KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan men's soccer team (9-1-3) hosts Northern Illinois University (NIU) (4-6-1) on Wednesday, October 18, at 4:00 PM at the WMU Soccer Complex. The game will mark the conclusion of a three-game homestand for the Brown and Gold.
On the offensive third of the field, the dynamic duo of Charlie Sharp and Dylan Sing will look to continue moving up the ladder in the men's soccer record books. Entering Wednesday's matchup, the two have combined for 19 of WMU's 29 goals scored so far this season. With four more games remaining in the regular season, Sharp, the senior from Brighton, Michigan, sits two goals away from tying the program record for the most goals in program history. The current record holder Dan Edwards, who played for the Brown and Gold from 1991-94, has held the record for almost three decades with 34 goals scored in his Bronco tenure. As for Sing, he enters Wednesday's matchup with 27 career goals under his belt. The forward from Berrien Center, Michigan, is three goals away from passing Randy Wojtala (1976-79) for the third most goals scored in program history.
Holding down the middle of the field, graduate student Tom Cooklin from Lewes, England, will continue to pick apart defensive lines at will. Most recently, the College Soccer News Team of the Week recipient recorded a career-best four assists versus Oakland during WMU's victory last Wednesday and scored his first goal of the season in Western's 3-0 win over Drake on Saturday.
In the defensive third of the field, graduate student goalkeeper Ethan Brandt from Torrance, California, will look to secure his seventh shutout over the past nine games. Brandt is currently ranked second in the NCAA with seven total shutouts in 13 games played. Brandt and the backline will look to shut down the Huskies' balanced attack of Angel Rodriguez, Eddie Knight, Taisei Armia, Camililo Estrada, and Taylor Davis. The group has combined for 13 goals and six assists over the span of the season. Over the last eight contests, Brandt, captain Jonathan Robinson, and the rest of Western's backline will look to continue their consistency in the back. The group has played phenomenally by conceding an average of 0.5 goals per match.
The Broncos trail the Huskies in the all-time series 21-15-3, however, they have turned the tide in their favor over the past decade. Since October 30, 2012, the Brown and Gold have posted a 9-3-2 record against NIU.
Most recently WMU made program history by extending their unbeaten streak to a new program-best 12 games without a loss in their 3-0 win over Drake last Saturday. The men's soccer team will look to extend their program-best unbeaten streak to 13 games without a loss during Wednesday's contest.
After a road matchup against #16 Missouri State on Sunday, October 22, the Broncos will return to WMU Soccer Complex for their final home game of the regular season for Senior Day versus Belmont on Friday, October 27, at 3:30 PM. Live Stats and live stream information are available under the men's soccer schedule.
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