Men's Soccer Hosts Georgetown in BIG EAST Clash on Saturday

MILWAUKEE -- It's BIG EAST Conference play the rest of the way, which means every game will hold a significant importance as it relates to Marquette vying for its first league tournament berth since 2014.

The Golden Eagles are not only looking for their second league win in three tries, but also trying to snap their second three-match skid of the season after a narrow 1-0 setback to Wisconsin at home on Wednesday. Georgetown, the preseason BIG EAST favorite, will present a challenge as it enters with an identical 1-1 league mark.

The Hoyas lead the league with 14 goals scored this season and are among the nation's leaders in shots per game (18.9) and corner kicks (59). Entering Saturday, they are unbeaten in their last 10 matches against MU. That includes two draws and six wins one-goal victories. The last time both met in Milwaukee was in 2016 when a Luka Prpa penalty in the 67th minute salvaged a point for MU.

Following Saturday's clash, the Golden Eagles take on Providence on Oct. 6 before returning home to Valley Fields to host BIG EAST foes St. John's (Oct. 13) and Xavier (Oct. 20).

WHERE TO WATCH/FOLLOW THE ACTION

STREAM: GoMarquette.com/Watch
LIVE STATS: GoMarquette.com/sidearmstats/msoc/summary
TICKETS: GoMarquette.com/tickets or 414-288-GOMU

OPPONENT FORM

GEORGETOWN
The Hoyas are winners of two of their last three, including a pair of one-goal victories over No. 9 Duke and DePaul in overtime. The Duke win was the second of three top-10 opponents for Georgetown this season. They played No. 10 Stanford to a 1-1 draw earlier this year and fell to No. 6 Louisville, 2-1, at home on Tuesday.

Derek Dodson scored his BIG EAST-leading fifth goal in the loss to Louisville. Achara ranks second with nine points on four goals and an assist. In net, freshman Giannis Nikopolidis has started eight-of-nine for the Hoyas and sports a 1.07 GAA with a .763 save percentage.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

ALL-TIME SERIES: Saturday marks the 16th meeting all-time between the Golden Eagles and Hoyas, who lead the series 12-1-2 dating back to their first-ever meeting in 2005. Georgetown is unbeaten in the previous 10 meetings, which includes six one-goal wins and two draws. One of those draws came in the previous match at Valley Fields back in 2016. Luka Prpa's successful penalty in the 67th minute erased the one-goal deficit and salvaged a point in a 1-1 draw.

Last season, Ethan Lochner gave the home side a lead in the 8th minute before Diego Nunez tied the game in the 10th minute. Declan McCabe gave the Hoyas a 2-1 lead in the 16th minute, which held up as the game-winner. Connor Alba nearly tied it in the 78th, but the Hoyas were able to save it off the line.

SEARCHING FOR OFFENSE: The Golden Eagles have averaged over three goals per victory this season and outscored opponents 10-1, but have just one goal or less in each of their six losses, including three by shutout, and have been outscored, 12-2. Georgetown's traditional stout defense will pose a challenge on Saturday for Marquette, which will try to score multiple goals against the Hoyas for the first time since 2011.

OPPORTUNITY LIES AHEAD: Beginning Saturday, the Golden Eagles play their final seven regular season games against BIG EAST competition. Of their remaining league games, four are at home and three are against teams either ranked or receiving votes: Creighton (No. 9), Xavier (No. 22) and Georgetown (RV). It presents an opportunity to not only move up the BIG EAST standings, but bolster the team's RPI as it tries to build a case for its first NCAA tournament berth since 2013.