Bluejays Return to Top 25; Play at Georgetown, Western Kentucky This Week
10/18/2005 3:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
#15 Creighton at Georgetown
Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2 pm (CST) Washington, D.C.
#15 Creighton at Western Kentucky
Saturday, Oct. 22, 7 pm Bowling Green, Ky.
This Week: The Bluejays begin their longest road trip of the year, playing two games away from Omaha. CU travels to Washington, D.C., for a non-conference match with Georgetown Wednesday afternoon. The Bluejays then return to MVC action when they play at Western Kentucky for a Saturday contest at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Creighton moved its winning streak to three and closed out its five-game home stand with wins over No. 9 Missouri State and Bradley. CU handed MSU its first loss of the season, shutting out the highest scoring offense in the league in a 2-0 win over the Bears last Wednesday. The Jays then out-scored BU 3-2 last Saturday. Michael Kraus scored a goal and dished two assists to be named the MVC Offensive Player of the Week, while Matt Wieland's leadership on defense earned him Defensive POW recognition.
Scouting Creighton (7-2-3, 3-0-0 MVC): The Bluejays are perfect after three MVC matches and have won their last three games by a combined scored of 10-2. CU hits the road this week for the first time this month, carrying a 1-1-2 record away from Omaha this fall. The Bluejays lead The Valley with 35 assists (2.9 per game), 16.9 shots per game and 84 corner kicks (7.0 per game). Jarod Tarver and Tim Bohnenkamp are tied for both the team and MVC lead with six assists. Freshman Byron Dacy leads the team with five goals and 15 points. Tarver adds three goals for 12 points, while Michael Kraus is second on the team with four goals and has 11 points. Sophomore Matt Allen has played every minute in goal for CU this season, notching 38 saves and a 0.95 GAA.
Scouting Georgetown (8-6-0, 4-4-0 Big East): The Hoyas opened the year 7-2-0 and cracked the NSCAA top 25 but lost their next four matches before a 1-0 victory over Notre Dame Saturday. In that four-game skid, the Hoyas allowed 14 goals and have now been out-scored 27-22 on the season. Ricky Schramm leads GU with seven goals and 16 points, while Brent Plumley tops the team with four assists. Ben Jefferson-Dow adds six goals for the GU attack. Andrew Keszler has played over 1,000 minutes in net for the Hoyas, logging 50 saves, allowing 20 goals with a 1.70 goals against average. The Bluejays and Hoyas have never faced each other on the soccer pitch before.
Scouting Western Kentucky (7-5-1, 1-2-0 MVC): The Hilltoppers began the year 6-2-1 before suffering through a three-game losing streak. WKU snapped its losing streak with a 1-0 victory at Evansville last Saturday and faces Vanderbilt on Wednesday in a mid-week MVC match. Preseason all-MVC selection Richard Mupfudze leads the team with seven goals and 16 points, while Daniel Payne has chipped in five goals. The Hilltoppers have out-shot their opponents 208-135 on the season and out-scored the opposition 25-16. Kyle Schroeder has twice been named the MVC Defensive Player of the Week, while playing over 1,110 minutes in goal for WKU. He owns a 1.27 goals against average while making 49 saves this season.
Head Coach: Head coach Bob Warming (Berea College, 1975) is in his second stint as the Jays' head coach with a 134-44-19 (.728) record in his 10 seasons at CU. His overall mark is 328-160-49 (.656) in 28 years of coaching. Warming, the all-time winningest soccer coach at CU, has guided his teams to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, is a four-time finalist for National Coach of the Year and was the MVC Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1993. He began the year ranked 12th among active NCAA Division I coaches in career winning percentage.
CU-WKU Series: The Bluejays are a perfect 9-0-0 all-time against the Hilltoppers, including three straight 2-1 victories in the series. The Bluejays have out-scored WKU 20-5 in the nine meetings, including a 5-1 margin in the three games played in Bowling Green.
Players of the Week Sweep: Michael Kraus and Matt Wieland have been named the MVC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for their play against Missouri State and Bradley last week. Kraus scored a goal and dished two assists to earn his second weekly honor of the season. Wieland anchored a CU defense which held No. 9 MSU to no shots on goal in a 2-0 shutout, and then surrendered only three shots on goal against Bradley.
Perfect 10: Ten is often the mark of perfection, and has proved so for the Bluejays this season. The Jays have out-scored their opponents 10-2 in their last three contests to snap out of a four-game winless streak. The Jays also had a three-game winning stretch where they compiled 10 goals earlier this season.
