms

DePaul University Athletics