Marquette Men's Soccer To Host Pitt
11/2/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 2, 2007
MILWAUKEE - Saturday night at 7 p.m. Marquette University will play host to Pittsburgh in the regular season finales for both men's soccer teams. Although Pitt and MU will not qualify for the 2007 BIG EAST Championship, there's still a lot on the line for the Golden Eagles, according to head coach Louis Bennett.
"It's the last game of the season," said Bennett. "That's a motivating factor for our players. We've made progress. In this game, we're looking to see if that progress translates to performance results on the field."
Pitt enters Valley Fields with an overall record of 2-13-2 (0-9-1 BIG EAST). They have not scored in their last three games with losses against Georgetown, No. 4 Notre Dame, and Providence. However, Coach Bennett has warned his players not to overlook the Panthers and loose focus on what's at stake.
"Because Pitt has been in the BIG EAST a long time, and they have a good coach, we anticipate another tough game," Bennett said. "We want to leave this season on a good note, to solidify how far we've come. The players want to leave a good impression on the team and their fans that come to the game."
Saturday's match will feature an MU offense that has been coming together as of late, led by juniors Nick Kay and Dan Addis. Addis has scored in two of the team's last three games and Kay had the equalizer in the Golden Eagles' 2-1 loss at No. 2 Connecticut on Oct. 27 to force the contest into overtime.
Pitt's defense has been pressured all season, which has meant primary goalkeeper Jordan Marks has remained busy between the posts. Marks ranks among the nation's leaders in saves with 5.36 a game.
"Anytime it's a BIG EAST game it's a motivating factor for our players," said Bennett. They will be inspired to play."
This Saturday will also mark the final match for MU senior defender Mike Carlson. Carlson, who was honored during a Senior Night ceremony before last Wednesday night's game against UW-Milwaukee, will have played in a total of 61 games for the Golden Eagles
