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EVANSTON, Ill. (October 17, 2024) – Northwestern (7-5-1, 1-4-1 B1G) hosts its penultimate regular season home matchup of 2024 on Friday evening when it battles no No. 18 Michigan on Senior Night. Prior to the scheduled 7 p.m. kickoff at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, the ‘Cats will honor their senior class in a special ceremony.
Admission to all Northwestern men’s soccer games at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium is free throughout the regular season.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern stretched its unbeaten run to three games this past Tuesday, battling Wisconsin to a 0-0 draw at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. Rafael Ponce de León recorded three saves in the result, securing his fourth shutout of 2024. Northwestern closed the night with a 9-6 edge in shots as it outshot an opponent for eighth time this season.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
Ranked 18th in the latest United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll, Michigan comes into Friday’s matchup at 6-2-4 overall and 1-2-3 in Big Ten Conference play. The Wolverines will be looking to rebound from a 5-0 setback to Indiana this past Tuesday at the U-M Soccer Stadium.
13th-year head coach Chaka Daley’s team features an attack with four players boasting three-plus goals this season. Jason Bucknor leads the line for the attack, having netted a team-best five goals in 2024. Bryce Blevins has proven himself to be a threat as both a scorer and facilitator, having put up four goals and five assists. Blevins has netted a pair of game-winning goals, with the most recent coming in Michigan’s 1-0 blanking of Notre Dame back on October 8. Beto Soto, who three goals to his name, has piled up nine assists, a total that leads the Big Ten and ranks second nationally. Soto sits as the Wolverines’ overall points leader (15). Oliver Martin has also provided support in the final third for Daley, chipping in three goals of his own.
The pairing of Isaiah Goldson and Hayden Evans have split time in goal this season for Michigan. Goldson sports a 1.63 goals against average across eight appearances, while Evans, who has started in each of Wolverines’ last two contests, racked up eight saves in their aforementioned win over Notre Dame.
SERIES STUFF
Friday’s Senior Night tilt marks the 39th meeting between Northwestern and Michigan in men’s soccer, a series which the Wolverines lead by a 23-11-4 margin. Michigan has rattled off eight straight wins in the series, a streak that dates back to the 2017 season. Northwestern’s last victory, a 2-1 double-overtime triumph, came on September 25, 2016.
Northwestern dropped a pair of matchups to Michigan last season, falling by a 3-0 final in the regular season finale on October 29 in Ann Arbor, Mich. before dropping a narrow 1-0 decision in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament five days later at Martin Stadium.
UP NEXT
Northwestern plays its first of back-to-back matches on the road when it visits No. 5 Ohio State on Friday, October 25 for a 6 p.m. (CT) kickoff at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
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