Who to Mark: Creighton's opponents might have a hard time figuring out who to mark on the Bluejay attack as five players have unloaded between 20 and 24 shots through 12 matches. Michael Kraus leads the team with 24 shots, while Joan Carvajal (22), Tim Bohnenkamp (21), Byron Dacy (21) and Jarod Tarver (20) follow close behind.
Perfect Start: Creighton's 3-0 start in MVC play is its best start in conference action since the 1999 team opened 4-0. CU finished second with a 5-1-1 record in the MVC that year - the last season the Jays played just seven conference games.
Road Trip: CU begins its season-long four-game road trip at Georgetown Wednesday, after concluding its five-game home stand. The Jays are 6-1-1 at home and just 1-1-2 away from Omaha this year.
Perdomo's Presence: Sophomore Richard Perdomo has appeared in just six games this season, after playing in five contests last year. But the defender has started the last three contests in the back for one of the best defensive stretches the Jays have put together this year. The Jays have recorded two shut outs and allowed an average of only three shots on goal per game during the last three games.
Pulling Rank: A dominating 2-0 win over ninth-ranked and previously unbeaten Missouri State last week was enough to boost the Bluejays back into the top-25 in college soccer's major polls. CU went from an unranked team to 15th in the NSCAA/adidas poll and 23rd in the Soccer America poll. The Jays moved up to 15th in Soccer Times and are ranked 21st in the CollegeSoccerNews.com top-30 poll. Last week marked the first time since 2003 the Jays played as an unranked team in the NSCAA poll.
Shut Down: Creighton's defense was outstanding in its 2-0 victory over ninth-ranked Missouri State last Wednesday. The Bears entered the match leading the MVC in scoring, but could not even muster a shot on goal in the CU win. The Valley's leading scorer Ryan Anderson managed only one shot attempt in the match. It was the first time CU had held a conference opponent without a shot on goal since Oct. 10, 2003 in a 1-0 win over Evansville. And marked the first CU opponent to not fire a shot on goal since UMKC, Nov. 22, 2003.
In This Corner: The Bluejays lead the MVC with 84 corner kicks, 7.0 per game. The Jays attempted a season-high 13 corner kicks in their loss to Illinois-Chicago (Oct. 5). The 13 corners established a Morrison Stadium record.
More Rank Info: Creighton hosted No. 9 Missouri State last Wednesday, topping the Bears 2-0. The Bears were the highest-ranked opponent the Jays have played host to at Morrison Stadium since it opened in 2003. MSU was not the highest-ranked team to visit however, as No. 2 Maryland played in the inaugural tournament held at the field in 2003 and No. 3 SMU claimed the MVC Tournament championship at Morrison Stadium in 2004. CU did not face either Maryland or SMU in those events.
Shock-tober: The Bluejays are now 22-4-3 (.810) in October over the last three seasons, including a 3-1-1 mark this year. The Jays play three non-conference games in October this season, after not playing an out of conference contest in October since 1999. That season was also the last time the Jays played as few as seven MVC contests, which is how many they will play this season. In 1999, CU went 2-1-0 in October non-conference games. CU is 0-1-1 in non-conference October matches this year.
JT's GPA is OK: Junior Jarod Tarver was honored as the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week after recording two goals in CU's 5-0 romp over Eastern Illinois. Tarver, a midfielder from Norman, Okla., carries a 3.03 GPA in environmental science.
For the Record: CU exploded out of the MVC opening gates with a 5-0 victory over Eastern Illinois last Saturday. The Bluejays recorded nine assists on their five goals, totalling 19 points in the match. Both the nine helpers and 19 points established Morrison Stadium records, while sophomore Joan Carvajal's three assists in the win also set a facility record. CU set a stadium record with 13 corner kicks against Illinois-Chicago (Oct. 5).
Home Sweet Home: With a 6-1-1 record at Morrison Stadium this season, the Jays are now 25-4-4 (.818) in three seasons at their new facility. Since 1990, the Bluejays are 125-20-8 (.843) at home. The Jays ranked in the top-five in the nation in attendance last year, up from a top-10 ranking in 2003.
Sharing is Caring: The Bluejays understand that expression, as evident by CU's MVC-best 35 assists in 12 matches. Tim Bohnenkamp, and Jarod Tarver each have a career-high six assists to pace the team and MVC. Joan Carvajal has five helpers, including three against Eastern Illinois (Oct. 8). That made him just the sixth player in school history to record at least three assists in a match.
