DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Northwestern
DePaul Set for Battle in Evanston
9/28/2021 1:00:00 PM | MEN'S SOCCER
Blue Demons and Wildcats square off at 7 p.m. on Wednesday
CHICAGO - DePaul men's soccer takes on the Northwestern Wildcats on Wednesday evening in Evanston, Ill. The Blue Demons (5-2, 1-0 BIG EAST) are coming off of a conference-opening win over UConn on Saturday at Wish Field. Wednesday night's matchup with the Wildcats will be broadcast on BTN+.
The Blue Demons will be searching for their third-straight win on Wednesday night after tallying wins over Oakland and Connecticut. DePaul and Northwestern have matched up on 28 occasions all-time and the Wildcats hold a 15-11-2 edge in the series. DePaul is searching for its first win since 2016. After this season's only two losses coming against Chicago-foes UIC and Loyola, the Blue Demons are looking to claim a win in the local clash.
CONSISTENT CRUZ
Gandhi Cruz has been named to two straight BIG EAST honor rolls after impressive goalkeeping performances in DePaul wins. Cruz made five saves and faced 16 shots in DePaul's victory over UConn. Cruz leads the BIG EAST with 30 saves and has been named to the honor roll on three occasions this fall. Cruz and the rest of the DePaul defense have not allowed multiple goals in a single game since the season opener versus Loyola.
OFFENSIVE ATTACK
Jack Richards and Marek Gonda have led the DePaul offensive effort this fall. Gonda scored the game-winner in DePaul's 2-1 win over UConn. Gonda is up to four scores this season, tied for the team lead with senior Jack Richards. Gonda has added a pair of assists.
CONFERENCE RANKS
DePaul's offensive duo of Richards and Gonda rank in the top ten in a number of offensive categories within the BIG EAST. Gonda ranks fifth in the league with 10 total points this fall. Gonda and Richards' four goals rank tied for third in the BIG EAST. Gandhi Cruz's 4.29 saves per game rank second in the conference.
BALANCED OFFENSE
DePaul has spread out the action recently as three different Blue Demons scored against Oakland on Sept. 18. Santi Rodriguez netted his second goal of the season and Jacob Huth found the back of the net for the first time in 2021. On Sept. 25 versus UConn, Nathaniel Enriquez slotted his first-career goal on a header in the first half.
For all of the latest on DePaul Men's Soccer, stay tuned to depaulbluedemons.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
