Men’s Soccer Schedule – Saturday, Sept. 29
Wright State at Green Bay, 8 p.m. ET
Milwaukee at Loyola, 8 p.m. ET
Valparaiso at UIC, 8 p.m. ET
Cleveland State at Wisconsin, 8 p.m. ET
INDIANAPOLIS – Three Horizon League matches will be played on Saturday night, as Milwaukee takes its first steps in conference action. Cleveland State will continue its non-conference swing, heading to Wisconsin. All four matches will be contested at 8 p.m. ET.
In Horizon League play, Wright State (2-6-1, 0-0-1 Horizon) heads to Green Bay (2-6-1, 0-1-0 Horizon), where both teams will be looking to improve their place in the Horizon League standings. The Raiders are coming off a draw in their conference opener, while the Phoenix dropped their opener to Detroit, part of a four-match skid for Green Bay.
One of the top offensive teams in the Horizon League last year, Wright State is still at the top of the conference in shots, but the goals per game have slipped slightly, just enough to hold down the Raiders so far on the year.
Green Bay, like Wright State, have suffered through injuries, with keeper Ryan Wehking still working his way back from an ankle issue. The Phoenix have allowed 19 goals in nine matches, the worst rate in the League.
Wright State will turn to Derek Zuniga and Brett Elder up front, as the duo is tied for the team lead with seven points; the two are tied with Green Bay’s Kirby Allen for fifth in the Horizon League in points.
The final two Horizon League matches will take place in Chicago, with Loyola hosting Milwaukee and UIC welcoming Valparaiso.
Loyola (1-5-1, 0-0-1 Horizon), the defending conference champion, drew in its conference-opener at Valparaiso, while Milwaukee (4-4-0, 0-0-0 Horizon) enters League play on a two-match losing streak.
The Ramblers have been off since their draw on Sept. 22, while Milwaukee fell on a penalty kick in double overtime on Tuesday at Bowling Green. The meeting will pit one of the Horizon League’s most aggressive offenses against a squad that prides itself on ball possession and defensive intensity.
Milwaukee enters the match ranking first in the League in shots (17.5 per game) and second in goals (12) and assists (10); Loyola is last in shots, goals and assists.
Loyola’s focus will be on containing Milwaukee Laurie Bell; Bell is second in the conference in points (11), goals (4) and assists (3), while Zach Stevenson (2) and Aaron Horvat (2) are also among the League leaders in assists.
Meanwhile, Loyola will rely on Peter McKeown between the posts; McKeown’s two shutouts on the year are tied for second, while he has made 23 saves in six matches.
Two of the teams to receive first-place votes in the Horizon League preseason poll, UIC (3-4-2, 0-0-1 Horizon) hosts Valparaiso (1-5-2, 0-0-1 Horizon). Similar to the Milwaukee-Loyola matchup, this will pit one of the League’s top offenses against one of its best defenses.
UIC comes into the match on a high, having knocked off then-No. 23 SIU Edwardsville; the Flames played the current No. 5 team in the country, Georgetown, to a 3-2 overtime defeat on Sept. 7.
Valpo, too, has gone toe-to-toe with a nationally-ranked foe, as the Crusaders took a 1-0 lead at then- No. 7 UC Santa Barbara before falling, 2-1.
The Flames come into the match with 11 goals on the year, tied for third in the Horizon League; Valparaiso’s seven goals ranks seventh, but the Crusaders are allowing a scant 0.83 goals per game, the best rate in the conference.
Keeper Kyle Zobeck, a First Team All-League pick in 2011, will be tasked with stopping the reigning League Offensive Player of the Year in Ivan Stanisavljevic, who enters with 10 points (4 goals, 2 assists) on the season. Zobeck leads the League with a 0.84 goals against average, making 18 saves on the year.
In non-conference action, Cleveland State (4-4-1, 0-1-0 Horizon) heads to Wisconsin. The Vikings are coming off a scoreless draw at Cincinnati, with Brad Stuver turning in his conference-best fourth shutout of the season.