Thirty Something: Four Bluejays have cracked the career 30-point plateau this season. Jarod Tarver and Brian Biggerstaff both have 35 points to lead all active Bluejays in scoring, while Biggerstaff leads all players with 14 career goals. Michael Kraus is close behind with 34, while Vince Odorisio adds 30 points.
Active CU Career Point Leaders
Brian Biggerstaff - 35 (14 g, 7 a)
Jarod Tarver - 35 (12 g, 11 a)
Michael Kraus - 34 (11 g, 12 a)
Vince Odorisio - 30 (10 g, 10 a)
Home Town Hero: Tim Bohnenkamp, a sophomore from Omaha, has proved his like for Morrison Stadium in his two years at CU. He dished two assists in a match for the second time this season in CU's 5-0 win over Eastern Illinois (Oct. 8). His six assists on the year are tied for the team and MVC lead. All of his 17 career points (4 g, 9 a) have come at home.
Oh-Four: Creighton's loss to Illinois-Chicago (Oct. 5) dropped the Jays to 0-2-2 over a four-match span for only its second four-game winless streak since the program was re-started in 1990. Not since the final four matches of that 1990 season had the Bluejays gone four matches without a victory. Not only is the four-game winless streak a rarity, but the Jays have had only three other three-game winless streaks since 1990; 1997 (0-3-0), 2001 (0-3-0) and 2003 (0-2-1).
Half-n-Half: The Jays have allowed two goals in the first half this season, but have surrendered 10 in the second half. CU's own scoring has been somewhat more balanced, as the Jays have scored nine goals in the first half and 15 in the second half.
Slump Busters: Creighton's five goals in its shutout of Eastern Illinois (Oct. 8) helped the Jays snap out of an offensive funk. The five tallies were two more than the team had managed in its previous five games combined. CU scored 11 goals in its first four matches this year, followed by a five-game stretch of just three goals total before the five-goal outburst against EIU.
20-20-20 Vision: Creighton attempted at least 20 shots in three straight games from Oct. 1 through Oct. 8 for a total of 77 shots in those matches. The Bluejays had not put together three straight 20-shot games since the 2002 team did so from Nov. 9-17. The 2002 squad attempted 68 total shots in that span. This year's team out-scored its opponents just 6-2 during those three games, while the 2002 team had a 10-1 goals advantage during their streak.
Valley Openers: Creighton's 5-0 win over Eastern Illinois snapped a surprising slump. The Jays were 0-1-2 in their last three MVC openers prior to the win last Saturday. CU's last win in a Valley debut was also against EIU in 2001.
Just Shoot Me: Creighton launched a season-high 27 shots in its 0-0 tie with UMKC (Oct. 1). Michael Kraus and Jarod Tarver led the team with five shots each. The 27 shots by Creighton also tied the Morrison Stadium record set by Maryland against Butler on Aug. 31, 2003.
High Five: Creighton was undefeated through five games for the first time since 2000. The 2000 squad opened the season with six wins en route to an appearance in the NCAA championship match and leading the nation with 22 victories. With the Jays' 4-0-1 start this season, they extended their undefeated streak to nine matches. Despite being eliminated from the MVC and NCAA tournaments, CU went 2-0-2 in its last four matches last year.
Rare Feet: The Bluejays' feet have accomplished a rare feat this year, scoring at least three goals in three straight contests from Sept. 4-16. CU scored three goals against Washington, four against Loyola and three against Memphis to mark the first time since 1998 the Jays scored at least three goals in three consecutive games. The 1998 team put together four straight games with at least a trio of goals from Sept. 12-25.
Local Flavor: The Jays have a record 13 Nebraska natives on the roster this fall, while eight Nebraskans started in CU's win over Loyola on Sept. 10. CU had three Nebraskans on its first team in 1990 and the 1996 team did not list one Nebraska native on its roster.
Welcome to Creighton: Bluejay newcomers contributed greatly in CU's opening weekend at the Portland Nike Invitational. The Jays' lone goal in their 1-1 tie with Portland was scored by Brian Kallman. The senior played his first three seasons at Jacksonville University, scoring just two goals in that span. Freshman Byron Dacy was named the tournament MVP after scoring a goal and adding an assist in CU's 3-2 win over Washington on Sunday. The Bluejays won the tournament title due to a goals-scored tiebreaker over Portland.
