Friday, August 26
Piscataway, N.J.
7:00 PM
Creighton University
at
Rutgers
Photo by: Steve Branscombe
No. 7 Men's Soccer Begins Regular Season at No. 25 Rutgers
8/24/2016 12:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Download Complete Notes as PDF
Friday, Aug. 26 | No. 7 Creighton at No. 25 Rutgers | Piscataway, N.J. | 7 p.m.
Up Next
The No. 7 Creighton men's soccer team opens the 2016 season on the road against the No. 25 Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Friday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. (CST) at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, N.J. Friday marks the first time since 2011 that the Bluejays have started their regular season on the road.
Follow The Match
Friday's match will feature a video webcast on BTN Plus, with Lou Brongo and Kristian Dyer on the call. A subscription is required to watch the event.
Live stats for the contest can be found at the following web address: http://www.scarletknights.com/gametracker/launch/gt_msoccer.html?event=1497667&school=rutu&sport=msoccer&camefrom=&startschool=&.
Bluejay fans can also stay updated through the Creighton men's soccer Twitter feed: Twitter.com/CreightonMSoc
Scouting Creighton (2015: 19-4-0)
Creighton returns five starters and 10 lettermen from last year's team that advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for a second straight season, led the nation in wins (19) and finished No. 6 in the year-end NSCAA poll. The Bluejays were picked as the favorite to win the BIG EAST this season. Â
Senior Ricardo Perez returns as the leading goal-scorer and with the most experience in a Bluejay uniform of any player on the 2016 roster. Perez notched six goals, including four game-winners, during 2015 and has played in 65 matches (45 starts) at Creighton. The Ciudad Juarez, Mexico native, claimed a spot on the 2016 All-BIG EAST Preseason Team.
Senior Myles Englis and junior Ricky Lopez-Espin will also look to lead the Bluejay offense. Englis had four goals, while Lopez-Espin had five goals and ranks second among active Bluejays with eight in his career (Perez, 11).
Lucas Stauffer (Preseason All-BIG EAST), Peter Prescott and Mitch LaGro return to guide a defense which held opponents to 0.83 goals per game and recorded nine shutouts during 2015.
With the loss of three All-Americans, including MAC Hermann Finalist Fabian Herbers, Creighton welcomed 12 newcomers for the 2016 season, including senior tranfers Alex Kapp (Boston College) and Riggs Lennon (Virginia).
Scouting Rutgers (2015: 12-7-2)
The Scarlet Knights return seven starters and 22 letterwinners from a team that finished 12-7- 2 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament second round. Rutgers is ranked No. 25 in the NSCAA Preseason Top 25.
Junior Jason Wright, the unanimous Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and a NSCAA Second Team All-American in 2015, led the Big Ten in points (31), goals (13) and game- winners (5). He claimed a spot on the 2016 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, and the Preseason First Team All-America by College Soccer News.
Scarlet Knights goalkeeper David Greczek was recognized by Top Drawer Soccer as one the of the nation's top returning goalkeepers. Greczek played every minute of all 21 matches and earned eight shutouts on his way to Second Team All-Big Ten accolades in 2015.
Wright, Greczek and Miles Hackett were named to the Big Ten Men's Soccer Preseason Honors list as Rutgers checked in at No. 4 in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll.
Series History vs. Scarlet Knights
Creighton defeated Rutgers 3-0 in the only meeting previous between the two schools on Sept. 2, 2012 in Omaha during the Ameritas Classic. The Bluejays and Scarlet Knights managed a combined nine shots on goal during a Sunday afternoon match with temperatures in the mid 90s.
Jays Find Success in Lid-Lifters
Creighton has won its last six season-opening matches, including a 1-0 shutout of Michigan last season and 2-0 wins over nationally-ranked Tulsa (2013) and Stanford (2014) the previous two years.
The Bluejays have not allowed a goal in six of their last seven lid-lifters. Creighton allowed one goal in a 3-1 victory over Northern Illinois in 2012.
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CU's unbeaten streak stretches to nine (7-0-2) in season-opening matches if you go back to a 2007 tie vs. San Diego State, and the Jays are 13-1-6 in its last 20 season lid-lifters.
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Creighton is 18-2-6 in season-openers since reinstating soccer in 1990, and 22-5-6 all-time.
Road Season-Opener Rarity
Friday marks just the sixth time since the men's soccer program was reinstated in 1990 in which the Bluejays have opened the year on the road, and the first time since 2011 (at Denver).
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Creighton is 2-1-2 in its previous five road season-openers during the past 26 seasons, including wins in its last two.
Recent History Against Big Ten
Creighton is 5-3-1 against current Big Ten conference teams under head coach Elmar Bolowich during the past five seasons, 15-7-2 overall since 2000 and 1-1 in season-openers.
The Bluejays last loss against a Big Ten school came in 2013 at Michigan.
Early Challenges Don't Scare Bluejays
Friday's season opener is the third in the past four seasons against a ranked opponent. Creighton defeated No. 20 Stanford 2-0 in 2014 and No. 14 Tulsa 2-0 to start the 2013 campaign. Rutgers enters Friday's match at No. 25 in the NSCAA Preseason Top 25.
