BIG EAST Play Enters the Home Stretch
10/24/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Providence Match Notes 
| Live Video |
This weekend the Pirates host a surging Providence Friars squad that jumped into the NSCAA Top-25 poll this week at No. 23, after picking up wins at Georgetown and home against St. John's last week. Providence is one of three teams in the BIG EAST without a loss in conference play, currently sitting in a tie for second place at 3-0-2. The Friars have not lost since Sept. 14, posting a 4-0-2 record over the past five weeks.
After starting conference play with three-straight losses, the Pirates rebounded with a four-point week, including its first BIG EAST road point since the 2009 season in the form of a 1-1 tie at Villanova. The victory over Georgetown, powered by Andrew LoManto's game-winner in the 69th minute and an outstanding performance in the net from Julian Spindler, was the first shutout against a BIG EAST foe since a 1-0 win over No. 3 Connecticut on Oct. 30, 2011.
With two weeks remaining in the regular season, Seton Hall currently trails the sixth and final conference tournament spot by just a point, with two home and two road contests remaining on its slate. After Saturday's showdown with Providence, SHU heads to Indianapolis for a mid-week matchup at Butler on Wednesday, prior to returning home to face No. 15 Marquette on Senior Night, Saturday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m.
The Pirate offense has been balanced during conference action, with five different players scoring at least one goal, while leading scorer Kai Greene leads the way with two scores.
Providence is the highest scoring team in the BIG EAST and one of the highest-octane offenses in the country. The Friars average 2.08 goals per game, which leads the conference and ranks 13th nationally.
Mac Steeves and Markus Naglestad have both found the back of the net seven times so far this season, which ties for third in the league and 26th amongst all Division I student-athletes.
QUICK HITS
- Seton Hall is coming off a 1-0 win over third-ranked Georgetown last weekend. Senior Andrew LoManto scored the game-winner in the 69th minute to help the Pirates secure their first conference win of the year.
- Sophomore goalkeeper Julian Spindler tied his career-high with eight saves in the shutout against the Hoyas. He now has five shutouts on the season and it was his first clean sheet against a BIG EAST foe in his career.
- Spindler was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week on Oct. 20 for the first time in his career. Additionally, sophomore Shawn Morrison was tabbed as the conference Defender of the Week after assisting on the game-winner and starting at outside back in the shutout.
- The win over Georgetown was the first victory for Seton Hall over a top-five team since a 1-0 victory over No. 3 Connecticut on Oct. 30, 2011. That was also the last time The Hall picked up a shutout against a BIG EAST opponent.
- The Hall snapped an eight-match winless streak against Georgetown, also breaking a stretch of six-straight losses to the Hoyas. It was the first victory over Georgetown since 2006.
- Eight of the conference's 10 teams had a bye this week, but Providence and Marquette met on Wednesday night in Milwaukee to make up what should have been their season opener back on Sept. 27, a game that was postponed due to travel difficulties. PC and Marquette tied, 1-1.
- Providence jumped up to No. 23 in the NSCAA Coaches' Top-25 Poll this week after a victory at Georgetown last week. The Friars are one of three BIG EAST teams that have not suffered a loss in conference.
SERIES HISTORY VS. PROVIDENCE
Seton Hall and Providence have faced one another at least once during every season since 1990, and the all-time series is tied 12-12-6. The Friars came back from a 1-0 deficit in the second half to score three unanswered to end the game in a 3-1 victory last season in Providence, while the Pirates snapped a three-match winless streak with a 2-1 win at home in 2012. Since the 2004 season, SHU and Providence have tied three times, most recently in 2009.
PIRATE PAIR HONORED
For the first time this season ,Seton Hall saw a pair of student-athletes earn BIG EAST individual recognition as Julian Spindler was named the conference Goalkeeper of the Week and Shawn Morrison the Defender of the Week, it was announced Oct. 20. Spindler is the Goalkeeper of the Week for the first time in his career, and received the honor after tying his career-high with eight saves in a 1-0 shutout over No. 3 Georgetown. Morrison assisted on the game-winner in that victory and also helped anchor the SHU defense at outside back. He is the first SHU student-athlete to be named Defender of the Week since Christos Zisimatos on Oct. 23, 2005.
TOPPLING A RANKED FOE
With its win over No. 3 Georgetown on Oct. 18, Seton Hall picked up a win over a ranked opponent for a fourth-straight season. It was also the first time The Hall took down a top-five team since the beginning of that streak, a 1-0 win over No. 3 Connecticut on Oct. 30, 2011. The Pirates are 1-2-1 against teams ranked in the NSCAA Top-25 poll this season.
LOMANTO'S GAME WINNER
Senior forward Andrew LoManto came up with the game-winner, a 15-yard shot far post in the 69th minute, in a 1-0 win over No. 3 Georgetown on Oct. 18. It was the first goal of the season for LoManto and the third of his career. LoManto came up with the difference making score for the second time in his career and the first since 2012, when he factored in a 2-1 overtime victory against Rider.