Record Crowds: A CU home record crowd of 5,743 fans came out to the Jays' exhibition match against Stanford (Aug. 26). The record shattered the former mark by more than 1,300. Five of the top six home attended games in CU history have now come in the month of August, while three of the top four crows have come to exhibition matches. Listed below are the top three home crowds and top three crowds in Morrison Stadium history:
Top Three CU Home Crowds
1 5,743 vs. Stanford (Exh.), Aug. 26, 2005
2 4,407 vs. SLU, Aug. 31, 1997
3 4,345 vs. Virginia (Exh.), Aug. 28, 1993
Top Three CU Morrison Stadium Crowds
1 5,743 vs. Stanford (Exh.), Aug. 26, 2005
2 4,029 vs. UMKC (Exh.), Aug. 27, 2004
3 3,483 vs. Butler, Aug., 29, 2003
MVC Trims Down: Valley affiliates SMU and Tulsa have departed to join Conference USA in all sports. Both squads made the NCAA tournament last season and both remain on CU's schedule this fall. The Jays played the pair as part of Tulsa's tournament in late September.
Schedule Notes: With the departure of SMU and Tulsa from the MVC, there now remain eight teams in MVC soccer. With that change, the conference office has opted to alter the league scheduling from Friday-Sunday matched to Wednesday-Saturday contests. There will no longer be ?travel partners? and this format will allow for easier travel and better recovery for teams.
MVC Tournament Format: The Valley has changed its men's soccer tournament format this season, moving from an eight-team to a six-team bracket. The top six teams will now qualify and all matches will be played at one site. The top two teams will earn a bye into the semifinals, while the first round of play will have 3-6 and 4-5 seed match ups. Shea Stadium and Bradley University will host the event in Peoria, Ill., this November.
Global Bluejays: Live video streaming of both men's and women's home soccer matches is available this season. The video streaming schedule includes all remaining men's and women's home matches, which gives CU fans across the globe the chance to see some of the best soccer, in one the finest facilities in the nation right on their desktops. The season pass is just $21.95. For more information on system requirements in order to view the webcasts and how to register for your season pass, go to www.gocreighton.tv or click on the video webcast button on www.gocreighton.com.
Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2 pm (CST) Washington, D.C.
#15 Creighton at Western Kentucky
Saturday, Oct. 22, 7 pm Bowling Green, Ky.
This Week: The Bluejays begin their longest road trip of the year, playing two games away from Omaha. CU travels to Washington, D.C., for a non-conference match with Georgetown Wednesday afternoon. The Bluejays then return to MVC action when they play at Western Kentucky for a Saturday contest at 7 p.m.
Last Week: Creighton moved its winning streak to three and closed out its five-game home stand with wins over No. 9 Missouri State and Bradley. CU handed MSU its first loss of the season, shutting out the highest scoring offense in the league in a 2-0 win over the Bears last Wednesday. The Jays then out-scored BU 3-2 last Saturday. Michael Kraus scored a goal and dished two assists to be named the MVC Offensive Player of the Week, while Matt Wieland's leadership on defense earned him Defensive POW recognition.
Scouting Creighton (7-2-3, 3-0-0 MVC): The Bluejays are perfect after three MVC matches and have won their last three games by a combined scored of 10-2. CU hits the road this week for the first time this month, carrying a 1-1-2 record away from Omaha this fall. The Bluejays lead The Valley with 35 assists (2.9 per game), 16.9 shots per game and 84 corner kicks (7.0 per game). Jarod Tarver and Tim Bohnenkamp are tied for both the team and MVC lead with six assists. Freshman Byron Dacy leads the team with five goals and 15 points. Tarver adds three goals for 12 points, while Michael Kraus is second on the team with four goals and has 11 points. Sophomore Matt Allen has played every minute in goal for CU this season, notching 38 saves and a 0.95 GAA.
Scouting Georgetown (8-6-0, 4-4-0 Big East): The Hoyas opened the year 7-2-0 and cracked the NSCAA top 25 but lost their next four matches before a 1-0 victory over Notre Dame Saturday. In that four-game skid, the Hoyas allowed 14 goals and have now been out-scored 27-22 on the season. Ricky Schramm leads GU with seven goals and 16 points, while Brent Plumley tops the team with four assists. Ben Jefferson-Dow adds six goals for the GU attack. Andrew Keszler has played over 1,000 minutes in net for the Hoyas, logging 50 saves, allowing 20 goals with a 1.70 goals against average. The Bluejays and Hoyas have never faced each other on the soccer pitch before.
