DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
6-4-0, 2-1-0
Creighton
3-5-1, 0-3-0
Huth’s Second-Half Strike Sends DePaul Past Creighton
10/6/2021 4:25:00 PM | MEN'S SOCCER
DePaul up to six wins for the first time in the Plotkin era
CHICAGO - A Jacob Huth second-half goal was the difference in DePaul men's soccer's 1-0 victory over Creighton on Wednesday afternoon at Wish Field. The Blue Demons (6-4, 2-1 BIG EAST) and Bluejays (3-5-1, 0-3 BIG EAST) were entrenched in a closely-contested affair until Huth's goal in the 62nd minute put DePaul ahead. DePaul was able to hold off the ensuing Bluejay attack to claim its second conference win of the season.
"I thought today was our most complete performance of the year from start to finish," said head coach Mark Plotkin. "The guys came ready to play today. We stayed positive through two road losses and bounced back in a fantastic way against a quality Creighton side."
After a pair of road losses, the Blue Demons returned to Wish for the first time since a conference-opening win over UConn back on Sept. 25. DePaul settled right in on its home turf on Wednesday, creating the match's first handful of attacking chances. Marek Gonda and Omar Ramadan both had shots deflected away in the opening minutes by Bluejay keeper Paul Kruse. Another opportunity on a corner kick ended in a Michael Anderson header attempt sailing just wide of goal.
Creighton responded as the first half rolled on, creating chances in its attacking end. The Bluejays ended up outshooting the Blue Demons 4-3 in the first half. However, none of the attempts proved to be too difficult for DePaul's Gandhi Cruz as the Blue Demon keeper had to execute only one first-half save.
After the break, DePaul pushed forward and just needed to execute a finishing touch on one of its chances. Omar Thompson Jr., who scored his first-career goal over the weekend, and senior Jack Richards helped the Blue Demons apply pressure on the attacking end. In the 62nd minute, freshman defender Julian Saldana collected a ball near the sideline at midfield, dribbled forward, and sent a well-placed pass to space in front of Huth. Huth took one touch to beat the Creighton keeper, and buried a left-footed shot home.
After going up 1-0, the Blue Demons managed the lead by limiting Creighton chances. The Blue Demon defensive unit allowed only one shot in the second half, which ended up being off target. The center defensive pairing of Matty Brickman and Grant Herbek dealt with pressure effectively, keeping the ball away from Bluejay attackers in dangerous areas. The Blue Demons went on to hold off Creighton to claim their second conference win of the season and the second-straight win over the Bluejays at Wish Field.
KEY STATS
- DePaul improves to 6-4 this season, giving DePaul six wins for the first time in the Mark Plotkin era. The six wins are the most for the Blue Demons since posting a 9-7-3 record in 2016.
- Huth's game-winner was the second of his career and the goal was the second of the season for the sophomore. Huth scored as a freshman in the spring to beat Xavier on the road in overtime. Huth's first goal of the 2021 season came in DePaul's 3-1 win over Oakland on Alumni Day.
- DePaul limited the Bluejays to just five total shots with only one coming on target. The shot total was the lowest the Blue Demons have allowed all season. The shutout is the second of the season for DePaul - the Blue Demons shutout Wisconsin in a 1-0 win back on Sept. 5.
- The Blue Demons tallied 10 corner kick attempts, a season-high. However, the Blue Demons were unable to convert on the plethora of chances.
UP NEXT
The Blue Demons head back to the east coast to take on Providence on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. CT. The match will be broadcast on the BIG EAST Digital Network on FloSports presented by SoFi. The Blue Demons will be back home next Wednesday for a matchup with Seton Hall at Wish Field at 1 p.m.
For all of the latest on DePaul Men's Soccer, stay tuned to depaulbluedemons.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Team Stats
Jacob Huth (2)
Assisted By: Julian Saldana
GOAL by DPU Huth, Jacob Assist by Saldana, Julian.
62:41
