DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Villanova
DePaul Heads East to Take on Villanova
10/19/2021 2:00:00 PM | MEN'S SOCCER
The Blue Demons and Wildcats kick off at noon CT on Wednesday
CHICAGO - DePaul men's soccer hits the road to take on the Villanova Wildcats on Wednesday afternoon at noon CT in Villanova, Pa. The Blue Demons (6-6-1, 2-3-1 BIG EAST) are searching for their first road win, taking on the Wildcats (8-5, 4-3 BIG EAST) in a matchup that will be broadcast on the BIG EAST Digital Network on FloSports, presented by SoFi.
DePaul and Villanova have squared off 16 times in the all-time series and the meeting on Wednesday will be the first between the sides since a 0-0 2OT draw back in 2019. A win for the Blue Demons in Wednesday's affair would be the first in the matchup since 2017.
The Blue Demons are looking to rebound from back-to-back losses at the hands of Seton Hall and Marquette. After generating offensive chances on the road in Milwaukee on Saturday night, the Blue Demons will need to put the finishing touches on attacking opportunities to attain a quality result on the road. On the last East Coast trip, DePaul came home with a 1-1 draw versus nationally-ranked Providence.
DOWN THE STRETCH
DePaul is looking to clinch a berth in the BIG EAST Championship in early November by posting a top-six finish in the league. DePaul currently sits in seventh place with seven points after wins over UConn and Creighton and a draw on the road versus Providence. The Blue Demons have four matches to play and take on a bulk of the conference's middle to upper-tier programs. The Blue Demons are looking for their first road win of the 2021 conference slate.Â
​​CONSISTENT CRUZ
Gandhi Cruz has been a constant presence in net for the Blue Demons this fall. Cruz made seven saves in the Blue Demons' 1-0 loss at Marquette, stopping a key PK attempt in the first half. Cruz has made 53 saves this season, the most in the BIG EAST.
VILLANOVA NOTES
- Villanova holds an 8-5 record this season and a 4-3 clip in BIG EAST action. The Wildcats are coming off a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Georgetown Hoyas.
- Villanova has been led offensively by Lyam MacKinnon who has netted six goals this season. MacKinnon leads the conference with 51 total shots this season.
- Carson Williams has tallied four shutouts in goal for the Wildcats this fall. Williams has totaled 39 saves.
- Villanova has dropped three-straight matches, tallying losses versus St. John's, Creighton and Georgetown.
- Following the match with the Blue Demons, the Wildcats take on Providence and Seton Hall in remaining BIG EAST action.
For all of the latest on DePaul Men's Soccer, stay tuned to depaulbluedemons.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
