Saturday, November 3
DeKalb, IL
8:00 p.m.
West Virginia University
at
Northern Illinois
Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Regular Season Concludes Saturday at NIU
November 02, 2018 01:41 PM | Men's Soccer
DEKALB, Ill. – With the Mid-American Conference championship in hand, the No. 16 West Virginia University men's soccer team closes the regular season at Northern Illinois on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.
With 12 points in the league, the Mountaineers (12-5-0, 4-0-0 MAC) have won the MAC and clinched the opportunity to host next weekend's championship. The Huskies (8-7-1, 1-3-0 MAC) are in sixth place, with three points, but sit two points out of second place. Following WVU's 12 points, the next five teams in the standings are all separated by just two points.
The match will be streamed live on NIUHuskies.com, and a subscription is required, while live stats also will be available. Direct links to the video stream and live stats can be found on the men's soccer schedule page on WVUsports.com. Additional updates, news and notes will be available on social media by following and connecting with @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
"Northern Illinois is having a great season," WVU coach Marlon LeBlanc said. "They have certainly proven themselves to be one of the better teams in the MAC all year long, and tomorrow night will be another challenging test in conference play."
The Mountaineers won their first MAC title with a 3-2, comeback win over Bowling Green on Oct. 26. WVU has won four in a row and 10 of its last 12 matches and is ranked nationally for the first time this year. West Virginia is ranked No. 16 by United Soccer Coaches, No. 20 by Soccer America, No. 23 by College Soccer News and No. 24 by TopDrawerSoccer.com.
WVU's 12 wins are its most in a season since a 14-win campaign in 2007, while it is three victories shy of tying the program-record total of 15, set in 2006. With a win on Saturday against NIU, the Mountaineers would become the second team in the last six seasons to post a perfect record in MAC play.
West Virginia leads the MAC in nearly every statistical category, and is No. 6 nationally in assists (39), No. 9 in fewest fouls per game (9.18), No. 13 in points (105), No. 17 in goals (33), No. 18 in shot accuracy (.486) and No. 22 in scoring offense (1.94). The Mountaineers also pace the conference in saves per game (3.88) and save percentage (.786).
Individually, senior midfielder Joey Piatczyc's five game-winning goals rank No. 8 nationally, after he had a pair of game-winners last week to earn MAC Player of the Week accolades for the fourth time this year. Junior midfielders Sebastian Garcia-Herreros and Andres Muriel Albino are both No. 23 nationally, in assists (23) shot accuracy (.575), respectively. Sophomore goalkeeper Steven Tekesky leads the MAC in total saves (64), save percentage (.780) and saves per game (3.76), while he is second in shutouts (5) and goals-against average (1.062).
SCOUTING NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Northern Illinois is 8-7-1 on the season and 4-1-1 at home. The Huskies have lost two in a row, 1-0, at Loyola Chicago, and 2-1 at Western Michigan last Saturday. NIU's MAC win came vs. Akron on Oct. 20, a 2-1 victory.
Nick Markanich leads the team with eight goals and 16 points, while Kevin Rodriguez has a NIU-best eight assists with 12 points. In goal, Konrad Dziedzic has allowed 20 goals for a 1.29 goals-against average with 34 saves and a .630 save percentage.
In his second season with the Huskies, Ryan Swan is 11-18-2 at NIU and 117-65-10 in his career. Swan came to Northern Illinois from Drury, where he made four NCAA Tournament appearances in eight seasons.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE HUSKIES
West Virginia is 2-3-2 all-time against NIU following a 1-1 draw last season in Morgantown. In last year's contest, Rushawn Larmond scored for the Mountaineers, with assists to Garcia-Herreros and Louis Thomas.
UP NEXT: MAC CHAMPIONSHIP
As the No. 1 seed, West Virginia will host the Mid-American Conference Championship at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. Semifinals will be held on Friday, Nov. 9, with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. ET, and 5:30 p.m., while the championship match will be on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 1 p.m. The Mountaineers will play in Friday's second semifinal, at 5:30 p.m. Tickets for the semifinals and championship are on sale now, at WVUGAME.com, by calling 1-800 WVU GAME, or at the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum. Tickets also will be sold on match day at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. One ticket will be good for both semifinal matches on Nov. 9.
LAST TIME OUT: MAC-CLINCHING WIN
A pair of late goals lifted West Virginia to its first MAC regular-season title with a dramatic, 3-2 victory over Bowling Green on Oct. 26. On a rain-soaked night at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium, the Mountaineers rallied twice and erased deficits of 1-0 and 2-1, tying the match at 2-2 in the 85th minute and netting the game-winner in the 88th.
Muriel Albino scored West Virginia's first two goals, his first two-goal match as a Mountaineer, while Piatczyc added the eventual winning goal. Senior midfielder Jorge Quintanilla earned assists on West Virginia's first and third goals, while junior defenders Albert Andres-Llop and Pascal Derwaritsch assisted on the second goal.
