Men' Soccer Enters BIG EAST Play on the Road
9/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Visits to Syracuse, no. 10 St. John?s open BIG EAST era for Marquette
Click here for game notes in PDF format.
Starting the season 3-1 for the first time since the 2001 season, Marquette shifts gears from non-conference play to league play. The Golden Eagles will play in the BIG EAST for the first time and will do so on the road, visiting Syracuse on Friday, September 16 at 7 p.m. EDT and 10th-ranked St. John?s on Sunday, September 18 at 2 p.m.
Despite the quick start, head coach Steve Adlard insists his team still has work to do.
"We have to learn to create opportunities and capitalize on those," Adlard said following Sunday's win over St. Francis (Pa.).
The meeting with Syracuse on September 16 marks the first time that Marquette has played a team from the BIG EAST conference in nearly a decade and a half. Marquette last played a BIG EAST team on November 3, 1991, losing to Connecticut in Storrs, 4-2. Marquette has only one other meeting with a team from the BIG EAST, a 3-0 loss against Syracuse on September 2, 1989.
The only undefeated team in the Blue Division, Syracuse kicks off its conference play by hosting Marquette. The Orange has only allowed one goal all season, a score in its most recent contest against Adelphi. Syracuse goalkeeper Robert Cavicchia has played well for a freshman, making 14 saves. He hasn?t allowed a goal in 335 minutes of action. Backup keeper Rich Scheer allowed the goal to Adelphi.
The match with Marquette is likely to be a defensive contest. Syracuse has just six scores on the season, while Marquette has three. Pete Rowley leads the Orange in scoring with two goals on the young season.
Ranked 10th by the NSCAA and ninth by Soccer America, Marquette will meet its third ranked foe of the season in St. John?s. The Red Storm is 2-1-1, tying San Diego State and losing to North Carolina State. St. John?s righted itself with its most recent win, a 4-1 toppling of no. 2 Duke.
Sebastian Alvarado-Ralph and Matt Groenwald each have two goals. Six players have scored this season for St. John?s. Both scored goals in the win over Duke. Alvarado-Ralph had assists on each of the other two goals. Jason Landers is the St. John?s goalkeeper. He has given up three goals on the season, owning a 0.71 goals against average.
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