Friday, Aug. 26 | No. 7 Creighton at No. 25 Rutgers | Piscataway, N.J. | 7 p.m.
Up Next
The No. 7 Creighton men's soccer team opens the 2016 season on the road against the No. 25 Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Friday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. (CST) at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, N.J. Friday marks the first time since 2011 that the Bluejays have started their regular season on the road.
Follow The Match
Friday's match will feature a video webcast on BTN Plus, with Lou Brongo and Kristian Dyer on the call. A subscription is required to watch the event.
Live stats for the contest can be found at the following web address: http://www.scarletknights.com/gametracker/launch/gt_msoccer.html?event=1497667&school=rutu&sport=msoccer&camefrom=&startschool=&.
Bluejay fans can also stay updated through the Creighton men's soccer Twitter feed: Twitter.com/CreightonMSoc
Scouting Creighton (2015: 19-4-0)
Creighton returns five starters and 10 lettermen from last year's team that advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for a second straight season, led the nation in wins (19) and finished No. 6 in the year-end NSCAA poll. The Bluejays were picked as the favorite to win the BIG EAST this season. Â
Senior Ricardo Perez returns as the leading goal-scorer and with the most experience in a Bluejay uniform of any player on the 2016 roster. Perez notched six goals, including four game-winners, during 2015 and has played in 65 matches (45 starts) at Creighton. The Ciudad Juarez, Mexico native, claimed a spot on the 2016 All-BIG EAST Preseason Team.
Senior Myles Englis and junior Ricky Lopez-Espin will also look to lead the Bluejay offense. Englis had four goals, while Lopez-Espin had five goals and ranks second among active Bluejays with eight in his career (Perez, 11).
Lucas Stauffer (Preseason All-BIG EAST), Peter Prescott and Mitch LaGro return to guide a defense which held opponents to 0.83 goals per game and recorded nine shutouts during 2015.
With the loss of three All-Americans, including MAC Hermann Finalist Fabian Herbers, Creighton welcomed 12 newcomers for the 2016 season, including senior tranfers Alex Kapp (Boston College) and Riggs Lennon (Virginia).
Scouting Rutgers (2015: 12-7-2)
The Scarlet Knights return seven starters and 22 letterwinners from a team that finished 12-7- 2 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament second round. Rutgers is ranked No. 25 in the NSCAA Preseason Top 25.
Junior Jason Wright, the unanimous Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and a NSCAA Second Team All-American in 2015, led the Big Ten in points (31), goals (13) and game- winners (5). He claimed a spot on the 2016 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, and the Preseason First Team All-America by College Soccer News.
Scarlet Knights goalkeeper David Greczek was recognized by Top Drawer Soccer as one the of the nation's top returning goalkeepers. Greczek played every minute of all 21 matches and earned eight shutouts on his way to Second Team All-Big Ten accolades in 2015.
Wright, Greczek and Miles Hackett were named to the Big Ten Men's Soccer Preseason Honors list as Rutgers checked in at No. 4 in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll.
Series History vs. Scarlet Knights
Creighton defeated Rutgers 3-0 in the only meeting previous between the two schools on Sept. 2, 2012 in Omaha during the Ameritas Classic. The Bluejays and Scarlet Knights managed a combined nine shots on goal during a Sunday afternoon match with temperatures in the mid 90s.
Jays Find Success in Lid-Lifters
Creighton has won its last six season-opening matches, including a 1-0 shutout of Michigan last season and 2-0 wins over nationally-ranked Tulsa (2013) and Stanford (2014) the previous two years.
The Bluejays have not allowed a goal in six of their last seven lid-lifters. Creighton allowed one goal in a 3-1 victory over Northern Illinois in 2012.
  Â
CU's unbeaten streak stretches to nine (7-0-2) in season-opening matches if you go back to a 2007 tie vs. San Diego State, and the Jays are 13-1-6 in its last 20 season lid-lifters.
  Â
Creighton is 18-2-6 in season-openers since reinstating soccer in 1990, and 22-5-6 all-time.
Road Season-Opener Rarity
Friday marks just the sixth time since the men's soccer program was reinstated in 1990 in which the Bluejays have opened the year on the road, and the first time since 2011 (at Denver).
  Â
Creighton is 2-1-2 in its previous five road season-openers during the past 26 seasons, including wins in its last two.
Recent History Against Big Ten
Creighton is 5-3-1 against current Big Ten conference teams under head coach Elmar Bolowich during the past five seasons, 15-7-2 overall since 2000 and 1-1 in season-openers.
The Bluejays last loss against a Big Ten school came in 2013 at Michigan.
Early Challenges Don't Scare Bluejays
Friday's season opener is the third in the past four seasons against a ranked opponent. Creighton defeated No. 20 Stanford 2-0 in 2014 and No. 14 Tulsa 2-0 to start the 2013 campaign. Rutgers enters Friday's match at No. 25 in the NSCAA Preseason Top 25.
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