Scouting Western Kentucky (7-5-1, 1-2-0 MVC): The Hilltoppers began the year 6-2-1 before suffering through a three-game losing streak. WKU snapped its losing streak with a 1-0 victory at Evansville last Saturday and faces Vanderbilt on Wednesday in a mid-week MVC match. Preseason all-MVC selection Richard Mupfudze leads the team with seven goals and 16 points, while Daniel Payne has chipped in five goals. The Hilltoppers have out-shot their opponents 208-135 on the season and out-scored the opposition 25-16. Kyle Schroeder has twice been named the MVC Defensive Player of the Week, while playing over 1,110 minutes in goal for WKU. He owns a 1.27 goals against average while making 49 saves this season.
Head Coach: Head coach Bob Warming (Berea College, 1975) is in his second stint as the Jays' head coach with a 134-44-19 (.728) record in his 10 seasons at CU. His overall mark is 328-160-49 (.656) in 28 years of coaching. Warming, the all-time winningest soccer coach at CU, has guided his teams to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, is a four-time finalist for National Coach of the Year and was the MVC Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1993. He began the year ranked 12th among active NCAA Division I coaches in career winning percentage.
CU-WKU Series: The Bluejays are a perfect 9-0-0 all-time against the Hilltoppers, including three straight 2-1 victories in the series. The Bluejays have out-scored WKU 20-5 in the nine meetings, including a 5-1 margin in the three games played in Bowling Green.
Players of the Week Sweep: Michael Kraus and Matt Wieland have been named the MVC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for their play against Missouri State and Bradley last week. Kraus scored a goal and dished two assists to earn his second weekly honor of the season. Wieland anchored a CU defense which held No. 9 MSU to no shots on goal in a 2-0 shutout, and then surrendered only three shots on goal against Bradley.
Perfect 10: Ten is often the mark of perfection, and has proved so for the Bluejays this season. The Jays have out-scored their opponents 10-2 in their last three contests to snap out of a four-game winless streak. The Jays also had a three-game winning stretch where they compiled 10 goals earlier this season.
Who to Mark: Creighton's opponents might have a hard time figuring out who to mark on the Bluejay attack as five players have unloaded between 20 and 24 shots through 12 matches. Michael Kraus leads the team with 24 shots, while Joan Carvajal (22), Tim Bohnenkamp (21), Byron Dacy (21) and Jarod Tarver (20) follow close behind.
Perfect Start: Creighton's 3-0 start in MVC play is its best start in conference action since the 1999 team opened 4-0. CU finished second with a 5-1-1 record in the MVC that year - the last season the Jays played just seven conference games.
Road Trip: CU begins its season-long four-game road trip at Georgetown Wednesday, after concluding its five-game home stand. The Jays are 6-1-1 at home and just 1-1-2 away from Omaha this year.
Perdomo's Presence: Sophomore Richard Perdomo has appeared in just six games this season, after playing in five contests last year. But the defender has started the last three contests in the back for one of the best defensive stretches the Jays have put together this year. The Jays have recorded two shut outs and allowed an average of only three shots on goal per game during the last three games.
Pulling Rank: A dominating 2-0 win over ninth-ranked and previously unbeaten Missouri State last week was enough to boost the Bluejays back into the top-25 in college soccer's major polls. CU went from an unranked team to 15th in the NSCAA/adidas poll and 23rd in the Soccer America poll. The Jays moved up to 15th in Soccer Times and are ranked 21st in the CollegeSoccerNews.com top-30 poll. Last week marked the first time since 2003 the Jays played as an unranked team in the NSCAA poll.
Shut Down: Creighton's defense was outstanding in its 2-0 victory over ninth-ranked Missouri State last Wednesday. The Bears entered the match leading the MVC in scoring, but could not even muster a shot on goal in the CU win. The Valley's leading scorer Ryan Anderson managed only one shot attempt in the match. It was the first time CU had held a conference opponent without a shot on goal since Oct. 10, 2003 in a 1-0 win over Evansville. And marked the first CU opponent to not fire a shot on goal since UMKC, Nov. 22, 2003.
In This Corner: The Bluejays lead the MVC with 84 corner kicks, 7.0 per game. The Jays attempted a season-high 13 corner kicks in their loss to Illinois-Chicago (Oct. 5). The 13 corners established a Morrison Stadium record.