West Virginia fell behind 1-0 in the fourth minute, but Muriel Albino tied the match minutes into the second half, at 47:28. However, Bowling Green answered back in the 56th minute on a penalty kick, to reclaim a 2-1 lead. The Mountaineers applied heavy offense pressure and broke through with the match-tying goal at 84:16, off the foot of Muriel Albino. Piatczyc then gave WVU its first lead of the match at 87:29.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
With 12 points in the league, the Mountaineers (12-5-0, 4-0-0 MAC) have won the MAC and clinched the opportunity to host next weekend's championship. The Huskies (8-7-1, 1-3-0 MAC) are in sixth place, with three points, but sit two points out of second place. Following WVU's 12 points, the next five teams in the standings are all separated by just two points.
The match will be streamed live on NIUHuskies.com, and a subscription is required, while live stats also will be available. Direct links to the video stream and live stats can be found on the men's soccer schedule page on WVUsports.com. Additional updates, news and notes will be available on social media by following and connecting with @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
"Northern Illinois is having a great season," WVU coach Marlon LeBlanc said. "They have certainly proven themselves to be one of the better teams in the MAC all year long, and tomorrow night will be another challenging test in conference play."
The Mountaineers won their first MAC title with a 3-2, comeback win over Bowling Green on Oct. 26. WVU has won four in a row and 10 of its last 12 matches and is ranked nationally for the first time this year. West Virginia is ranked No. 16 by United Soccer Coaches, No. 20 by Soccer America, No. 23 by College Soccer News and No. 24 by TopDrawerSoccer.com.
WVU's 12 wins are its most in a season since a 14-win campaign in 2007, while it is three victories shy of tying the program-record total of 15, set in 2006. With a win on Saturday against NIU, the Mountaineers would become the second team in the last six seasons to post a perfect record in MAC play.
West Virginia leads the MAC in nearly every statistical category, and is No. 6 nationally in assists (39), No. 9 in fewest fouls per game (9.18), No. 13 in points (105), No. 17 in goals (33), No. 18 in shot accuracy (.486) and No. 22 in scoring offense (1.94). The Mountaineers also pace the conference in saves per game (3.88) and save percentage (.786).
Individually, senior midfielder Joey Piatczyc's five game-winning goals rank No. 8 nationally, after he had a pair of game-winners last week to earn MAC Player of the Week accolades for the fourth time this year. Junior midfielders Sebastian Garcia-Herreros and Andres Muriel Albino are both No. 23 nationally, in assists (23) shot accuracy (.575), respectively. Sophomore goalkeeper Steven Tekesky leads the MAC in total saves (64), save percentage (.780) and saves per game (3.76), while he is second in shutouts (5) and goals-against average (1.062).
SCOUTING NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Northern Illinois is 8-7-1 on the season and 4-1-1 at home. The Huskies have lost two in a row, 1-0, at Loyola Chicago, and 2-1 at Western Michigan last Saturday. NIU's MAC win came vs. Akron on Oct. 20, a 2-1 victory.
Nick Markanich leads the team with eight goals and 16 points, while Kevin Rodriguez has a NIU-best eight assists with 12 points. In goal, Konrad Dziedzic has allowed 20 goals for a 1.29 goals-against average with 34 saves and a .630 save percentage.
In his second season with the Huskies, Ryan Swan is 11-18-2 at NIU and 117-65-10 in his career. Swan came to Northern Illinois from Drury, where he made four NCAA Tournament appearances in eight seasons.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE HUSKIES
West Virginia is 2-3-2 all-time against NIU following a 1-1 draw last season in Morgantown. In last year's contest, Rushawn Larmond scored for the Mountaineers, with assists to Garcia-Herreros and Louis Thomas.
UP NEXT: MAC CHAMPIONSHIP
As the No. 1 seed, West Virginia will host the Mid-American Conference Championship at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. Semifinals will be held on Friday, Nov. 9, with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. ET, and 5:30 p.m., while the championship match will be on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 1 p.m. The Mountaineers will play in Friday's second semifinal, at 5:30 p.m. Tickets for the semifinals and championship are on sale now, at WVUGAME.com, by calling 1-800 WVU GAME, or at the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum. Tickets also will be sold on match day at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. One ticket will be good for both semifinal matches on Nov. 9.
LAST TIME OUT: MAC-CLINCHING WIN
A pair of late goals lifted West Virginia to its first MAC regular-season title with a dramatic, 3-2 victory over Bowling Green on Oct. 26. On a rain-soaked night at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium, the Mountaineers rallied twice and erased deficits of 1-0 and 2-1, tying the match at 2-2 in the 85th minute and netting the game-winner in the 88th.
Muriel Albino scored West Virginia's first two goals, his first two-goal match as a Mountaineer, while Piatczyc added the eventual winning goal. Senior midfielder Jorge Quintanilla earned assists on West Virginia's first and third goals, while junior defenders Albert Andres-Llop and Pascal Derwaritsch assisted on the second goal.
West Virginia fell behind 1-0 in the fourth minute, but Muriel Albino tied the match minutes into the second half, at 47:28. However, Bowling Green answered back in the 56th minute on a penalty kick, to reclaim a 2-1 lead. The Mountaineers applied heavy offense pressure and broke through with the match-tying goal at 84:16, off the foot of Muriel Albino. Piatczyc then gave WVU its first lead of the match at 87:29.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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