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MACOMB, Ill. - Playing in the four-team Summit League Tournament for the first time since 2010, the IUPUI men's soccer team will face a tall task in the opener when the Jaguars take on No. 1 Denver (11-3-3) at noon Eastern at John MacKenzie Alumni Field on the Western Illinois campus.
The winner will take on the winner of No. 2 Oral Roberts and No. 3 Western Illinois with the champion earning the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
"The good news is, we're getting healthy," IUPUI Head Coach
Isang Jacob said. "The expectation is nothing but to come back with the Summit League championship and that's the goal. It's as simple as that.
"Right now, we have four guys back (from injury) and possibly having another one back; compared to having eight out. The boys have done a good job."
The injury riddled IUPUI (2-11-5) squad finished the regular season by playing ORU to a 1-1 double overtime draw at Carroll Stadium and closing The Summit League schedule at 2-2-2 this year. It was IUPUI's seventh overtime affair of the season. The Jaguars gave up an own goal in the game's 15th minute, but pulled even when freshman
Patrick Henry scored his first career goal in the 43rd minute. Classmate
Ayodele Makinde collected the assist by putting a brilliant attempt on frame, leading to Henry's rebound goal.
For the year, senior
Ian Block leads the squad in points (6) and is one of four Jags to have scored two goals this season.
Lance Davis,
Michael Sass and
Jonny Williams also enter the postseason with two goals this year. Block,
Clint Hoffar and
Evan Smith are all tied with a team-high two assists.
In goal, sophomore
Eduardo Cortes has made 15 of the team's 18 starts, registering a 1.86 goals against average and 78 total saves.
Denver won the regular season meeting between the two schools, 4-0 on Oct. 12 in Denver. Zach Bolden leads the Pioneers with seven goals and eight assists and Cole Chapleski chipped in four goals. Reid Hukari scored the game-winner against the Jaguars off assists from both Bolden and Chapleski.
The Pios outscored their opponents by a 33-15 margin and a 16-1 margin in Summit League play. In goal, Oliver Brown started all 17 matches and finished the season with a 0.86 goals against average and .762 save percentage.
IUPUI is 1-1 all-time against Denver, including this year's earlier loss.
The Jaguars' only-ever conference tournament title came at Western Illinois as IUPUI took out host WIU (1-0) in the opener before defeating Oakland in three overtimes for the 2000 title.