More Rank Info: Creighton hosted No. 9 Missouri State last Wednesday, topping the Bears 2-0. The Bears were the highest-ranked opponent the Jays have played host to at Morrison Stadium since it opened in 2003. MSU was not the highest-ranked team to visit however, as No. 2 Maryland played in the inaugural tournament held at the field in 2003 and No. 3 SMU claimed the MVC Tournament championship at Morrison Stadium in 2004. CU did not face either Maryland or SMU in those events.
Shock-tober: The Bluejays are now 22-4-3 (.810) in October over the last three seasons, including a 3-1-1 mark this year. The Jays play three non-conference games in October this season, after not playing an out of conference contest in October since 1999. That season was also the last time the Jays played as few as seven MVC contests, which is how many they will play this season. In 1999, CU went 2-1-0 in October non-conference games. CU is 0-1-1 in non-conference October matches this year.
JT's GPA is OK: Junior Jarod Tarver was honored as the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week after recording two goals in CU's 5-0 romp over Eastern Illinois. Tarver, a midfielder from Norman, Okla., carries a 3.03 GPA in environmental science.
For the Record: CU exploded out of the MVC opening gates with a 5-0 victory over Eastern Illinois last Saturday. The Bluejays recorded nine assists on their five goals, totalling 19 points in the match. Both the nine helpers and 19 points established Morrison Stadium records, while sophomore Joan Carvajal's three assists in the win also set a facility record. CU set a stadium record with 13 corner kicks against Illinois-Chicago (Oct. 5).
Home Sweet Home: With a 6-1-1 record at Morrison Stadium this season, the Jays are now 25-4-4 (.818) in three seasons at their new facility. Since 1990, the Bluejays are 125-20-8 (.843) at home. The Jays ranked in the top-five in the nation in attendance last year, up from a top-10 ranking in 2003.
Sharing is Caring: The Bluejays understand that expression, as evident by CU's MVC-best 35 assists in 12 matches. Tim Bohnenkamp, and Jarod Tarver each have a career-high six assists to pace the team and MVC. Joan Carvajal has five helpers, including three against Eastern Illinois (Oct. 8). That made him just the sixth player in school history to record at least three assists in a match.
Thirty Something: Four Bluejays have cracked the career 30-point plateau this season. Jarod Tarver and Brian Biggerstaff both have 35 points to lead all active Bluejays in scoring, while Biggerstaff leads all players with 14 career goals. Michael Kraus is close behind with 34, while Vince Odorisio adds 30 points.
Active CU Career Point Leaders
Brian Biggerstaff - 35 (14 g, 7 a)
Jarod Tarver - 35 (12 g, 11 a)
Michael Kraus - 34 (11 g, 12 a)
Vince Odorisio - 30 (10 g, 10 a)
Home Town Hero: Tim Bohnenkamp, a sophomore from Omaha, has proved his like for Morrison Stadium in his two years at CU. He dished two assists in a match for the second time this season in CU's 5-0 win over Eastern Illinois (Oct. 8). His six assists on the year are tied for the team and MVC lead. All of his 17 career points (4 g, 9 a) have come at home.
Oh-Four: Creighton's loss to Illinois-Chicago (Oct. 5) dropped the Jays to 0-2-2 over a four-match span for only its second four-game winless streak since the program was re-started in 1990. Not since the final four matches of that 1990 season had the Bluejays gone four matches without a victory. Not only is the four-game winless streak a rarity, but the Jays have had only three other three-game winless streaks since 1990; 1997 (0-3-0), 2001 (0-3-0) and 2003 (0-2-1).
Half-n-Half: The Jays have allowed two goals in the first half this season, but have surrendered 10 in the second half. CU's own scoring has been somewhat more balanced, as the Jays have scored nine goals in the first half and 15 in the second half.
Slump Busters: Creighton's five goals in its shutout of Eastern Illinois (Oct. 8) helped the Jays snap out of an offensive funk. The five tallies were two more than the team had managed in its previous five games combined. CU scored 11 goals in its first four matches this year, followed by a five-game stretch of just three goals total before the five-goal outburst against EIU.
20-20-20 Vision: Creighton attempted at least 20 shots in three straight games from Oct. 1 through Oct. 8 for a total of 77 shots in those matches. The Bluejays had not put together three straight 20-shot games since the 2002 team did so from Nov. 9-17. The 2002 squad attempted 68 total shots in that span. This year's team out-scored its opponents just 6-2 during those three games, while the 2002 team had a 10-1 goals advantage during their streak.
