The Basics
Drake men's soccer kicks off their 2023 conference schedule this weekend with their second of two-straight home matches. The Bulldogs will host Evansville on Saturday, Sep. 16 at 7 p.m.
Drake then travels to Chicago next Saturday, Sep. 23 for another 7 p.m. Valley tilt at UIC.
Bulldogs by the Numbers
Drake brings a 1-4-1 record into the MVC season after drawing in their most recent bout. Drake ended their opening non-conference stretch with a 2-2 draw against Omaha (9/13). The Bulldogs' lone win came at home against Western Illinois on Sep. 1.
Sophomore
Damian Segura leads Drake with seven total points on two goals and three assists. Both of Segura's goals came in a 4-3 loss at Tulsa (9/9). Veterans
AJ Franklin and
Eloge Iradukunda have also scored two goals apiece. Franklin has attempted 14 total shots, the most on the team, with 10 shots on goal.
Kevin Qi and
Tommy Williams have split time in net for Drake with 17 combined saves between the two keepers. Qi earned the only win of the year versus WIU.
Scouting Evansville
Evansville is currently an even 2-2-2 in the 2023 season. The Purple Aces also played to a 2-2 draw in their most recent match versus Lindenwood after shutting out Southern Indiana 4-0. Evansville's other win came in a 3-1 home result over Cal State Fullerton. UIC will play cross-town rival Chicago State prior to hosting Drake.
Kai Phillip's eight points pace the Purple Aces roster with four goals, the second-most in the Valley. Phillip is one of three Evansville players to attempt 10+ shots alongside second-leading scorer Jose Vivas and Preseason All-MVC selection Nacho Diaz.
Jacob Madden and Aiden Montoure have also split time in the Purple Aces' net. Both keepers have allowed four goals each and have picked up identical 1-1-1 records.
Drake holds a 20-13-2 advantage in the all-time series with Evansville. The Purple Aces have won the last three meetings, all of which coming in Evansville, after a five-game winning streak by the Bulldogs.
Scouting UIC
UIC has had a stellar start to the 2023 season with a 4-1-1 record. The Flames won three of their first four matches with their lone draw splitting the victories. Their only loss came in their most recent bout, a 4-1 defeat at Northwestern.
Both Jesus De Vicente and Sidney Warden have scored seven points each to lead UIC's offense. Warden leads the team with three goals while De Vicente has the same number of assists. UIC goalkeeper Oren Asher has played every minute for the Flames with 21 saves and just eight goals allowed.
UIC leads the all-time series with Drake by a 5-3 margin dating back to 2011. The Bulldogs have had the upper hand recently with three-straight wins after UIC won the first five installments.
Up Next
The Bulldogs' MVC slate continues with another road match at Belmont on Sunday, Oct. 1. Drake then hosts Northern Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 7.
