INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI men's soccer team will welcome Summit League leader Western Illinois (8-4-2, 3-0 Summit) to the on-campus Michael A. Carroll Stadium on Saturday night (Oct. 25) at 7:00 p.m.. IUPUI home soccer is free of charge this season although standard university parking rates will apply.

Saturday's match opens a three-game homestand for Head Coach Isang Jacob's squad.

IUPUI (4-7-1, 1-2 Summit) is looking to regain traction after having its two-game winning streak snapped at Oral Roberts last Saturday by a 2-1 score. The Jaguars scored first on a strike from freshman Emmanuel Usen, but gave up goals in the 71st and 74th minutes to fall to the Golden Eagles. Usen (5 goals, 2 assists) and Uriel Macias (team-high 6 goals) remain one of the league's most lethal scoring duos while sophomore midfielder Cristian Soto has a team-high three assists.

Soto had a goal and an assist in the Jaguars' last home match, helping IUPUI to a 3-2 double overtime win over Cincinnati on Oct. 15. Soto scored his first goal of the year in the 21st minute and assisted Macias' game-winner in the 107th minute.

In goal, Eduardo Cortes has lowered his goals against average to 2.30 recently and is among the national leaders at nearly six saves per game. The Texas-native has a 3-4-1 record in seven starts this season.

The Jaguars have been bolstered by the return of sophomore Harold Agyeman-Prempeh and Clint Hoffar has continued to provide steady play from a center back spot. Hoffar leads the team, having played all 1,117 minutes this season. Freshman Joshua Ayala is the only other Jaguar to have played more than 1,000 minutes already this season. 

Scouting the Fighting Leathernecks
Western Illinois had recorded six consecutive shutouts (all wins) before playing Drake to a 1-1 draw earlier this week. Yves Dietrich keys the WIU defense with a 0.68 GAA and 72 saves in 14 starts in net. In front of him, defender Charlie Bales has a team-high six goals and two assists while Mario Alvarez and Jacob Bevan have three goals each.

Western has outscored its opponents 18-10 this season, despite being outshot by nearly two attempts per game. All three of the Fighting Leathernecks' Summit League wins have come by identical 1-0 scores.

WIU is 3-2-1 on the road this season including a road win at Summit foe Eastern Illinois on Oct. 18.

Inside the Series
IUPUI is 10-8-1 all-time against WIU following a 5-0 loss in Macomb last season. The Jaguars are 9-0 all-time in matches played in Indianapolis, including the most recent 3-0 win on Oct. 20, 2012.