Valley Openers: Creighton's 5-0 win over Eastern Illinois snapped a surprising slump. The Jays were 0-1-2 in their last three MVC openers prior to the win last Saturday. CU's last win in a Valley debut was also against EIU in 2001.
Just Shoot Me: Creighton launched a season-high 27 shots in its 0-0 tie with UMKC (Oct. 1). Michael Kraus and Jarod Tarver led the team with five shots each. The 27 shots by Creighton also tied the Morrison Stadium record set by Maryland against Butler on Aug. 31, 2003.
High Five: Creighton was undefeated through five games for the first time since 2000. The 2000 squad opened the season with six wins en route to an appearance in the NCAA championship match and leading the nation with 22 victories. With the Jays' 4-0-1 start this season, they extended their undefeated streak to nine matches. Despite being eliminated from the MVC and NCAA tournaments, CU went 2-0-2 in its last four matches last year.
Rare Feet: The Bluejays' feet have accomplished a rare feat this year, scoring at least three goals in three straight contests from Sept. 4-16. CU scored three goals against Washington, four against Loyola and three against Memphis to mark the first time since 1998 the Jays scored at least three goals in three consecutive games. The 1998 team put together four straight games with at least a trio of goals from Sept. 12-25.
Local Flavor: The Jays have a record 13 Nebraska natives on the roster this fall, while eight Nebraskans started in CU's win over Loyola on Sept. 10. CU had three Nebraskans on its first team in 1990 and the 1996 team did not list one Nebraska native on its roster.
Welcome to Creighton: Bluejay newcomers contributed greatly in CU's opening weekend at the Portland Nike Invitational. The Jays' lone goal in their 1-1 tie with Portland was scored by Brian Kallman. The senior played his first three seasons at Jacksonville University, scoring just two goals in that span. Freshman Byron Dacy was named the tournament MVP after scoring a goal and adding an assist in CU's 3-2 win over Washington on Sunday. The Bluejays won the tournament title due to a goals-scored tiebreaker over Portland.
Record Crowds: A CU home record crowd of 5,743 fans came out to the Jays' exhibition match against Stanford (Aug. 26). The record shattered the former mark by more than 1,300. Five of the top six home attended games in CU history have now come in the month of August, while three of the top four crows have come to exhibition matches. Listed below are the top three home crowds and top three crowds in Morrison Stadium history:
Top Three CU Home Crowds
1 5,743 vs. Stanford (Exh.), Aug. 26, 2005
2 4,407 vs. SLU, Aug. 31, 1997
3 4,345 vs. Virginia (Exh.), Aug. 28, 1993
Top Three CU Morrison Stadium Crowds
1 5,743 vs. Stanford (Exh.), Aug. 26, 2005
2 4,029 vs. UMKC (Exh.), Aug. 27, 2004
3 3,483 vs. Butler, Aug., 29, 2003
MVC Trims Down: Valley affiliates SMU and Tulsa have departed to join Conference USA in all sports. Both squads made the NCAA tournament last season and both remain on CU's schedule this fall. The Jays played the pair as part of Tulsa's tournament in late September.
Schedule Notes: With the departure of SMU and Tulsa from the MVC, there now remain eight teams in MVC soccer. With that change, the conference office has opted to alter the league scheduling from Friday-Sunday matched to Wednesday-Saturday contests. There will no longer be ?travel partners? and this format will allow for easier travel and better recovery for teams.
MVC Tournament Format: The Valley has changed its men's soccer tournament format this season, moving from an eight-team to a six-team bracket. The top six teams will now qualify and all matches will be played at one site. The top two teams will earn a bye into the semifinals, while the first round of play will have 3-6 and 4-5 seed match ups. Shea Stadium and Bradley University will host the event in Peoria, Ill., this November.
Global Bluejays: Live video streaming of both men's and women's home soccer matches is available this season. The video streaming schedule includes all remaining men's and women's home matches, which gives CU fans across the globe the chance to see some of the best soccer, in one the finest facilities in the nation right on their desktops. The season pass is just $21.95. For more information on system requirements in order to view the webcasts and how to register for your season pass, go to www.gocreighton.tv or click on the video webcast button on www.gocreighton.com.
Wednesday, November 05
Sunday, November 02
Wednesday, October 29
Saturday, October 25
